A Review of Common Crop Residue Management Practices in Grain Production

Crop residue plays a significant role on soil health, nutrient cycling, and crop yield, making residue management a key consideration in agricultural production. This review aims to synthesize current knowledge on two different aspects of crop residue in grain production systems: common management practices and their effects. A comprehensive literature survey was conducted using the Scopus database, covering worldwide publications from 1990 to 2025. First, this review explores various crop residue management practices, including burning, stubble retention, and different tillage methods (conservation tillage vs. conventional tillage). This section mainly focuses on tillage practices with an emphasis on the environmental, economic, and agronomic consequences of each approach. Then this review paper explores the effects of crop residue on soils and ecosystems, including the role of crop residues in improving soil quality and enhancing soil organic carbon sequestration. The interaction between crop residues and hydrological processes such as water infiltration and runoff is also examined in this section. The relationships between residue management practices and crop growth and yield responses are also critically assessed. This review highlights the shift from conventional, environmentally detrimental practices toward conservation-oriented approaches, especially reduced tillage, no tillage, and residue retention. Key knowledge gaps and research priorities are identified, particularly regarding crop residue effects on deep soil carbon sequestration, hydrology, crop growth and yields, and the lack of practical management guidelines across agroecosystems. This review provides an integrated framework to support crop residue management and guide future research in conservation agriculture.