Efficient nitrogen utilization in corn production can be affected by the timing of application and the type of conservation tillage system used. An ongoing experiment located in northwest Ohio was initiated in 2002 to better understand tillage and nitrogen interactions. The conservation tillage systems compared include: no-till, strip-till, AerWay©, deep zone tillage, and field cultivator. Each tillage system was evaluated with no added nitrogen, nitrogen surface applied pre-plant with herbicides and a more traditional combination of starter at corn planting followed later with side dress injected nitrogen. Chlorophyll meter readings were taken at corn silking stage. These results showed side dress nitrogen readings were higher than the pre-plant surface application. Nitrate readings were taken after corn maturity by testing the lower corn stalk. Results confirmed that pre-plant surface applications had lower corn stalk nitrate levels compared to side dress nitrogen. Comparing different tillage systems within the same nitrogen treatment had various effects on nitrogen utilization. Also corn yield results showed various differences among different tillage systems. The no added nitrogen treatment resulted in higher corn yields when tillage systems were least soil conserving. Overall, the corn production system that applied nitrogen at planting with a later side dress injection combined with field cultivator conservation tillage demonstrated the most efficient nitrogen utilization.