It has always been like this: For success showing at the surface you have to go deeply to the bottom. Even more in agronomy. The key for outstanding yields is right under your feet: healthy soils.
Novag no tillage and zero soil disturbance lead to healthy soils. Bacteria and fungi can thrive. They form a symbiosis with the roots of the crops. Water and soil nutrients support and protect your plants. This is how they become more effective, stronger and resistant.
The Novag system involves virtually zero soil movement, the end of superficial soil preparation, and cut down fertilizer and chemicals rate. The soil microbiology is spared, the soil remains healthy.
Highly productive work is happening under our feet: billions and billions of survival specialists are doing amazing work, even if they are really small. Microbes, as well as fungi, worms and insects, are essential for the formation of a well-structured soil with high water storage capacity and high nutrient availability.
If you think of a huge recycling company, the numbers are simply unbelievable: in one hectare of healthy soil, about 15 tons of multicellular living organisms drive the nutrient cycle. And in only one cubic meter, you can find a million ciliates and a million nematodes, hundreds of millions of algae, hundreds of billions of fungi and 30 trillion bacteria. This natural digestive system makes plant grow strong. You just have to stop turning this highly efficient business upside down every season. Essential to its development is putting an end to tillage.
Plants and crop residues are the fundamental tool to feed and protect the life in the soil.
Companion crops are sown at the same time as the main crop. They will grow side by side with the main plant. The association saves fertilizer, herbicide and even insecticides because companion plants can be chosen to divert attention from insects. The “relay cropping” process allows a double production of the same surface.
Cover crops can be established before the main crop. The plants will agronomically prepare the soil and feed its biology, to the benefit of the following crop.
Residues of the previous crop, straw for example, are left in place and spreaded after harvest, to form a “mulch”. This soil cover will be very effective at holding maximum water resources during the summer, controlling weeds or making the most of the snow in some areas.
Straw management where there is a high yield potential is a major challenge in no tillage, notably for the seeder. Novag technology is the answer to most residues problems like hairpinning and blockage.
Otherwise, the only alternatives available are:
They all generate more costs and often slow down the process of soil improvement.
Over the past 20 years, further scientific studies have been comparing no tillage and conventional tillage. They confirm a reduction in inputs, notably phosphate fertilizers and potash, and at least a modest increase in yields under no tillage after some years. More significantly, the margin per hectare is significantly higher in no-tillage, for all crops.
Healthy soils lead naturally to healthy profits. With the Novag high yield no tillage system, you can restore high profitability to the farm. And, even more, there is the farmer’s personal health with less tractor hours.
It is worth mentioning that no tillage can be a cause of worry for newly converted farmers. The seeding quality out of a Novag drill helps to mitigate the risks and buys more peace of mind. You can use the time you save to work on other exiting projects, or to spend more time with your family. This choice is up to the farmer!
It’s as easy as this: With Novag direct drills you‘re able to activate the soils microbiology. The results are simply astonishing:
less machinery,
less fuel consumption,
less fertilizer,
less working hours,
less erosion
and
greater crop yields!
