Maximizing potential residue removal from cropland in Iowa and southern Minnesota

Several cropping alternatives to maximize amounts of crop residues available for alternative uses while maintaining soil losses at or below tolerable levels were investigated. As compared with present practices, the amount of crop residues that could be removed could be approximately doubled by changing the cropping sequences or growing a winter cover crop. Leaving a part of the residues on the land and using conservation tillage or no-till on the more sloping land increased from 10 to 32% the amount of residues available for removal, depending on other practices. Average soil-loss values could be significantly decreased if the treatments considered were adopted. For steeper slopes, it was found that engineering-type practices need to be incorporated with low-level residue management.