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Data from: Crop and Soil Responses to 24 years of Wheat Residue Removal and Tillage

Published by Agricultural Research Service | Department of Agriculture | Catalog Last Checked: August 03, 2026 at 05:03 PM | Dataset Last Updated: July 24, 2026
Retaining crop residue on the soil surface is important in semiarid cropping systems, where dry conditions and variable weather can render the soil susceptible to degradation and moisture loss. Conversely, removing crop residue can generate an additional income stream for agricultural producers, while broadening the spectrum of uses from harvestable commodities. Understanding potential tradeoffs of crop residue removal across a range of agroecosystems over the long-term is essential to adequately guide management decisions. A study was conducted to quantify crop and soil responses to continuous spring wheat treatments with and without straw removal, each managed under minimum and no-tillage. Treatments were replicated three times and deployed over a 24-yr period. Soil coverage by crop residue was measured annually using two 25 point transects spaced equally along a 7.6 m cable. Spring wheat aboveground biomass was measured prior to combine harvest using 0.33 m2 frames. Biomass samples were threshed to separate grain from straw. Soil samples were collected in 2018 with a hydraulic probe to a 152.4 cm depth in increments of 0-7.6, 7.6-15.2, 15.2-30.5, 30.5-61.0, 61.0-91.4, 91.4-121.9, and 121.9-152.4 cm. Separate samples for aggregate stability analysis were collected with a trowel from the 0-7.6 cm depth. Soil samples were evaluated for soil bulk density, water-stable aggregates (WSA), electrical conductivity, soil pH, nitrate-nitrogen, available phosphorus, sulfate-sulfur, exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, K, Na), micronutrients (B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn), total soil nitrogen, total carbon, inorganic carbon, and particulate organic matter (POM) carbon and nitrogen. Particulate organic matter (POM) was estimated from material retained on a 0.053 mm sieve analyzed for carbon and nitrogen content by dry combustion. Analyses for POM and WSA were conducted for the 0-7.6 cm depth only. Data may be used to better understand crop and soil property responses to residue management and tillage practices under rainfed conditions within a semiarid continental climate. Applicable USDA soil types include Temvik, Wilton, Grassna, Linton, Mandan, and Williams.The SQM Data Dictionary describes element/value names, data type, etc. for each spreadsheet tab, and the Metadata files describe attributes and units for their respective data files.

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Complete Metadata
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contactPoint 
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description <p dir="ltr">Retaining crop residue on the soil surface is important in semiarid cropping systems, where dry conditions and variable weather can render the soil susceptible to degradation and moisture loss. Conversely, removing crop residue can generate an additional income stream for agricultural producers, while broadening the spectrum of uses from harvestable commodities. Understanding potential tradeoffs of crop residue removal across a range of agroecosystems over the long-term is essential to adequately guide management decisions. A study was conducted to quantify crop and soil responses to continuous spring wheat treatments with and without straw removal, each managed under minimum and no-tillage. Treatments were replicated three times and deployed over a 24-yr period. Soil coverage by crop residue was measured annually using two 25 point transects spaced equally along a 7.6 m cable. Spring wheat aboveground biomass was measured prior to combine harvest using 0.33 m2 frames. Biomass samples were threshed to separate grain from straw. Soil samples were collected in 2018 with a hydraulic probe to a 152.4 cm depth in increments of 0-7.6, 7.6-15.2, 15.2-30.5, 30.5-61.0, 61.0-91.4, 91.4-121.9, and 121.9-152.4 cm. Separate samples for aggregate stability analysis were collected with a trowel from the 0-7.6 cm depth. Soil samples were evaluated for soil bulk density, water-stable aggregates (WSA), electrical conductivity, soil pH, nitrate-nitrogen, available phosphorus, sulfate-sulfur, exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, K, Na), micronutrients (B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn), total soil nitrogen, total carbon, inorganic carbon, and particulate organic matter (POM) carbon and nitrogen. Particulate organic matter (POM) was estimated from material retained on a 0.053 mm sieve analyzed for carbon and nitrogen content by dry combustion. Analyses for POM and WSA were conducted for the 0-7.6 cm depth only. Data may be used to better understand crop and soil property responses to residue management and tillage practices under rainfed conditions within a semiarid continental climate. Applicable USDA soil types include Temvik, Wilton, Grassna, Linton, Mandan, and Williams.</p><p dir="ltr">The SQM Data Dictionary describes element/value names, data type, etc. for each spreadsheet tab, and the Metadata files describe attributes and units for their respective data files.</p><p><br></p><p dir="ltr"><br></p>
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identifier 10.15482/USDA.ADC/32911835.v1
keyword 
[
  "No-tillage",
  "Residue management",
  "Semiarid cropping systems",
  "Soil cover",
  "Spring wheat"
]
license https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
modified 2026-07-24
programCode 
[
  "005:040"
]
publisher 
{
  "name": "Agricultural Research Service",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
spatial 
"{"type": "Point", "coordinates": [-100.95, 46.77099999999999]}"
temporal 1994-04-01/2018-04-01
title Data from: Crop and Soil Responses to 24 years of Wheat Residue Removal and Tillage

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