Crop Residue Management Systems: New Perspectives for Soil, Water, and Energy Conservation

The development of more efficient and effective residue management systems in the United States for soil, water, and energy conservation is a matter of utmost national importance. Conservation-tillage systems tend to leave much of the crop residue on the soil surface, compared with conventional-tillage systems which incorporate the residues in the soil. Excess surface residue from high-yielding wheat varieties in the United States has caused phytotoxic or allelopathic effects on both fall and spring wheat planted in no-tillage and other conservation-tillage systems. To control phytotoxic effects it may be necessary to breed and select crop varieties specifically for conservation-tillage systems. As conservation-tillage systems are implemented, it is recognized that we must actively monitor plant diseases and insect and rodent infestations. Effective utilization of crop residues with conservation-tillage systems will depend upon the development of tillage and harvesting machinery to achieve desired objectives.