David Jordan
NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina Tillage
Tillage systems vary across the peanut belt and are often tailored to the needs locally. In North Carolina, we routinely compare tillage systems across research stations and with on-farm cooperators. Here are a couple of findings from North Carolina during recent years.
In a test in Northeastern North Carolina in Halifax County, we documented peanut response to strip tillage into a desiccated wheat cover crop in cotton stubble, conventional tillage on beds, and conventional tillage when planted flat. When averaged over large plots from eight fields over two years, we found that yields were highest and financial returns greatest when peanuts were planted in beds with conventional tillage. Yield and returns were similar for strip tillage and conventional tillage in flat ground.
In another group of experiments, we noted that peanut yield was greatest when strip tilled into native vegetation compared with no-till in native vegetation or no-till into desiccated wheat and cereal rye cover crops. Response to cover crops was more variable when comparing strip tillage into these cover crop treatments. In a final set of experiments, peanut yield was the same when fields were bedded versus rip and bedded.
There are a lot of good reasons to plant cover crops and grow peanuts in reduced tillage. Wheat or rye often suppress weeds, thrips, tomato spotted wilt, and in some cases, leaf spot. However, for Virginia market types, we need to set fields up for digging in a way that minimizes pod shed. Virginia market types tend to shed off more than runner market types. There may be several factors that would generally encourage reduced tillage, but ultimately, yield is the driver. For Virginia market types, widespread plantings of peanuts in reduced tillage brings some risk.
We created a risk tool for transitioning from conventional tillage to reduced tillage. The risk tool can be found in 2026 Peanut Information at https://peanut.ces.ncsu.edu/. As one would expect, the degree or intensity of tillage and soil texture impact the risk. No-till on finer-textured soils create the greatest risk of yields being lower in reduced tillage. Strip tillage on a coarse-textured soil carries the least amount of risk for Virginia market types.
As stated earlier, the decision on tillage system is often dictated by knowledge locally. Hopefully, the discussion above gives you something to think about, but check with local experts to see what works best in your operation and neck of the woods.
