A new microbial product helps break down crop residues post-harvest, making nutrients more available to meet the following crop's needs.

There is a common belief among many farmers and agronomists that tillage can accelerate residue breakdown. Likewise, there is the belief that the application of nitrogen fertilizer on crop residue after harvest can speed up the process of residue breakdown. Neither assertion is true, say researchers at Iowa State University.

Tall standing stubble, achieved by harvesting with a stripper header and leaving stumble at full-crop height, can conserve water and reduce residue decomposition rates in the Palouse region, says a new study by Washington State University Extension.

Apparently there’s no shortage these days of clever experiments to help illustrate important points about the health and functioning of soils.