Biological Benefits of No-TillSimon Cowell

Definition of Soil HealthThe health of soil can be measured by its capacity

to grow a crop with no inputs at all

Total

Soil

Health

Dead

Soil

Time One Year

Cultivations

Glyphosate

Seed Dressing

Insecticide

Herbicide

s Fertilisers

Fungicides

Conventional FarmingNatural soil health

Definition of Soil HealthThe health of soil can be measured by its capacity

to grow a crop with no inputs at all

Total

Soil

Health

Dead

Soil

Time One Year

Cultivations

Lots of them Organic Farming

Natural soil health

Definition of Soil HealthThe health of soil can be measured by its capacity

to grow a crop with no inputs at all

Total

Soil

Health

Dead

Soil

Time One Year

Glyphosate Herbicide

Fertiliser

Fungicide

No-Till, Biological Farming

Natural soil health

2005 2017

Heavy Land Wheat Growing

• Home Saved Blend of 4 Varieties• No Seed Dressings• No P or K Fertilisers• No Lime• No Growth Regulators• No Slug Pellets• Less Fungicides• Less Nitrogen

Mycorrhizae on a Lucerne Root Covering

90% of the Surface,

3 Weeks after Emergence

Winter Wheat Variety Trial Year 1

5%

28%

8%

14%

8%5%

8% 7% 5%

12%

71%

78%

68%

83%

68%

75% 77%73%

75%

66%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Mycorrhizal colonisation levels in each variety in March and July

March July

Figure 3. The proportion of analysed root segments found with signs of mycorrhizal

root colonisation, split by each variety. For root samples collected in March and July.

Zero Nitrogen Trials

• No need for any Fungicides

• Very little Blackgrass

• Yield – 7.6 t/Ha

215

268

359

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Zero N Bio No-Till Conventional

Machinery Nix Av Farmers Costs

£/Ha

£91/Ha Saving2/3 Tonne

256

451

608

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Zero N Bio No-Till Conventional

Input Costs

£/Ha£157/Ha Saving

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Zero N Bio No-Till Conventional

Total Costs

719

967£/Ha

469

515 516

333

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Zero N Bio No-Till Conventional

Net Profit

7.6 T/Ha 9.5 T/Ha 10 T/Ha

Feed wheat price of £130/t assumed

Outcomes from bio no-till and zero N farming

• Profitability maintained despite lower yields

• Further cost savings with zero N due to lack of blackgrass (c. £50/ha)

• Very little water and air pollution from zero N system

• Continued improvement in soil biology due to lack of fungicides

• Less risk from “polluter pays” or levy on N should the government come up with new legislation

• Zero N system of production wins every time!

Thank You

simonacowell@gmail.comOr come and visit