Universal Agronomic Principles
Matt Hagny, Pinnacle Crop Technologies Inc.
Direct Seeding Advantage 2006
Matt Hagny, a no-till crop consultant from Kansas, presented the following at Direct Seeding Advantage 2006. These are excellent points to keep in mind when refining your no-till system.
· Crop diversity is key to plant health and to profits over the long-term.
· Plants can tolerate relatively wide ranges of nutrient supplies or concentrations.
· Deficiencies of plant nutrients will begin affecting plant growth before visible symptoms appear.
· Mild additional stresses (diseases, insects, herbicides, weather) will multiply the effects of minor nutrient shortages.
· Nutrients will be more concentrated in the upper layers of soil (“stratified”). This is normal for terrestrial ecosystems.
· Soil disturbance worsens weed problems because most weed seeds are inadvertently planted to depths suitable for germination and for remaining viable (dormant) for long periods.
Click here for Matt’s presentation at DSA 2006: "Levering Biology".
Matt added some additional principles in a presentation to the Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario in Feb 2009.
- Tillage causes soil productivity to decline
- Low disturbance no-till and high cropping intensity heighten the demand for good early-season fertilizer management
- Because of nutrient export in grain, biomass and animal products, all agricultural land will eventually experience nutrient deficits.
Matt is also one of the editors of Leading Edge published by No-till on the Plains, an excellent journal published three times each year.
