Blowing dust from summer fallow is a major soil loss and air quality concern in winter wheat (Triricum aesrivum L.) production areas of the inland Pacific Northwest (PNW). The objective of our 3-yr onfarm study in a 286-mm precipitation zone in eastern Washington was to determine the effects of tillage mulch depth during fallow on surface soil roughness, residue retention, seed-zone water stora...

Interest in reduced tillage methods is expanding in response to concerns for soil quality in vegetable systems. Reduced tillage (RT) refers to systems that minimize soil disturbance and maintain at least 30% residue cover. These systems can reduce soil and wind erosion, overcome compaction challenges typical of vegetable soils, conserve organic matter and improve overall soil health. In additio...

The compaction of soils used for crop production is becoming an increasingly important consideration in South Africa following the shift towards reduced tillage and increased mechanisation of in-season operations and harvesting. The intensification of dairying has also been found to have a deleterious effect on soil quality, particularly in terms of compaction by trampling, which results in los...

Agricultural productivity relies on a wide range of ecosystem services provided by the soil biota. Plowing is a fundamental component of conventional farming, but long-term detrimental effects such as soil erosion and loss of soil organic matter have been recognized. Moving towards more sustainable management practices such as reduced tillage or crop residue retention can reduce these detriment...

of Research Findings Alternative tillage and cropping systems are sought for reducing dust emissions and improving air quality in the Pacific Northwest dryland cropping region. The purpose of this study was to modifiy the conventional rodweeder that would facilitate the armouring of the soil surface with straw and large aggregates otherwise buried below the soil surface. Several modifications w...

A field experiment was conducted to compare the effects of long-term tillage and cropresidue management on some physical properties and nitrate leaching of a Typic Haploxerertsoil under winter wheat (Triticum vulgare L.)-soybean (Glycine max L.) double-croppingsystem. The tillage systems consisted of conventional tillage with stubble (CT1), conventionaltillage with stubbles burned (CT2), heavy ...

The effects of conservation-tillage practices on the root environment of corn (Zea mays L.) may differ with varying amounts of irrigation. Dryland, 50% irrigation, and 100% irrigation treatments were applied in combination with disc, no-tillage, and a postemergence chisel treatment designed to allow rapid infiltration of irrigation water. The study was conducted during the 1980 growing season a...

Kucey and Schaalje, 1986; Reeves et al., 1993; Randall et al., 1997; Torbert et al., 2001). Tillage and N management systems can have a significant effect Many soil and water quality problems are associated on N use by corn (Zea mays L.) and nitrate (NO3–N) movement with conventional tillage, along with other problems that through the soil profile. Potential water quality and NO3–N loss probaff...