Why do you believe that no-till farming practices deplete soil of nitrogen more than tilling?
A plausible hypothesis: tilling destroys the bacteria that get nitrogen to plant roots.
Isn't runoff erision the primary preventable source of nitrogen depletion?
FWIU residue mulch initially absorbs atmospheric nitrogen instead of the soil absorbing it, but that residue and its additional nitrogen eventually decays into the soil.
I have heard that it takes something like five years to successfully completely transform acreage with no-till; and then it's relatively soft and easily plantable and not impacted, so it absorbs and holds water.
No-till farmers are not lacking soil samples.
What would be a good test of total change in soil nitrogen content (and runoff) given no-till and legacy farming practices?
With pressure-injection seeders and laser weeders, how many fewer chemicals are necessary for pro farming?
A plausible hypothesis: tilling destroys the bacteria that get nitrogen to plant roots.
Isn't runoff erision the primary preventable source of nitrogen depletion?
FWIU residue mulch initially absorbs atmospheric nitrogen instead of the soil absorbing it, but that residue and its additional nitrogen eventually decays into the soil.
I have heard that it takes something like five years to successfully completely transform acreage with no-till; and then it's relatively soft and easily plantable and not impacted, so it absorbs and holds water.
No-till farmers are not lacking soil samples.
What would be a good test of total change in soil nitrogen content (and runoff) given no-till and legacy farming practices?
With pressure-injection seeders and laser weeders, how many fewer chemicals are necessary for pro farming?