Additional studies address agronomic impacts of row spacings, weed competition, tillage effects on residue from numerous crops and developing proper application rates for fertilizers and other chemicals. Many dryland fields in the PNW contain small spots or strips that are more susceptible to wind erosion than neighboring ground. Soils in these 'critical areas' are usually ashy, sandy or calcareous and generally lack any soil structure. It is in these areas that saltation will be initiated providing the a hot zone of particle activiety that can cause large sections of a field to blow. In an effort to control the critical ground from blowing, researchers are applying binding agents to the soil in an attempt to control erodibility.
Research is ongoing.
There are approximately 2.5 million acres of CRP lands in the PNW, with 1 million acres in Washington State alone. Much of these lands are located in the 8 to 14 inch precipitation zone and are susceptible to wind erosion. This research is being carried out using farm-scale equipment on large, replicated plots. So far, eleven field experiments are underway in seven counties with additional trials being considered. Most trials are between 15 to 20 acres and are designed to allow tillage intensities with resulting residue levels to be comparatively evaluated.