Soil Water Dynamics and Cotton Production Following Cover Crop Use in a Semi-Arid Ecoregion
Conservation management practices such as no-tillage and cover crops can decrease soil’s susceptibility to wind erosion, but adoption of these practices has been limited on the Texas High Plains (THP) where producers are concerned with cover crop water usage. The objective of this study was to evalu...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/6/1306 |
| _version_ | 1797490958556725248 |
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| author | Joseph Alan Burke Katie Lynn Lewis Paul Bradley DeLaune Christopher Joseph Cobos Jack Wayne Keeling |
| author_facet | Joseph Alan Burke Katie Lynn Lewis Paul Bradley DeLaune Christopher Joseph Cobos Jack Wayne Keeling |
| author_sort | Joseph Alan Burke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Conservation management practices such as no-tillage and cover crops can decrease soil’s susceptibility to wind erosion, but adoption of these practices has been limited on the Texas High Plains (THP) where producers are concerned with cover crop water usage. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of no-tillage and cover crops on cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i> L.) lint yield and soil water content in a deficit irrigated cropping system. Soil water was observed bi-weekly in long-term, continuous cotton systems established in 1998 that included (1) conventional tillage, winter fallow, (2) no-tillage with rye (<i>Secale cereale</i> L.) cover, and (3) no-tillage with mixed species cover located in Lamesa, TX, USA. Results include observations from 2018–2020 (years 21–23 of the study period). The adoption of conservation practices did not significantly reduce cotton lint yield compared to conventionally tilled, winter fallow cotton. Soil water was initially depleted with cover crops but was greater throughout the growing season following cover crop termination. Throughout the soil profile, water depletion and recharge were more dynamic with conservation practices compared to the conventionally tilled control. There were no differences in cotton water use efficiency between treatments. Results from this study indicate cover crop water usage is likely not the cause of cotton lint yield decline in this deficit irrigated semi-arid production system. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:39:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9d3bec5f331e4c54877c141f59313297 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:39:28Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-9d3bec5f331e4c54877c141f593132972023-11-23T15:09:33ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952022-05-01126130610.3390/agronomy12061306Soil Water Dynamics and Cotton Production Following Cover Crop Use in a Semi-Arid EcoregionJoseph Alan Burke0Katie Lynn Lewis1Paul Bradley DeLaune2Christopher Joseph Cobos3Jack Wayne Keeling4Texas A&M AgriLife Research, 1102 E. Drew, St. Lubbock, TX 79403, USATexas A&M AgriLife Research, 1102 E. Drew, St. Lubbock, TX 79403, USATexas A&M AgriLife Research, 11708 US-70 South, Vernon, TX 76384, USATexas A&M AgriLife Research, 1102 E. Drew, St. Lubbock, TX 79403, USATexas A&M AgriLife Research, 1102 E. Drew, St. Lubbock, TX 79403, USAConservation management practices such as no-tillage and cover crops can decrease soil’s susceptibility to wind erosion, but adoption of these practices has been limited on the Texas High Plains (THP) where producers are concerned with cover crop water usage. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of no-tillage and cover crops on cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i> L.) lint yield and soil water content in a deficit irrigated cropping system. Soil water was observed bi-weekly in long-term, continuous cotton systems established in 1998 that included (1) conventional tillage, winter fallow, (2) no-tillage with rye (<i>Secale cereale</i> L.) cover, and (3) no-tillage with mixed species cover located in Lamesa, TX, USA. Results include observations from 2018–2020 (years 21–23 of the study period). The adoption of conservation practices did not significantly reduce cotton lint yield compared to conventionally tilled, winter fallow cotton. Soil water was initially depleted with cover crops but was greater throughout the growing season following cover crop termination. Throughout the soil profile, water depletion and recharge were more dynamic with conservation practices compared to the conventionally tilled control. There were no differences in cotton water use efficiency between treatments. Results from this study indicate cover crop water usage is likely not the cause of cotton lint yield decline in this deficit irrigated semi-arid production system.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/6/1306<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i> L.lint yieldwater use efficiencyconservation agricultureirrigation |
| spellingShingle | Joseph Alan Burke Katie Lynn Lewis Paul Bradley DeLaune Christopher Joseph Cobos Jack Wayne Keeling Soil Water Dynamics and Cotton Production Following Cover Crop Use in a Semi-Arid Ecoregion Agronomy <i>Gossypium hirsutum</i> L. lint yield water use efficiency conservation agriculture irrigation |
| title | Soil Water Dynamics and Cotton Production Following Cover Crop Use in a Semi-Arid Ecoregion |
| title_full | Soil Water Dynamics and Cotton Production Following Cover Crop Use in a Semi-Arid Ecoregion |
| title_fullStr | Soil Water Dynamics and Cotton Production Following Cover Crop Use in a Semi-Arid Ecoregion |
| title_full_unstemmed | Soil Water Dynamics and Cotton Production Following Cover Crop Use in a Semi-Arid Ecoregion |
| title_short | Soil Water Dynamics and Cotton Production Following Cover Crop Use in a Semi-Arid Ecoregion |
| title_sort | soil water dynamics and cotton production following cover crop use in a semi arid ecoregion |
| topic | <i>Gossypium hirsutum</i> L. lint yield water use efficiency conservation agriculture irrigation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/6/1306 |
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