UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre Co.) Now is the time when far mers are considering options for postharvest management of leftov er cornstalks and other crop residue. And the question many are asking is, "To chop or not to chop?" Before deciding whether to chop cornstalks or leave them intact, several factors should be considered, said Lynn Hoffman, senior research associate in Penn State's College of Agriculture. Proper management of crop residue has become widely accepted as a means to reduce soil erosion. To keep as much residue as possible on fields, Hoffman said he generally recommends leaving cornstalks alone. If chopped, he said, the smaller pieces may be blown or washed away by wind or rain. But there are circumstances in which chopping may be the .best option. "If you plan to use secondary til lage equipment, such as a field cul tivator or harrow, after planting in the spring, you'll probably want to chop the cornstalks," Hoffman said. "A lot of secondary tillage tools ■''7 J-tJT ~ ' .~t>' AHoli That Puts On A <*■«»?' ' <s* / 1 his holiday, you can give a gi to support important safety if through the Pennsylvania Agi Safety Council (PASO and it: Farm Safety Tractor Program program supported by Old G’ Mutual Insurance Company Give this 1991 Limited Edition Keystone Farm Safety Tractor, and with every collector’s model purchased, a contribution will be made to a safety endowment established by the PASC for use in dealing with the issues of farm safety. This year’s model represent 1967 Allis-Chalmers Model 1 which features an early applii a factory-installed Roll-Over Structure (HOPS) with seath engineering advances in the I reduce injuries and fatalities accidents. The 1991 Limited Edition Keystone Farm Safety TVactor is produced by Spec-Cast and delivered to you in an attractive eollector’s gift box. The cost of each tractor is $7O, which includes UPS postage. To order your Keystone Farm Safety TVactor, please complete and mail this order form today. Help put farm safety on a roll this holiday. \SJOId Guard MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY A Proud Supporter ot the Pennsylvania Agncultural Safety Council Mail to: Keystone Farm Safety TVactor P.O. Box 5022 Lancaster, PA 17601-0022 Your order will be acknowledged upon receipt. Chop Or Not To don't have enough clearance to allow those uncut stalks to pass through without plugging up the machinery. But if the stalks won't present a problem with secondary tillage, I'd recommend you leave them alone." If you use a com-picker to harvest your com, cutting the stalks also might help to distribute the material more uniformly over the field. "But if you use a com bine," said Hoffman, "it usually will shred the stalks enough to give you reasonably unifomm distribu tion without chopping them.” Some farmers who chop their cornstalks in the fall perform some type of tillage operation to partial ly cover the cut stalks and keep them in place. But Hoffman says there are risks in that practice. "You have to be careful that you don't violate the conservation plan assigned to the farm or to that par ticular field," he said. "You have to • •• Yes! 1 want to do my part to benefit farm safety through the Pennsylvania Agricultural Safety Council. Please send my 1991 Limited Edition Keystone Farm Safety Tractor a collector’s model of the 1967 Allis-Chalmers Model 170- for $7O, including UPS postage and delivery. Number of models ordered: (Limit three per order) Total amount enclosed: (PA residents, please add s42osales tax for each model ordered) □ Check enclosed □ Money Order enclosed (Make checks payable to: Keystone Farm Safety Tractor) I Name I Address | City I Telephone (day) be aware of and follow normal ero sion control measures." Hoffman said some farmers chop cornstalks thinking that it will help control insects, such as com borers. But he said that's not necessarily true. "We’ve never been able to demonstrate that chopping the stalks reduces the number of insec ts enough to have an effect on next year's production." If you plan to use a no-till drill to plant alfalfa or oats in the early spring, then you are better off not cutting leftover cornstalks, accord ing to Hoffman. "When there’s still a little frost and the stalks are stuck fast to the ground, you get less plugging of the grain drill when the stalks are left intact," he said. For additional information on managing crop residue, contact the Penn State Cooperative Extension office in your county. 170/each State Lam (evening) ;aster Farming, Saturday, November 30, 1991-A27
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