Conservation tillage systems provide advantages like reduced soil erosion, improved water quality and carbon sequestration. However, they also require adaptations like proper straw management and control of the "green bridge" of volunteer plants and weeds between crops. Early control of the green bridge with Roundup is important to prevent weed, pest and disease issues. Roundup breaks down quickly in soil through microbial activity and does not negatively impact soil microbes or lead to soil residues. With the right equipment and management practices, Roundup is a key tool to make conservation tillage systems successful.
4. cropprotection
Tillage sytems per definition EMEA
Tillage system Main tillage Seedbed preparation Drilling
Conventional
Tillage (Plough)
Conservation
Conservation
Tillage
tillage
No‐Till, Direct Drill
The more soil tillage is reduced the higher is the risk to fail!
Source: KTBL, 1998 4
5. Conservation Tillage cropprotection
Benefits & Advantages – a short statement EMEA
Conservation tillage has a lot of advantages
Traditional water
Food production less traffic & time & less fuel Water CO2 Emission Air pollution soil fertility bioderversity
infiltration
Technical manpower saving Quality
“Traditional problems
Method”
= + + + + + + + +
Conservation
tillage safes safes safes improved improved reduced reduced improved improved
2 h / ha ~ • organic •Soil ersosion by •Reduced wind Organic matter Protection,
& 30 l / ha material on reduced by 1,2 ‐ 1,7 t / ha erosion content food
2 or more the soil surface 93% •Less tillage
= passes in the
field
• 70 % less
• earth worm eintrags bis
operations =
reduced CO2 /CH4
population 70% reduced sequestration
• more • up to 99 % less
soil pores water run off
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6. Conservation tillage – some points cropprotection
EMEA
to be considered
Overall trend to cereal concentration in the crop rotation
Example: WW‐WW‐ WB – OSR
better: OSR – WW – Legume – WW/WB
Short time frame for tillage operations, essp. If early drillings (WW ‐>
WW)
Work in parallel (harvest, soil tillage, drilling….)
Crop management has to consider CT specifics like:
Higher organic matter content (straw, crop residues) on the surface
Higher soil moisture content = lower temperature = different N‐
mineralization
Change in the weed as well as disease spectrum possible
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7. cropprotection
Necessery system adoptions EMEA
Straw management
Fragmentation and equal distribution
Equipment for stubble cultivation
Just a few cm, break soil compaction upfront
Drilling equipment
Drilling into a straw soil free horizon, „strip till“
Reduced tyre pressure to reduce soil compaction
Weed management
Leaf active vs. soil active compounds
Brome, perennial weeds (CIRAR; AGGRE is not a problem)
Disease Management
Fusarium; HTR/DTR
Fertilization
Different timing of N‐application, liquid fertilizers
………..
System adoptions are feasible!
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8. cropprotection
Straw management is very important for
EMEA
the success of Conservation tillage
Optimum: 1…5 cm Room for improvement!
Much better: short stubble and equal straw distribution 1 cm depth ~ 1 l Diesel/ha
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9. cropprotection
Tillage scheme – just one example EMEA
(Roundup before harvest Shallow cultivation just a few Roundup after emergence Reduced tillage or direct drilling
to control perennial weeds centimeters of volunteers and weeds
= clean start) Straw distribution, ~ 2…3 weeks
N‐fertlisation 30….60 kg N after harvest
= Control of „Green bridge“
Clean start and control of „Green Bridge“ is the FIRST step for a successfull
introduction of Conservation tillage systems
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10. cropprotection
Why? ‐ Just a few examples of the
EMEA
negative impact of the “Green Bridge”
Psylliodes
chrysocephalus
Snails
Ceuthorhynchus napi
Mice
Brassicogethes
aeneus
Aphids
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Fotos: BASF, DSV
11. Consequences if „Green Bridge“ was cropprotection
not controlled EMEA
Brome in wheat, volunteer winter barley etc.
Rye or wheat in w.barley
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12. Roundup application is reducing plant cropprotection
diseases like Plasmodiophora brassicae EMEA
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Early control of the „Green Bridge“ with
EMEA
Roundup should be a common practice
Untreated 1080 G AE 1080 G AE 720 G AE/ha
Height @ application: OSR: 20….30 cm OSR 10 cm
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14. cropprotection
Glyphosate Fate in Soil EMEA
• Tightly absorbed to clay particles and cations present in the soil, tank, or leaf
surface. Thus, leading to reduced bioactivity and no soil residual herbicidal
activity.
• Degraded mainly by microbial decomposition to the natural products, carbon
dioxide, nitrogen, phosphate, and water. Half‐life in the soil varies, but
common ranges are 30‐45 days.
• Even if Glyphosate is dedected in the soil it does not automatically mean that
it is available for plants!
• There is no negativ impact on the microbial activity.
• Runoff and leaching is not an issue
15. cropprotection
Microbial activity (C02 production) after
EMEA
GLY application
Plough Reduced till No Till
Gly application has no negativ
impact on the microbial
activity.
A higher microbial activity
days means also a faster
degradation of applied
Soil matrix upper soil Macro pores upper soil
chemicals!
Soil matrix deeper soil Macro pores deeper soil
Source: Machulla, Hohenheim Nov. 2009 15
16. cropprotection
GLY damage ? EMEA
Direct drilled cereals after catch crop
GLY damage due to product leaching after rainfall?
Source: Naeser LfULG Fachgespräch, 23.11.2010 16
19. cropprotection
Conclusion EMEA
Roundup® products have been widely used for more than 30 years,
are safe for the environment and crops.
Growers experiences with Roundup® brands have been extremely
positive including excellent weed control and profit potential.
Roundup® products – are key for success of conservation tillage
systems.
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EMEA
Many thanks
Wolfgang.voegler@monsanto.com
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