Did the Kuhn Optimizer hurt my efforts

[Jerome]

I was so frustrated with the planter's ability to handle the corn stalks that I got my neighbors Optimzer to help out. Did I destroy soil life and worm channels running two inches deep?

[Jim Martindale]

The Optimizer and other similar "vertical tillage tools" will not in and of itself destroy soil life but they will minimize the forward progress of the rhizoshere. This is largely a function of the type of soil movement coupled with the operating depth of the Optimizer which will often remove a large percentage of the root systems in a field and put them on the surface. Simultaneously highly lignified plant materials will be buried just under the surface where it will interfere with seed hydration by absorbing moisture needed by the seed which should be taking place from seed coat contact with bare soil. One of the most dangerous aspects of these types of tools is the fact that root systems are broken loose and the water slows down significantly at the bottom of the blade penetration. This combination situation has produced some devastating soil erosion events.