Simulated Effects of Winter Wheat Cover Crop on Cotton Production Systems of the Texas Rolling Plains

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 2083-2096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pradip Adhikari ◽  
Nina Omani ◽  
Srinivasulu Ale ◽  
Paul B. DeLaune ◽  
Kelly R. Thorp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Cotton Yield ◽  
Seed Cotton ◽  
Seed Cotton Yield ◽  
Rolling Plains

Abstract. Interest in cover crops has been increasing in the Texas Rolling Plains (TRP) region, mainly to improve soil health. However, there are concerns that cover crops could potentially reduce soil water and thereby affect the yield of subsequent cash crops. Previous field studies from this region have demonstrated mixed results, with some showing a reduction in cash crop yield due to cover crops and others indicating no significant impact of cover crops on subsequent cotton fiber yield. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate the CROPGRO-Cotton and CERES-Wheat modules within the cropping system model (CSM) of the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) for the TRP region, and (2) use the evaluated model to assess the long-term effects of growing winter wheat as a cover crop on water balances and seed cotton yield under irrigated and dryland conditions. The two DSSAT crop modules were calibrated using measured data on soil water and crop yield from four treatments: (1) irrigated cotton without a cover crop (CwoC-I), (2) irrigated cotton with winter wheat as a cover crop (CwC-I), (3) dryland cotton without a cover crop (CwoC-D), and (4) dryland cotton with a winter wheat cover crop (CwC-D) at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Station at Chillicothe from 2011 to 2015. The average percent error (PE) between the CSM-CROPGRO-Cotton simulated and measured seed cotton yield was -10.1% and -1.0% during the calibration and evaluation periods, respectively, and the percent root mean square error (%RMSE) was 11.9% during calibration and 27.6% during evaluation. For simulation of aboveground biomass by the CSM-CERES-Wheat model, the PE and %RMSE were 8.9% and 9.1%, respectively, during calibration and -0.9% and 21.8%, respectively, during evaluation. Results from the long-term (2001-2015) simulations indicated that there was no substantial reduction in average seed cotton yield and soil water due to growing winter wheat as a cover crop. Keywords: CERES-Wheat, Cover crop, Crop simulation model, CROPGRO-Cotton, DSSAT, Seed cotton yield, Soil water.

Cover Crops Suppression of Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) in Cotton

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matheus G. Palhano ◽  
Jason K. Norsworthy ◽  
Tom Barber
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Palmer Amaranth ◽  
Cotton Yield ◽  
Cotton Production ◽  
Seed Cotton ◽  
Cereal Rye ◽  
Seed Cotton Yield ◽  
Weed Emergence

AbstractWith the recent confirmation of protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)-resistant Palmer amaranth in the US South, concern is increasing about the sustainability of weed management in cotton production systems. Cover crops can help to alleviate this problem, as they can suppress weed emergence via allelochemicals and/or a physical residue barrier. Field experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015 at the Arkansas Agricultural Research and Extension Center to evaluate various cover crops for suppressing weed emergence and protecting cotton yield. In both years, cereal rye and wheat had the highest biomass production, whereas the amount of biomass present in spring did not differ among the remaining cover crops. All cover crops initially diminished Palmer amaranth emergence. However, cereal rye provided the greatest suppression, with 83% less emergence than in no cover crop plots. Physical suppression of Palmer amaranth and other weeds with cereal residues is probably the greatest contributor to reducing weed emergence. Seed cotton yield in the legume and rapeseed cover crop plots were similar when compared with the no cover crop treatment. The seed cotton yield collected from cereal cover crop plots was lower than from other treatments due to decreased cotton stand.

Effect of Different Rolling/Crimping Directions and Row Cleaners for Cereal Rye Cover Crop on Cotton Growth in a Conservation System

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (6) ◽  
pp. 1845-1855
Author(s):  
Ted S. Kornecki
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Rolling Direction ◽  
Cotton Yield ◽  
Seed Cotton ◽  
Cereal Rye ◽  
Seed Cotton Yield ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Emergence Rate ◽  
Time Required

