Where soil erosion by wind is the primary concern, any system that maintains at least 1,000 pounds per acre of flat, small grain residue equivalent on the surface throughout the critical wind erosion period. The soil is left undisturbed from harvest to planting except for nutrient injection. Weed control is accomplished primarily with herbicides. Cultivation may be used for emergency weed control. Planting is completed in a seedbed prepared on ridges with sweeps, disk openers, coulters, or row cleaners.
Residue is left on the surface between ridges.
Ridges are rebuilt during cultivation. Tillage tools such as chisels, field cultivators, disks, sweeps, or blades are used. Generally includes plowing or other intensive tillage. Any tillage system that includes the use of a moldboard plow. Any tillage system that has less than 30 percent remaining residue cover and does not use a moldboard plow.