1. Comparison of Reduced Tillage Cropping Systems for Onions Mulched No-Till vs. Cover Cropped Ridge Till

2. Fall Oats Growing on Ridges

4. Following Spring Mulch of Winterkilled Oats on Ridges

5. Mulch No-Till Slit made in soil for hand planting onions Ridge-Till top removed Lightly tilled Cover Crop Ridge-Till Hand planted onions

6. Mulch No-Till Mulch of wheat straw in valleys for moisture and erosion control C.C. Ridge-Till 2 cultivations Single seed hairy vetch as living mulch for erosion control

7.  Mulch No-Till Cover Crop Ridge-Till 

8. Ridge-Tillage with Vetch versus No-till Ridges with Straw Mulch Inputs Soil Quality Soil Temperature Crop Value – Crop Production Moisture Yield

9. Inputs (per 300 ft. row) Mulched Cover Crop + Labor ($10/hr) No-till Ridge-till Seedbed Preparation 3 min 6 min Cultivation ----- 8 min Mulching1 hr 30 min ----- Interseeding and ----- 5 min Vine Trimming Hand-weeding 1 hr 45 min 35 min Materials Mulch $9.00 ----- Vetch Seed ----- $0.30 Total:$42.00 $9.30

10. Inputs: Scale 100 = $0 input 0 = $100 Results: Mulch No tillCC. Ridge till Input:$42.00$9.30 Scale:5891

11. Inputs Soil Quality Soil Temperature Crop value – production cost Moisture Yield Ridge-Tillage with Vetch vs No-till Ridges with Straw Mulch

12. Soil Moisture No-Till Ridge-Till Rainfall Soil Water Potential Date Rainfall (in)

13. Moisture: Scale No Irrigation, => more moisture better 0 = 0 100 = 100 Results: No till with mulch CC. Ridge till Average Moisture Reading8966

14. Inputs Soil Quality Soil Temperature Crop value – production cost Moisture Yield Ridge-Tillage with Vetch vs No-till Ridges with Straw Mulch

15. Yield & Quality

16. Yield Sample Mulch No- TillC.C. Ridge Till Total #74 Rotten #817 Good #6655 Yield lbs39.531.75 Avg lbs per bulb0.60.59 # Crates per Row7.55.75

17. Yield: Scale 100 = 8 crates (= ~10 ton/ac) 0 = 0 crates Results: No till with mulchCC. Ridge till crates7.55.75 scale9472

18. Inputs Soil Quality Soil Temperature Crop value – production cost Moisture Yield Ridge-Tillage with Vetch vs No-till Ridges with Straw Mulch

19. Soil Temperature

20. Soil Temperature: Scale and Results No significant difference between treatments Ideal temperature for onions: – 55 o – 75 o F during growth In dry/hot year, no-till would conserve more moisture and stable temperature Both treatments scaled: 100 for moderate & = temperatures

21. Inputs Soil Quality Soil Temperature Crop value – production cost Moisture Yield Ridge-Tillage with Vetch vs No-till Ridges with Straw Mulch

22. Soil Quality No Till + Mulch Average Ridge Till + vetch Average 12 worms/ft 2 Earthworm Count Infiltration Soil Fertility 41.4 in/hr40.3 in/hr no difference

23. Inputs Soil Quality Soil Temperature Crop value – production cost Moisture Yield Ridge-Tillage with Vetch vs No-till Ridges with Straw Mulch

24. Profit Margin Crop Value – cost of production Straw Mulched No-Till : $ 75 - $ 42 = $ 33 C.C. Ridge-Till : $ 57.50 – 9.30 = $ 48.20

25. Inputs Soil Quality Soil Temperature Crop value – production cost Moisture Yield Ridge-Tillage with Vetch vs No-till Ridges with Straw Mulch

26. Inputs Soil Quality Soil Temperature Crop value - production cost Moisture Yield Ridge-Tillage with Vetch vs No-till Ridges with Straw Mulch

27. Summary of Results Soil moisture –If drought year: problematic in ridge till w/ vetch –Vetch takes up moisture, may reduce yield Yields, soil moisture, & temperature were similar in 2003