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Low spring soil temperatures commonly restrict the early growth of corn (Zea mays L.) in the northern Corn Belt. A quantitative assessment of the effects of tillage and residue management practices on soil temperature would improve tillage recommendations in this region. The effect of tillage and surface residue cover on seedbed soil temperatures and subsequent corn growth were studied at four sites in the northern Corn Belt that differed widely in soil characteristics including drainage, texture, slope, and organic matter content. Tillage systems included no‐tillage, chisel plow, moldboard plow, paraplow, ridge plant, and wheeltrack plant. A wide range of surface residue cover was imposed on each system at three sites. Corn emergence and leaf number to the six‐leaf stage were closely related to percent in‐row cover and air temperature growing degree days (air GDD) through their mutual relationship to soil temperature growing degree days (soil GDD) at all sites. For a given site and year, percent in‐row cover following planting was the major factor affecting corn growth rate until the six‐leaf stage. Corn planted under high percent residue cover required more time and consequently more air GDD to reach the six‐leaf stage. This added time represents a growth delay that can be expressed as the additional air GDD required to reach the six‐leaf stage. Such delays were related to increased grain moisture and decreased corn grain yield when net cumulative air GDD were less than the threshold value of 1319 and water stress was minimal. In‐row residue cover due to tillage and previous crop can have a major impact on the growth and development of corn in the northern Corn Belt. These factors should be considered in selecting tillage systems in this region.

Tillage management influences the distribution of macropores (biopores, cracks, interpedal planes, and packing voids) that may provide pathways for rapid infiltration of water. To aid in predicting ranges of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), macropore distribution in situ was characterized by exposing selected horizontal planes and tracing macropores on clear polyethylene sheets. A methylene blue solution was used to indicate macropore continuity through the pressure pan. Sixteen undisturbed cores were taken in a grid pattern from each Ap horizon and adjacent subsoil for determination of Ksat. Field marking on plastic sheets was superior to photographic slides as a technique to characterize macropores because film noise (false pores) was eliminated, overall analysis time was reduced, and different features could be separated for analysis. Unfortunately, a bias of pore size between observers was possible. Four sites with four different soil series were examined: Nicollet (fine‐loamy, mixed, mesic Aquic Hapludoll), Rozetta (fine‐silty, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludalf), Waukegan (fine‐silty over sandy or sandy‐skeletal, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludoll), and Normania (fine‐loamy, mixed, mesic Aquic Haplustoll). Below the maximum tillage depth, macropores were present at all locations, but tillage disrupted continuity of pores from the surface. No‐till had macropores throughout the upper 70 cm with continuity observed in the 0‐ to 35‐cm range. Numbers of pores (>0.4‐mm diam.) per m2 ranged from 100 to >3000, representing 0.1 to 2% of the total area. When present, horizontal crack length ranged from 1.7 to 19.3 m m−2. Measured Ksat on undisturbed detached cores ranged from 1.1 to 180 µm s−1 with CVs ranging from 44 to 197%. The Ksat could be estimated within a range (out of eight classes) from descriptions of biopore area, cracks, soil structure, and soil texture.

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