The present status of dry farming in northern China was analyzed and a three-year rotation tillage method suitable for the ridged cultivation region of northeastern China and the techniques for efficient utilization of natural rainfall in the Loess Plateau region of northwestern China was put forward. The tests conducted in the northeast showed that stalk mulching increased the percentage of soil moisture content by 10% and the content of soil organic matter by 0.06 percentage point after three years, decreased the volume density of soil by 0.09 g/cm 3, chiseling increased the percentage of soil moisture content by 26.2%, and less tillage increased the percentage of soil moisture content by 3 percentage point. The tests conducted in the northwest showed that for winter wheat, the percentage of water storage increased by 18-5%; for spring corn, the percentage of soil moisture content increased by 30%. The stalk mulching tests for two years showed that the content of soil organic matter increased by 0.05%-0.1% and the content of total nitrogen increased by about 0.1 g/kg.
