The labor requirements for any tillage system varies by the operations conducted, the width of the implement, and the operating speed. Assuming a 100 hp tractor and matching the equipment for average soil conditions, these are the typical labor requirements for various row crop tillage systems.
| Operation | Plow | Chisel | Disk | Ridge Plant | Strip-till | No-till |
| Shred stalks | 0.17 | |||||
| Moldboard plow | 0.38 | |||||
| Chisel plow | 0.21 | |||||
| Knife fertilize | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.20 | 0.13 |
| Disk | 0.16 | 0.16 | ||||
| Disk or field cultivate | 0.16 | 0.16 | 0.16 | |||
| Plant | 0.21 | 0.21 | 0.21 | 0.25 | 0.21 | 0.21 |
| Cultivate | 0.18 | 0.18 | 0.36* | |||
| Spray | 0.06 | 0.11* | 0.11* | |||
| Total | 1.22 | 0.89 | 0.72 | 0.91 | 0.52 | 0.45 |
* Operation performed twice
Labor savings allow a larger area to be farmed without additional equipment or help. Even if increased acreage is not anticipated, more timely planting may result in greater yields. In addition, costs for tractors, tillage equipment, and maintenance will be less with fewer tillage operations.
