Long-Term Tillage, Cover Crop, and Nitrogen Rate Effects on Cotton: Yield and Fiber Properties

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.

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Effects of Nitrogen Rate and Cover Crop on Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Yield and Soil Water Content

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture11070650 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 650

Author(s):

Ruixiu Sui ◽

Saseendran S. Anapalli

Keyword(s):

Gossypium Hirsutum ◽

Water Content ◽

Soil Water ◽

Soil Water Content ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Water Infiltration ◽

Cotton Yield ◽

Nitrogen Rate ◽

Gossypium Hirsutum L ◽

N Rates

The objective of this study was to test the effects of N rates and tillage radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus) cover crop (TRCC) on soil water and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yield. In three years of the investigation, the treatments were N rates at 84 kg ha−1 and 140 kg ha−1 with and without TRCC. Soil water contents were measured using soil water sensors. Results showed that cotton yield was not significantly (p > 0.05) influenced by TRCC. Compared to N rate at 84 kg ha−1, 140 kg N ha−1 increased lint yield by 2.0%, 7.4%, 18.4% in 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively, but the increase was significant only in 2019 (p < 0.02). Interactions between TRCC and nitrogen rate on yield were significant (p < 0.03) only in 2017. TRCC increased soil water infiltration capacity, resulting in higher soil water content. Use of TRCC did not affect the cotton yield, which could be due to the high inputs of water and high rates of N neutralizing the positive contributions to the cotton growth expected from the TRCC. Sub-optimum winter temperatures hampered the establishment and subsequent growth of TRCC, which also possibly contributed to its minimum impacts on cotton crop performance in the following season.

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

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/wet.2017.97 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 60-65 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

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.

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Planting Date and Potassium Fertility Effects on Cotton Yield and Fiber Properties

jpa ◽

10.2134/jpa1998.0415 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 415-420 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Philip J. Bauer ◽

O. Lloyd May ◽

James J. Camberato

Keyword(s):

Planting Date ◽

Cotton Yield ◽

Fiber Properties

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

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10060840 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 840 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

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.

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