Crop residue management (CRM)

CRM practices are used to conserve soil and water.

• CRM systems include conservation tillage practices such as zero-till, reduced till, bed planting, and other practices that provide sufficient residue cover to protect the soil surface from the erosive effects of wind and rain.
• CRM is a year-round system, which includes all field operations that affect the amount of residue, its orientation to the soil surface and prevailing wind and rainfall patterns, and the evenness of residue distribution throughout the period requiring protection.
• Crop residues and their appropriate management suppress the weeds: through their physical presence on the soil surface as mulch; by restricting solar radiation reaching below the mulch layer; by direct suppression; and by controlling N availability.
• CRM and tillage practices also influence the efficiency of soil-applied pre-emergence herbicides. Because pre-emergence herbicides are applied to the soil, the amount and quality of residues and also ash left behind after residue burning might affect their effectiveness. This means that a higher rate of herbicide application is often needed to achieve effective weed control.
• The main advantages of CRM over conventional systems include fuel and labor savings, as well as long-term benefits to soil structure and fertility.

     Source: http://irri.org/riceworld