Crop Residues and Management Practices: Effects on Soil Quality, Soil Nitrogen Dynamics, Crop Yield, and Nitrogen Recovery

Abstract

This review reveals that crop residues of common cultivated crops are an important resource not only as a source of significant quantities of nutrients for crop production but also affecting soil physical, chemical, and biological functions and properties and water and soil quality. When crop residues are returned to the soils, their decomposition can have both positive and negative effects on crop production and the environment. Our aim as agricultural scientists is to increase the positive effects. This can only be achieved with the better understanding of residue, soil, and management factors and their interactions, which affect the decomposition and nutrient release processes. Data on nitrogen benefits and nitrogen recoveries from residues show that a considerable potential exists from residues, especially leguminous residues, not only in meeting the N demands of the succeeding crops, but also in increasing the long-term fertility of the soils. In addition, crop residues and their proper management affects the soil quality either directly or indirectly. Intensive cropping systems are very diverse and complex, so no one residue management system is superior under all situations. Ideally, crop residue management practices should be selected to enhance crop yields with a minimum adverse effect on the environment. It is suggested that in each cropping system, the constraints to production and sustainability should be identified and conceptualized to guide toward the best option. Multidisciplinary and integrated efforts by soil scientists, agronomists, ecologists, environmentalists, and economists are needed to design a system approach for the best choice of crop residue management system to enhance both agricultural productivity and sustainability. © 2000 Academic Press, Inc.