Influence of straw residue cover on the sprouting and yield of spring cereals in direct seeding on clay soil in Southern Finland

Summary

In normal years when there is no insufficiency of water, 2-4 t/ha is an adequate amount of straw residue to cereals on soil surface in direct seeding, but if the beginning of growth season is very dry, a thicker straw residue cover is better. The obverse is that sprouting became/becomes lower with thicker residue covers. The need of weed and disease control is obvious, irrespective of the cultivation system, especially if the weather and environmental conditions promote spreading of diseases.