Crop residue management

In one line: Crop residue management means handling leftover straw without burning it, either in the field (in-situ) or by taking it away for other uses (ex-situ).

In-situ options

The Happy Seeder sows wheat directly through standing stubble. Other machines chop the straw and mix it into the soil. Short-duration rice varieties and direct seeding of rice widen the window between crops. The catch is cost: these machines need powerful tractors and are used for only a few weeks a year.

Ex-situ options

Straw can be baled and sold for compressed biogas, ethanol, power plants or other industrial uses. This needs collection, storage and transport, and works only where buyers pay enough to cover those costs.

Where to go next

• Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act, 2009
• Satellite fire monitoring