Crop residues are typically conserved in the field following harvest to improve soil health. However, such residues allow microorganisms to survive between cropping seasons and cause plant diseases. For example, on wheat, the fungus causing tan spot (Adee and Pfender 1989) has been shown to infect the crop planted after wheat if wheat residues are left in the field following harvest. Out of 16 million acres of total crops planted in North Dakota, over 7 million acres are under no-till or conservation till practices (USDA 2017). In no-till systems, post-harvest residues generally accumulate up to 10 Mg ha-1 are observed. Because of ND’s long winter conditions, decomposition of residues can be generally limited and provide conditions for microorganisms causing diseases to survive between cropping seasons. Although cultural management practices have been explored for other crops (e.g., wheat), we have limited data on the impact of such practices on the incidence of seedling pathogens, such as Fusarium, which has a broad host range. For the proposed study, we will establish trials in Carrington in the 2024 to 2026 field seasons where we have long-term studies on tillage practices and residue management. The proposed research is the first field study to evaluate the impact of tillage and residue management on seedling diseases under North Dakota soil conditions. The findings from this study will provide farmers with information on whether tillage and residue management regimes can provide an opportunity to reduce the levels of seedling pathogens such as Fusarium in the soil.