No-till vs Strip-till: what works on Ukrainian black soils
Six years of field trials in Poltava region: yield, costs, soil structure, risks. Numbers for wheat, corn and sunflower.
By Тарас Боднар
квітень 12, 2026
8 min read
On black soils with 4–6% humus both technologies work but give different outcomes.
Yield (6-year average) Wheat: No-till 5.8 t/ha, Strip-till 6.2 t/ha, conventional 6.0 t/ha. Corn: No-till 8.4, Strip-till 9.6, conventional 9.2. Sunflower: No-till 2.8, Strip-till 3.1, conventional 3.0.
Cost per hectare No-till: −1200 UAH (fuel + depreciation). Strip-till: −600 UAH.
Soil structure No-till raises organic matter by 0.3–0.5% over 5 years. Strip-till: 0.2%. Conventional tillage: −0.1%.
#no-till
#strip-till
#tillage