Abstract. Cover crops have been recognized as a vital part of conservation agriculture, but they need to be managed appropriately to avoid planting problems related to the large amounts of biomass. Typically, cover crops are rolled in the same direction as the travel direction of the planter, but producers have been inquiring if other rolling directions are also effective. To answer this question, replicated field experiments (split-plot design) were conducted at two locations in Alabama during three growing seasons to evaluate different rolling directions of a cereal rye cover crop, i.e., non-rolled (standing rye), 0° (cotton planting direction), 180° (opposite of planting direction), 15° (offset from 0°), and 195° (15° offset from 180°), using a roller/crimper. A no-till cotton planter with different row cleaners, i.e., a commercially available row cleaner (Dawn with coulter), a residue pusher with and without a coulter, and no row cleaner (control), was used to determine the effects of rolling direction and row cleaners on cotton population, emergence rate, and yield. The rye cover crop was terminated with a roller/crimper and glyphosate. Among growing seasons, significant differences existed in rye production, cotton population, emergence rate index (ERI), seed cotton yield, amount of residue accumulated on the planter, and the time required to remove residue from the planter. For the rolling direction treatments, higher cotton population was found for 0° and non-rolled rye, and the lowest population was found with 195°. The ERI was higher for 0° and non-rolled rye, and the lowest ERI was observed for 195°. For the row cleaner treatments, the cotton population and ERI were both higher for Dawn with coulter and pusher with coulter. Across three growing seasons, cotton yield was not affected by rolling direction but was affected by row cleaner. Significantly higher cotton yield was associated with Dawn with coulter and pusher with or without coulter, compared to lower yield for no row cleaner. The important findings were that residue accumulation was not problematic when the cover crop was rolled. When the cover crop was not rolled, the pusher accumulated more residue than Dawn with coulter; however, the time required to remove the residue was more than 3 times higher for Dawn with coulter as compared to the pusher. The data indicated that, across all growing seasons and locations, rolling direction and row cleaner affected the cotton population, ERI, residue accumulation on the planter, and the time required to remove residue. In contrast, rolling direction did not affect seed cotton yield, but row cleaner had an effect on seed cotton yield. Based on the results, the best combination of rolling direction and row cleaner was 15° offset to the cotton planting direction and Dawn with coulter, which resulted in higher cotton population, ERI, and seed cotton yield without residue accumulation on the row cleaner. However, the 0° and 180° Dawn with coulter and 15° pusher with coulter combinations were also effective in producing relatively higher cotton population, ERI, and seed cotton yield. Keywords: Conservation system, Cotton yield, Emergence, Plant population, Residue pusher, Roller/crimper, Rolling direction, Row cleaner, Rye cover crop.

scholarly journals Temporal Change of Soil Carbon on a Long-Term Experimental Site with Variable Crop Rotations and Tillage Systems

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Laamrani ◽  
Paul R. Voroney ◽  
Aaron A. Berg ◽  
Adam W. Gillespie ◽  
Michael March ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Crop Rotations ◽  
Tillage Practices ◽  
No Till

The impacts of tillage practices and crop rotations are fundamental factors influencing changes in the soil carbon, and thus the sustainability of agricultural systems. The objective of this study was to compare soil carbon status and temporal changes in topsoil from different 4 year rotations and tillage treatments (i.e., no-till and conventional tillage). Rotation systems were primarily corn and soy-based and included cereal and alfalfa phases along with red clover cover crops. In 2018, soil samples were collected from a silty-loam topsoil (0–15 cm) from the 36 year long-term experiment site in southern Ontario, Canada. Total carbon (TC) contents of each sample were determined in the laboratory using combustion methods and comparisons were made between treatments using current and archived samples (i.e., 20 year and 9 year change, respectively) for selected crop rotations. Overall, TC concentrations were significantly higher for no-till compared with conventional tillage practices, regardless of the crop rotations employed. With regard to crop rotation, the highest TC concentrations were recorded in corn–corn–oats–barley (CCOB) rotations with red clover cover crop in both cereal phases. TC contents were, in descending order, found in corn–corn–alfalfa–alfalfa (CCAA), corn–corn–soybean–winter wheat (CCSW) with 1 year of seeded red clover, and corn–corn–corn–corn (CCCC). The lowest TC concentrations were observed in the corn–corn–soybean–soybean (CCSS) and corn–corn–oats–barley (CCOB) rotations without use of cover crops, and corn–corn–soybean–winter wheat (CCSW). We found that (i) crop rotation varieties that include two consecutive years of soybean had consistently lower TC concentrations compared with the remaining rotations; (ii) TC for all the investigated plots (no-till and/or tilled) increased over the 9 year and 20 year period; (iii) the no-tilled CCOB rotation with 2 years of cover crop showed the highest increase of TC content over the 20 year change period time; and (iv) interestingly, the no-till continuous corn (CCCC) rotation had higher TC than the soybean–soybean–corn–corn (SSCC) and corn–corn–soybean–winter wheat (CCSW). We concluded that conservation tillage (i.e., no-till) and incorporation of a cover crop into crop rotations had a positive effect in the accumulation of TC topsoil concentrations and could be suitable management practices to promote soil fertility and sustainability in our agricultural soils.

