Quiz 16

Conservation tillage reduces water and wind erosion by at least ____%.

50-60

Which of the following is NOT a benefit of crop rotation?

Better crop yields

Conventional tillage consists of two steps—primary tillage and finish tillage.

False

When corn is harvested for silage, crop residue left on the field is the most dense.

False

Which of the following is NOT a benefit of tillage during seedbed preparation?

It reduces runoff

Which of the following is the traditional primary plowing tool?

Moldboard plow

Current research shows equivalent yields from conventional and conservation tillage if known technology is applied to each tillage system and the systems are matched to crops and soil types.

True

Farmers in the eastern United States can plow in either fall or spring.

True

Small grains, such as oats or wheat, are planted in closely spaced rows, quickly cover the soil surface, help reduce soil erosion, suppress weeds, and improve soil structure and tilth.

True

The importance of tillage for weed control has declined with increases in both herbicide use and tillage systems designed around herbicide use.

True

In ____________________, a plant emits chemicals from the roots that suppress growth of other plants.

allelopathy

A set of long curved teeth that are dragged through the soil; fractures and loosens the soil without inverting it or burying most of crop residue

chisel plow

A program of crop residue management aimed at reducing erosion; some or all residue is left on the soil surface (30% or more of the soil surface covered with crop residues)

conservation tillage

The same crop is grown each year

continuous cropping

The main form of tillage since invention of the moldboard plow, involves two stages

conventional tillage

Grown as a conservation tool; usually not harvested

cover cropping

Different crops are planted on the same piece of ground in a repeating system

crop rotation

All of the following are goals of tillage EXCEPT ____.

destroying crop pests

Has four gangs of discs set like the four arms of an X; the front two gangs turn the soil outward, and the back two turn it back in

disc harrow

Harvesting two crops from the same piece of ground in a year

double cropping

Farming in low rainfall areas without irrigation

dryland farming

The benefits of ____ plowing are especially important with fine-textured soils with somewhat poor drainage.

fall

Summer ____________________ is the practice of leaving the soil crop- and weed-free to store moisture.

fallow

All of the following are benefits of conservation tillage EXCEPT ____.

less weed control needed

Two moldboards mounted back to back, resulting in a pattern of 10-inch high ridges and furrows across the field

lister plow

Shears off a section of soil, tips it upside down, fractures it along several planes, buries any organic material on the soil surface; leaves soil surface very rough with a series of ridges and furrows; works best in moist soil

moldboard plow

____________________ farming is a type of sustainable agriculture that prohibits the use of synthetic substances, including inorganic fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, and biosolids, and stresses managing soil organic matter and soil organisms as a primary goal.

organic

Prohibits the use of synthetic substances, including inorganic fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, and biosolids

organic farming

Breaks up the soil and usually buries crop residue

primary tillage

Plants in wide strips; under conventional tillage are cultivated for weed control, with the help of herbicides; usually leave soil bare, making it erosion-prone, so best suited to fairly level ground

row crop

Produces a fine seedbed by a series of operations that break up the soil into smaller and smaller chunks

secondary tillage

Resemble lighter chisel plows

spring-toothed harrow

Larger, stout teeth pulled deeply through the soil to shatter tillage or natural soil pans

subsoilers and rippers

Enhances environmental quality and the resource base on which agriculture depends; provides for basic human food and fiber needs; is economically viable; enhances the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole

sustainable agriculture

Works the soil to provide a favorable environment for seed placement and germination and crop growth

tillage