ABSTRACT
Crop residue management in the Midwest ranges from complete burial to nearly complete soil cover after planting. Chisel plows, which leave partial residue cover, have been used in a few areas for water or wind erosion control since the 1930s. Tillage and planting equipment is now available to support a wide range of crop residue management goals. This chapter focuses on tillage and residue management systems in use today and their development in the Midwest region based on local climate, soils, erosion potential and tradition. Recent surveys summarized by the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) (1991) report significant increases in surface residue after planting during the past 10 years. Crop acreage with surface cover of 30% or more in the CTIC survey ranged from 37 % to 53 % of planted acres among Midwestern states in 1991.