scholarly journals Introducing cover crops as fallow replacement in the Northern Great Plains: II. Impact on following wheat crops

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Maryse Bourgault ◽  
Samuel A. Wyffels ◽  
Julia M. Dafoe ◽  
Peggy F. Lamb ◽  
Darrin L. Boss
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Spring Wheat ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Wheat Crop ◽  
Wheat Grain ◽  
Grain Yields

Abstract The introduction of cover crops as fallow replacement in the traditional cereal-based cropping system of the Northern Great Plains has the potential to decrease soil erosion, increase water infiltration, reduce weed pressure and improve soil health. However, there are concerns this might come at the cost of reduced production in the subsequent wheat crop due to soil water use by the cover crops. To determine this risk, a phased 2-year rotation of 15 different cover crop mixtures and winter wheat/spring wheat was established at the Northern Agricultural Research Center near Havre, MT from 2012 to 2020, or four rotation cycles. Controls included fallow–wheat and barley–wheat sequences. Cover crops and barley were terminated early July by haying, grazing or herbicide application. Yields were significantly decreased in wheat following cover crops in 3 out of 8 years, up to maximum of 1.4 t ha−1 (or 60%) for winter wheat following cool-season cover crop mixtures. However, cover crops also unexpectedly increased following wheat yields in 2018, possibly due in part to residual fertilizer. Within cool-, mid- and warm-season cover crop groups, individual mixtures did not show significant differences impact on following grain yields. Similarly, cover crop termination methods had no impact on spring or winter wheat grain yields in any of the 8 years considered. Wheat grain protein concentration was not affected by cover crop mixtures or termination treatments but was decreased in winter wheat following barley. Differences in soil water content across cover crop groups were only evident at the beginning of the third cycle in one field, but important reductions were observed below 15 cm in the last rotation cycle. In-season rainfall explained 43 and 13% of the variability in winter and spring wheat yields, respectively, compared to 2 and 1% for the previous year cover crop biomass. Further economic analyses are required to determine if the integration of livestock is necessary to mitigate the risks associated with the introduction of cover crops in replacement of fallow in the Northern Great Plains.

scholarly journals Cover Crops for Resilience of a Limited-Irrigation Winter Wheat–Sorghum–Fallow Rotation: Soil Carbon, Nitrogen, and Sorghum Yield Responses

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 762
Author(s):  
Vesh R. Thapa ◽  
Rajan Ghimire ◽  
Mark A. Marsalis
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Inorganic N ◽  
Hordeum Vulgare L ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
Total N ◽  
Semi Arid

Cover crops can improve soil health by maintaining soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) contents, yet their dynamics in relation to crop yield in a semi-arid cropping system are poorly understood. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the response of diverse winter cover crop species and their mixture on SOC and N fractions and their relationship with sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) yield in a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)–sorghum–fallow rotation with limited irrigation management. Cover cropping treatments included pea (Pisum sativum L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), canola (Brassica napus L.), and mixtures of pea+oat (POM), pea+canola (PCM), peat+oat+canola (POCM), and a six-species mixture (SSM) of pea+oat+canola+hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth)+forage radish (Raphanussativus L.)+barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) as cover crops and a fallow. Soil samples were analyzed for residual inorganic N, potentially mineralizable carbon (PMC) and nitrogen (PMN), SOC, and total N. Response of labile inorganic N, PMC, and PMN varied with cover crop treatments. The SOC and total N contents did not differ among treatments but were 20% and 35% higher in 2020 than in 2019, respectively. Sorghum grain yield was 25% and 40% greater with oats than with PCM and canola cover crops in 2019, while it was 33–97% greater with fallow and oats than other treatments in 2020. Oat as a cover crop could improve the resilience of limited-irrigation cropping systems by increasing SOC, soil N, and crop yield in semi-arid regions.

