They left the soil covered with residues and applied either very reduced tillage or no tillage. In the spring, they planted cotton or sorghum on small, low ridges built with relatively light tillage equipment, or they used no-till planters that placed the seed directly into the soil through the crop residues. Either way, the soil retained sufficient moisture from the preceding autumn to germinate the seeds and nourish the tender seedlings. These farmers were able to save their irrigation allotment for early summer, when the crops would benefit most. Conservation tillage has also benefited dryland crops such as in northeastern areas of Mexico where dust storms have become increasingly common.
Some fields resemble inland beaches, with sand dunes adjacent to fence lines and rows of trees.
Other fields resemble jigsaw puzzles made of broken, unglazed pottery. This is a result of rare torrential rains that seal the soil surface, followed by heat that bakes and cracks the soil surface so that crop seedlings cannot emerge. Even in years without drought, those farmers using conventional tillage systems replanted at least some hectares most years due to poor crop emergence. These problems did not arise for farmers using conservation tillage systems. Conservation tillage systems reduce efforts spent on intensive weeding .