It breaks down easily and so provides only limited protection from erosion and limited moisture conservation benefits. Protecting continuously cropped fields Wind erosion in continuous cropping systems usually results from tillage practices that have buried most or all of the residues from the previous crop. Reducing or eliminating tillage will maintain a residue cover for erosion control with the added benefit of soil moisture conservation. If you decide to till, use a low tillage speed, use implements that bury less residue, and avoid tilling eroded knolls. Reduced or zero tillage systems must include crop residue management.
Residue management starts at harvest.
Use the combine to evenly spread chopped straw and chaff over the entire width of the cut. Uniform spreading helps to reduce problems such as plugging in seeding equipment and uneven crop emergence. After harvest, you may need to use oscillating harrows to spread clumps of straw. A rotary or flail mower can be used in the spring to chop very heavy residues or very tall standing stubble. Avoid burning an unharvested crop or heavy, poorly spread straw.