scholarly journals Effects of disk tillage on soil condition, crop yield and weed infestation

2011 ◽  
Vol 48 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 20-26
Author(s):  
M. Birkás ◽  
T. Szalai ◽  
C. Gyuricza ◽  
M. Gecse ◽  
K. Bordás
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Soil Condition ◽  
Perennial Weeds ◽  
Weed Infestation ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Different Levels

This research was instigated by the fact that during the last decade annually repeated shallow disk tillage on the same field became frequent practice in Hungary. In order to study the changes of soil condition associated with disk tillage and to assess it is consequences, long-term tillage field experiments with different levels of nutrients were set up in 1991 (A) and in 1994 (B) on Chromic Luvisol at Gödöllö. The effects of disk tillage (D) and disk tillage combined with loosening (LD) on soil condition, on yield of maize and winter wheat, and on weed infestation were examined. The evaluation of soil condition measured by cone index and bulk density indicated that use of disking annually resulted in a dense soil layer below the disking depth (diskpan-compaction). It was found, that soil condition deteriorated by diskpan-compaction decreased the yield of maize significantly by 20 and 42% (w/w), and that of wheat by 13 and 15% (w/w) when compared to soils with no diskpan-compaction. Averaged over seven years, and three fertilizer levels, the cover % of the total, grass and perennial weeds on loosened soils were 73, 69 and 65% of soils contained diskpan-compaction.

scholarly journals Quantifying Root-Soil Interactions in Cover Crop Systems: A Review

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 218
Author(s):  
Cameron M. Ogilvie ◽  
Waqar Ashiq ◽  
Hiteshkumar B. Vasava ◽  
Asim Biswas
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Soil Formation ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
Nutrient Losses ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
Soil Ecosystems

Plant roots are an integral part of soil ecosystems and contribute to various services, including carbon and nutrient cycling, weathering, and soil formation. They also modify soil physical properties (e.g., soil water content, pore size distribution, and bulk density) and impact subsequent crops’ growth. Cover crops have been reported to improve soil and environmental quality by reducing nutrient losses, improving soil water content, and increasing soil organic matter. Understanding the complex interactions between cover crop roots and soil (RS) is of utmost importance. However, cover crop RS interactions have not been critically reviewed. In this article, we investigated the nature of cover crop physical RS interactions and explored the emerging technologies for their study. We also assessed technologies that may be readily applied to the study of physical RS interactions in cover crop systems and discussed ways to improve related research in the future.

scholarly journals Gene Action Studies in the Inheritance of Yield and Quality Attributing Traits in Diallel Cross of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 105-109
Author(s):  
V. J. Zapadiya ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Height ◽  
Block Design ◽  
F1 Hybrids ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Cotton Yield ◽  
Seed Cotton ◽  
Gene Effects ◽  
Partial Dominance ◽  
Seed Cotton Yield ◽  
Genetic Components

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the 45 F1 hybrids derived from 10×10 half diallel fashion along with ten parents and one standard check GN.Cot.Hy-14 were sown in randomized block design with three replications during kharif -2017 at Cotton Research Station, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh. The genetic components of variation were determined for 12 characters viz., days to 50% flowering, days to 50% boll opening, plant height (cm), number of monopodia per plant, number of sympodia per plant, number of bolls per plant, boll weight (g), seed cotton yield per plant (g), ginning percentage (%), seed index (g), lint index (g) and oil percentage (%).The estimate of the components of variation revealed significant results for both additive (D) as well as dominance effects (H1 and H2) for all the characters except plant height non-significant H2 component, but in majority of traits (except plant height, lint index) H1 was higher than D indicating dominance components were important in the inheritance of seed cotton yield and its components. The average degree of dominance (H1/D)1/2 was found to be more than unity for all the traits (except plant height, number of monopodia per plant and lint index indicating partial dominance) indicating over dominance. Asymmetrical distribution of positive and negative genes in the parents was observed for all the traits. High estimates of heritability in narrow sense was observed for days to 50% flowering, days to 50 % boll bursting, number of monopodia per plant, ginning percentage (%), lint index (g) and oil content (%) suggesting that selection based on these attribute would lead to rapid improvement. Due to preponderance of non-additive gene effects of seed cotton yield per plant and most of its component traits, heterosis breeding would also be practically feasible in cotton.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document