Chisel - UNL CropWatch

The chisel plow produces a rough surface and generally leaves 50 to70% of the existing corn or grain sorghum residue on the surface depending on chisel point selection, shank spacing, operating speed, and depth. Straight, narrow points, about 2" wide, leave the most residue. However, following crops that leave fragile residue, even narrow points bury too much residue to provide adequate protective cover.

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Where erosion is not a primary concern, 3- or 4-inch wide, twisted points invert more soil and bury more residue. In the western Corn Belt, wide sweeps are sometimes used on a chisel plow in wheat residue to undercut weeds and leave residue on the surface.

Typically, chiseling is performed in the fall and is followed by one or more secondary tillage operations in the spring. The fall operation cuts and incorporates some of the residue, making it more susceptible than undisturbed residue to decomposition and over-winter weathering. Partially decomposed residue is easily broken and covered by secondary tillage operations, negating much of the effect of having selected chisel points which leave more residue.

On many soils, a single pass in the spring with a disk, field cultivator, or combination tillage implement provides limited pesticide and fertilizer incorporation on fall chiseled fields. A second tillage pass provides more complete incorporation, but can decrease residue and erosion control.

Spring chiseling affords erosion control during the winter and allows extended grazing of stalks. However, soil moisture evaporation following spring tillage can result in yield reductions, particularly in lower rainfall areas. Spring chiseling may also produce clods that could require additional tillage operations to prepare a suitable seedbed.

A chisel plow may clog in extremely heavy or wet residue unless stalk shredding or light tillage precedes chiseling. This additional operation increases fuel and labor requirements. Several combination tillage implements have coulters or disks mounted in front of the chisel shanks which often eliminate the need for a pre-chiseling operation. The coulters or disks are operated just deep enough to cut the surface residue. This reduces the chance for residue clogging in the chisel area. The shank spacing on these machines is usually 15 inches compared to 12 inches for a conventional chisel plow.

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A multipurpose tillage tool for primary tillage, soil improvement, and residue management in agriculture is the chisel plow. It has several tines or shanks that pierce the soil and loosen it without inverting or burying the waste entirely. An overview of the chisel plow’s concepts, advantages, and management considerations are given below.

A chisel plow is a primary tillage practice that tills the soil, leaving a rough surface without causing soil inversion. It’s a full-width tillage (conventional) equipment causing soil disturbance across the field; however, it can provide more residue coverage than moldboard plows. A chisel plow is used to maintain more than 30% residue cover, making it a conservation tillage practice. Chisel plow can also be used as vertical tillage equipment if the points are vertical. This post will take you through the tillage system, and its various considerations for adoption.

Chisel plow systems can provide various levels of residue cover on the surface by varying the shank spacing, operating speed, chisel point selection, and tillage depth. The modifications depend on the grower’s requirements for weed control, residue management, and seedbed preparation. Slower speeds and shallower tillage depths can help leave more residue. Shank spacing is usually 12 inches; however, it can be changed up to 15 inches for enhanced residue handling. Coulter-chisel plow/disc-chisel plow is modified chisel plow equipment that can help with minimum tillage in all residue conditions. In addition to chisel teeth, the coulters or discs help cut the corn stalks/heavy residues, helping retain 30-75% of residues on the surface after a single pass. These can help alleviate the need for an additional pass for the pre-chiseling operation that would otherwise be required with a regular chisel plow without coulters/discs. Various chisel points are available in the market, and those variations determine the extent of soil mixing and residue retention. Chisel plows can have sweeps, and spike points that cause less inversion and less residue burial, whereas straight points and twisted points can do the opposite. Sweeps can cause horizontal shearing (density change between tilled soil and subsurface layers). In contrast, vertical points will not create this density change. Straight narrow points with 2-inch width can leave the most residue on the surface. But if the crop being cultivated leaves a fragile residue, a chisel plow with straight points might not provide the protective cover. In areas not prone to erosion, 3-4-inch-wide twisted points can be used to bury more residue and invert more soil. In corn production, wider sweeps are sometimes needed to cut the residues. Sweeps with 12-to-18-inch widths can help with weed control in untilled soil. The various chisel points that can be used to till the soil include a) 2-inch reversible pike point b) 2-inch reversible straight chisel point c) 3 inch right and left twisted shovels points d) 4.5-inch reversible shovel, and e) 8- or 10-inch shovels f) 12-, 14-, 16- or 18-inch sweeps.

Chisel plowing can form rougher seedbed that may cause uneven crop stand. It may also require a pre-chiseling operation to cut the heavy residues to avoid clogging when a regular chisel plow is run, causing more fuel and cost. However, this tillage system can still help minimize the erosion losses, crusting tendency, and plow pan formation that happens with intensive tillage practices like moldboard plowing. In addition, chiseling can also help tackle compaction, as it can operate to deeper depths. The 50-70% residue cover on the surface can help conserve soil, improve water management, and enhance crop yields. The versatility of this tillage equipment also provides the flexibility to choose the chisel plow that works best for your soil type and residue management. For further information regarding chisel plow tillage, you can join our extension and education activities.

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