Bringing Marginal Land Into Production Don Day Extension Associate - Energy

Concerns Yield potential Erosion potential Practices needed Farm program constraints

Conservation Problem – Soil Erosion

Early Soil Erosion Research

Early Conservation in Missouri

Aerial View of Erosion Plots

26 Plots on First Tier

Upslope View

Types of Erosion Gully erosionSheet and rill erosion

Effectiveness of Conservation Measures Universal Soil Loss Equation: A = R x K x LS x C x P –A = Soil erosion in tons per acre per year –R = Rainfall factor –K = Soil erodibility factor –LS = Slope length and steepness factor –C = Cover and management factor –P = Erosion control practice factor

What We Can Control Slope length factor Cover and management factor Erosion control practice factor

Conservation Practices to Solve the Problem Contour farming Waterways Terraces Conservation tillage No-till

Contour Farming Rows planted on the contour Can reduce erosion by up to 50%

Waterways Transport large volumes of water Can reduce gully erosion

Waterways Cost could be about $2600 per acre of waterway Cost share is available Equipment has to be raised to cross them Herbicide damage can occur Establishment can be difficult

Terraces Reduce length of slope Transport water to waterway

Terraces Cost can be considerable Cost share available If grass waterways are used, added time for establishment May be more difficult to farm Maintenance cost

Conservation Tillage Greater than 30% ground cover

Strip Cropping

Could use perennials –Switchgrass –Miscanthus Less cost than terraces

No-Till Machinery had to be developed

No Till May need machinery investment Cost share may be available New management techniques May not solve all gully erosion problems

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