Measuring crop residue cover

J. M. Laflen; M. Amemiya; E. A. Hintz

ABSTRACT:

The photographic, meterstick, and line-transect methods of measuring the percentage of land covered with crop residue were evaluated by comparing residue cover on 10 Iowa fields farmed with conservation tillage. Although the line-transect method overestimated crop residue by 6 to 10 percent, variability in measurements proved less than with the photograph and meterstick methods. The line-transect method is preferable for field use, particularly if technicians are carefully trained in its use and in self-calibration so that overestimation of crop residue can be avoided.

Footnotes

J. M. Laflen is an agricultural engineer with the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, located in Davidson Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011. M. Amemiya is a professor of agronomy and extension agronomist with Iowa State University, Ames. E. A. Hintz is conservation agronomist with USDA's Soil Conservation Service, Des Moines, Iowa 50309. This article is a contribution from USDA and Iowa State University. Journal paper J-10213 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames. Project 2450.
Copyright 1981 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society

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