As harvest wraps up across much of the Corn Belt, growers are pivoting to fall tillage-but drought conditions are reshaping long-standing practices. With many fields locked in D2 to D3 drought classifications, concerns over soil compaction, rut management, nitrogen loss, and pest resurgence are high on the radar.

According to Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist, the type of tillage a farmer uses-and the soil they're working in-is making all the difference.

In lighter soils, strip-till is performing well, even under dry conditions. Ferrie notes that light silt loams are building solid berms without large clods. "These strips will mellow out nicely by spring," he says.

But in heavier clay-based soils, the story changes. Strip-till is creating rough conditions that may lead to poor seedbeds next year. Ferrie warns that clods smashed into furrows during planting could impact germination. A strip freshener in spring may correct the issue, but if drought lingers, no-till may be the better choice to conserve moisture.

Where ruts are present from spring rains, conventional tillage with a chisel plow or disk ripper is advised. Fields with 4" to 8" ruts may need targeted chisel passes, followed by soil finishing next spring. Use aerial imagery to decide whether patching or full-field treatment is necessary.

In vertical-till systems, Ferrie emphasizes shank-to-shank soil shatter and crossing rut angles to avoid compacted wheel tracks. For deeper ruts, a chisel plow is more effective than an in-line ripper.

Respecting land contour and preventing erosion is critical across all tillage systems, especially during dry periods when soil is loose and prone to runoff.

While no-till fields typically resist deep ruts, 4" depressions and pinch rows can silently cut yields. Ferrie suggests shallow chiseling or targeted vertical tillage in corn-on-soybean systems to correct the issue and then return to no-till the following season.

"Fixing ruts now avoids long-term yield losses," Ferrie notes. "These problem spots show up in satellite imagery for multiple years."

Anhydrous ammonia (NH) application is particularly vulnerable in drought-affected regions. Ferrie warns that inadequate sealing in dry soils results in ammonia gas escaping, reducing nitrogen availability and increasing environmental risk.

"In some Illinois fields, gas was leaking visibly and was detectable by smell days after application," he says. "Large soil cracks are making it impossible to retain NH."

Ferrie explains that N-Serve and similar inhibitors are ineffective in these conditions because they don't prevent volatility, only nitrification. Without sufficient moisture, NH won't convert to ammonium and can escape before doing any good.

His advice: delay applications until moisture returns or use alternative nitrogen strategies better suited to dry soils.

Ferrie also reports an uptick in European corn borer damage, particularly in non-GMO hybrids where the pest has been absent for years.

"Some growers didn't recognize the problem," Ferrie says. "Ears were dropping, and the culprit was a pest many haven't seen in over a decade."

Growers are urged to inspect ears and look for tunnels in the cob or shank, especially in non-GMO fields that have been in rotation multiple years.

"If corn borers are back, next year's seed and pest strategy will need to reflect that," he warns.