Performance of Tillage Implements in a Stubble Mulch System. I. Residue Conservation1

Synopsis During initial tillage of winter wheat stubble, the amount of crop residue retained on the soil surface by a given implement varied with height of stubble, amount of pretillage residue, and spacing between stubble rows. During subsequent tillage, the amount of residue retained on the surface was very slightly affected by height or length of residue, moderately affected by amount of pretillage residue, but strongly influenced by previous method of tillage.