Crop Residue Levels and Seeding Systems in Saskatchewan
Results of a PFRA Survey, 1997-2002

Key Findings

• Over the past 6 years there has been a clear trend towards more standing stubble remaining after seeding. This is due to the increased adoption of conservation seeding systems (CSS), which involve little or no tillage and lower soil disturbance during seeding operations.
• The increase in crop residue levels after seeding has been much less than the increases in standing stubble or CSS. This is mainly because of declining yields and straw production due to drought during the 6 year period that the survey was carried out.
• Despite the lack of data regarding soil and landscape factors that affect erosion at each survey site, it is estimated that a significant percentage of sites are susceptible to at least moderate erosion potential. This conclusion is largely from the fact that almost half of all seeded fields in 2002 had flat stubble and less than 500 lb/acre of residue cover.
• " Conservation seeding systems are effective in increasing residue cover for cereal and oilseed residues. However, this is not the case with chemfallow and pulse residue, since over half of these fields have < 500 lb/acre of residue cover after seeding using CSS. This is mainly due to higher weathering losses during chemfallow, and lower residue production with pulses. Therefore, producers who practice chemfallow or grow pulses need to consider other management practices in addition to CSS, such as field shelterbelts and narrower field widths.

Between 1997 and 2002 Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) conducted an annual spring survey of over 4000 annually cropped fields across Saskatchewan. Each year the same fields were visited, shortly after crop emergence in mid June. The objectives of the survey were to gather information on seeding systems, crop rotations, residue levels, and other data. This information is useful to assess the adoption of annual cropping practices which help to conserve soil and water resources, and protect the quality of water and air in the environment. This report provides results on crop residue levels and their relationship to seeding systems and wind erosion risk. To our knowledge the PFRA survey is the most extensive survey of its kind in Saskatchewan, and possibly Canada.