Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is grown in arid regions using a two-year management, fallowing in the first growing season and cropping in the second. Generally it is assumed the main benefit of fallow management is a retention of fallow-season rainfall in the soil for use in the cropping season. In the wheat- growing region of Israel, there is rarely stored fallow - season water available to the subsequent crop. Nevertheless, a fallow season has been critical in achieving economic yields. The evidence from a series of experiments demonstrated that a benefit resulting from the fallow season was decreased populations of cereal cyst nematode (CCN, Heterodera avenae Well.). Importantly. CCN damage was also ameliorated by maintaining high soil water content in the cropping system using straw mulch and conservation tillage. As a result, conservation tillage allowed continuous cropping of wheat with yields equivalent to those achieved in alternate years with fallowing. Therefore, potential wheat production was doubled.