PNW Update Newsletter

CONSERVATION FARMING UPDATE - December 1995

A new publication is available on crop residue management considerations for Northwest cropland. Titled "Crop Residue Management to Reduce Erosion and Improve Soil Quality -- Northwest," the publication is USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Conservation Research Report No. 40. It is one of six regional ARS reports developed to summarize important research results and experiences on crop residue management for conservation farming systems and make them available to growers and grower-advisers. The publication also includes a large color map of the major cropland resource areas of the Northwest.

The 64-page Northwest publication contains eleven chapters related to residue management considerations. Four of the chapters were developed from a national perspective and are included in all six of the regional publication. They cover the importance of residue management in erosion control, management of land coming out of the CRP program, and long-term effects of tillage and crop residue management. The other seven chapters of the Northwest publication were developed by teams of scientists from this region, including Robert Papendick, Frank Young, R. James Cook, Don McCool, Paul Rasmussen, Dave Carter, and Melvin Brown with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service; Keith Pike and Doug Young with Washington State University; Don Wysocki with Oregon State University; John Hammel with University of Idaho; and Roger Veseth with WSU/UI.

Topic for these Northwest-specific chapters include:

• Description of the region as it relates to crop residue management systems
• Effects and retention of surface residue for erosion control
• Residue management under dryland cropping addressed in three separate chapters for high precipitation zones, intermediate precipitation zones, and low precipitation zones
• Residue management on irrigated land
• Alternatives to surface residue

The three chapters on residue management for the different precipitation zones focus on considerations for the primary crop rotations within each zone. Management considerations include fertility, tillage and planting options, risk and management of weeds and diseases, supporting conservation practices, and economic advantages and risks.

Copies of this publication are available free of charge through local USDA-NRCS offices in the Northwest. You can also request free copies from Roger Veseth, WSU/UI Conservation Tillage Specialist (208-885-6386) or Don Wysocki, OSU Extension Soil Scientist (503-278-4186). Copies of crop residue management publications for the other five regions are available for $10 each through the Conservation Technology Information Center (317) 494-9555.

Contact us: Hans Kok, (208)885-5971 | Accessibility | Copyright | Policies | WebStats | STEEP Acknowledgement
Hans Kok, WSU/UI Extension Conservation Tillage Specialist, UI Ag Science 231, PO Box 442339, Moscow, ID 83844 USA Redesigned by Leila Styer, CAHE Computer Resource Unit; Maintained by Debbie Marsh, Dept. of Crop & Soil Sciences, WSU