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Chemical fallow an
an alternative
to summer tillage
By Harold Kerr
Morrow County Agent
Oregon State University Extension Service
The reasons for chemical fallow as an alternative to the
traditional summer fallow have been discussed, before but
bear repeating. One reason is the increased cost of fuel and
other farming costs have narrowed the spread between
chemicals and tillage until they are nearly equal, assuming
chemicals will reduce the need for two to three tillage
operations. A second reason is less opportunity for erosion if
there is less tillage and, therefore, more crop residue left on
the surface. A third reason is research has shown that under
most conditions more moisture is stored in the soil profile
under chemical fallow or minimum tillage.
A wide variety of chemicals are available for growers to
choose the single chemical or combination of chemicals
which best fits their needs or situation. A definition of what I
mean by chemical fallow is appropriate. When I say
chemical fallow I'm referring to the use of a chemical,
followed three to six weeks later by a light tillage which
establishes a mulch. Less tillage is required throughout the
fallow season because the weeds have been controlled and,
therefore, are less of a problem in the fallow year.
The following chemicals have been cleared for use in
chemical fallow in eastern Oregon. Use of trade names does
not mean an endorsement of that product. Two types of
chemicals are available for chemical fallow; one type is soil
active and controls weeds by stopping growth through root
contact with the chemical f the second major type is a contact
chemical which destroys the plants that have emerged but
leaves no residue in the soil.
The soil active chemicals are: Atrazine, Bladex, and
Chem Hoe. These products vary some in how they work, but
basically should be applied in the fall before you have a large
amount of emergence. Chem Hoe should be applied after the
soil temperature is below 55 degrees F. These products
provide residual weed control until the following spring, or
early summer when the chemical breaks down and is
inactive.
The contact chemicals. are: Roundup and Paraquadt.
These products should be used in the early spring after all the
weeds have emerged. The products only kill what has
emerged so later emerging weeds will escape. Tillage, or
seeding can occur 4 to 5 days after spraying, so this practice
can be used as a pre-plant before seeding spring wheat or
barley.
Cost sharing assistance is available from the ASCS office
for the chemical fallow practice.
Be sure to follow the instructions on the label.
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In order to determine actual soil erosion rates, erosion monitoring plots were established in
newly seeded wheat on the Huber farm near Lexington. Each plot is instrumented to
continuously record soil temperature, air temperature, relative humidity and precipitation.
Each collector tank is instrumented with a recording water level sensor so that runoff
amounts and rates can be determined. A frost tube is located between the plots and the frost
depth is read each week. Snow depth and snow water equivalent on the plots is also
determined each week. After each runoff event, water samples are collected from the tanks
and analyzed for sediment concentration.
From this information, we hope to be able to determine the physical and climatic factors
responsible for soil erosion and to suggest remedies to reduce soil losses from valuable
croplands.
More terrace
systems eyed
In the coming year we will
see an even larger number of
farmers constructing terrace
systems on their farms. We
will continue to work with
those operations on the design
and layout and provide infor
mation on the terrace mainte
nance program.
Yes, there has been an
awakening and an increased
interest in basin type, level
terraces. Some of the early
systems have provided visual
evidence of their value and
performance.
What meets the eye is
perhaps no longer a vision but,
in fact, a reality.
Save
Our
Soil
1 Terracing
Dams
Grading
Road Maintenance
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Water Truck
Clarence Nelson
Construction Co.
922-4414 P.O. Box 1121 Umatilla, OR.
The Buch Sops Short of
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oTerrccing end Diversion Ditches
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