Stubble-Mulch Tillage and Planting in Crop Residue in the Great Plains

B wind and water erosion occur in the Great Plains. The climate is variable and cyclic. Wet years with considerable water erosion may be fol­ lowed by dry years with serious wind erosion and limited soil moisture for crop production. Cultural practices gen­ erally used in the production of the principal crops, wheat and sorghum, tend to expose the soil during certain times of the year, leaving it vulnerable to erosion. Stubble mulch farming is extensively practiced in the Great Plains because it manages plant residues so the soil surface is protected and is thus one of the most effective conservation practices available today to control ero­ sion and conserve moisture in the semiarid climate. Information is presented on (a) re­ quirements of tillage a n d p l a n t i n g equipment for stubble mulching (b) kinds of equipment and sequences of operations used, (c) performance char­ acteristics of equipment in terms of resi­ due conservation, soil cloddiness, weed control and crop yield, and (d) prob­ lems associated with stubble-mulch till­ age and planting in the Great Plains. The discussion is restricted to wheat and sorghum culture. The paper was prepared at the request of the Cultural Practices Equipment Committee, Power and Machinery Division, of the ASAE to fulfill what the Committee consid­ ered to be a need for a current discus­ sion of tillage and planting methods used in the Great Plains.