Closing the slot key to success in direct drilling: The prospective No-Till Alliance held its first meeting at Simon Cowell's Essex farm

摘要

Being unable to close the slot or gouge after the drill was one of the main reasons for direct drilling to fail, Steve Townsend, an independent tillage consultant, told growers at a farmer-organised meeting for a prospective No-Till Alliance growers club. "The main issue is not having enough tilth to close the slot. It leads to lots of issues, including slug damage." For growers using direct drill establishment, cultivation to produce more tilth wasn't an option, the key was to build soil organic matter levels, he said. "Pm a big fan of chopping all straw residues on farm. It is an easy form of carbon. Carbon equals soil organic matter equals tilth," he explained. "So don't sell your straw."