Crop Residue Management for Soil Conservation on Irrigated Lands of the Northwest

Leaving crop residue on the soil surface during cropping has a number of clear advantages over tillage that leaves the soil surface bare. Most obvious is the greatly reduced erosion from wind and water. This advantage alone makes the change worthwhile. Mandated conservation compliance by 1995 is a further incentive to adopt surface crop residue management. Other advantages include increased yield due to water conserved by surface residue, lower soil temperatures, higher quality soil over time due to increased soil organic matter levels, and, in many cases, reduced input of time, labor, and fuel. The feasibility of farming while leaving residues on the surface is indicated by the rapid rate at which farmers are adopting these management practices. Success is due in large part to greater effectiveness and reduced cost of herbicides and the improvement of planting equipment available on the market