Residue Management, Seasonal

RESIDUE MANAGEMENT, SEASONAL

PRACTICE INTRODUCTION

USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service - practice code 344

RESIDUE MANAGEMENT, preparation allows residue to be left on the SEASONAL - This practice is managing to soil surface during critical periods for leave protective amounts of crop residue on protection from wind and water erosion. the soils surface during a prescribed time of Crops grown using this tillage system are the year, by delaying primary tillage or generally planted in a relatively clean seedbed preparation until immediately prior seedbed. to planting time. Excessive removal of plant residue by PRACTICE INFORMATION burning, baling, or grazing often produces This practice generally applies to cropland negative impacts on the natural resources. but may also be used on other areas where These activities should not be performed field crops are grown such as wildlife or without evaluating the impacts. recreation lands. The practice only applies to crops that produce sufficient amounts of Additional information including standards residue to protect the soil from erosion. and specifications for this practice are available in the local NRCS Field Office Erosion can be significantly reduced by this Technical Guide. practice in locations where delaying seedbed

The following page identifies the conservation effects expected to occur when this practice is applied. These effects are subjective and somewhat dependent on variables such as climate, terrain, soil, etc. Users are cautioned that these effects are estimates that may or may not apply to a specific site. Residue Management, Seasonal (344) Initial Setting: Residue Management, Seasonal Cropland, subject Start 5/31/02 to erosion

Row Arrangement (557) 1. Seasonal soil cover 2. Oriented soil roughness

D.1(+) Wildlife D.6 (-) Wind erosion food and cover D.2 (-) Evaporation

D.3 (+) Water infiltration D.4 (-) Sheet and rill erosion D.5 (+) Snow trapped D.7, I.9 (-) Airborne I.1 (+) Upland particulate wildlife matter I.7 (+) Plant available (+) Visibility I.6 (+) Crop vigor moisture

I.10 (-) Contaminants, I.8 (+) Soil Health pathogens, I.2 (+) sediments to Recreational receiving waters opportunities I.5 (+) Crop production (-) LEGEND (+) C.2 (+/-) Quality of surface waters and Mitigating practice aquatic habitats Associated practice I.3 (+) Enterprise I.4 (+) Net return to diversity farmer C.3 (+) Fishable and #. Created by practice C.4 (+) Air quality of swimmable waters; health and the air shed safety issues for humans, D. Direct effect domestic and wild animals I. Indirect effect (+) C. Cumulative effect C.1 (+/-) Income and income stability (individuals & Pathway community) (+) increase; (-) decrease