In 1988-89 three trials were conducted in Essex county in southwestern Ontario to study the effect of moldboard shape on the residue management potential of the moldboard plough. Results from one year of study indicated that in general the third cut treatment left the greatest amount of soil surface residue. The same treatment left the roughest soil surface conditions. The amount of soil surface residue left after planting at the cereal stubble clay loam site was between 3% and 12%, whereas the grain corn stubble sandy loam site and the grain corn stubble clay loam site left 1% to 4%. These levels of residue are well below the Ontario benchmark figure of 20% cover needed for soil erosion control.