SCI Tillage Intensity Rating Calculator

Context for this tool

Reducing soil tillage intensity is a critical pillar in minimizing soil disturbance and building soil health. By tracking our Tillage Intensity Rating (TIR) values, we can explore alternative ways to minimize soil disturbance and rebuild soil health. This tool helps farmers and land managers quantify the impact of their tillage practices on soil health.

How to use this tool

This calculator helps you determine the Soil Tillage Intensity Rating (STIR) for your field. You'll need information about each tillage pass, including the operation name, speed, tillage type, depth, and surface area affected. The tool will calculate individual STIR values for each pass and provide a total STIR value for the field. This information can help you assess the impact of your tillage practices on soil health and identify areas for improvement.

SCI Tillage Intensity Rating Calculator

SCI Tillage Intensity Rating Calculator

Operation Name This is a description of the tool and tillage activity
Speed (MPH) This is the average speed at which you operated the tillage activity in MPH
Tillage Type This is an intensity rating for each of the general tillage activity categories listed in the table below
Depth (inches) This is the depth your tillage activity impacted the soil
Surface Area (%) This is a % of the total field area on which the tillage operation affected

Tillage Type Reference Table

Tillage Type Rating Value
Inversion some mixing 1.0
Mixing + some inversion 0.8
Lifting and fracturing 0.4
Mixing only 0.7
Compression 0.15