Incorporation of crop residues into the soil is an effective means to prevent insect carry-over. Growing plants consume nutrient elements. In natural situations the consumption of these elements is balanced by their return to the soil when the plant dies and decays. Harvesting crops disrupts the cyclic nature of nutrient flow that normally occurs in every soil environment. Soil is resilient and for a time will maintain sufficient nutrients to release mineral nutrients during the weathering process, the available nutrients can be heavily taxed in modern farming practices.
Crop failures can result.
All that is taken from the soil should be returned to the soil. All of the nutrient elements needed for healthy plant growth must be present in balance to allow the plant to assimilate food. Growth limitations are encountered when a deficiency in any one of the essential elements is present. The plant will grow only to the extent that the limiting element concentration will allow. Deficiencies in more than one trace element often occur.