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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #322710

Title: Influence of irrigation pattern on effectiveness of furrow irrigation of cotton

Author
item Vories, Earl
item JONES, ANDREA - University Of Missouri

Submitted to: Proceedings of the World Environmental and Water Resources Congress Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/29/2016
Publication Date: 5/22/2016
Citation: Vories, E.D., Jones, A. 2016. Influence of irrigation pattern on effectiveness of furrow irrigation of cotton. In: Proceedings of the World Environmental and Water Resources Congress Conference. p. 21-29. doi: 10.1061/9780784479858.003.

Interpretive Summary: While sufficient groundwater is available for surface irrigation in many areas in the U.S. Mid-South, the supply and cost of labor is always a concern. Farmers commonly employ patterns such as every-other-furrow irrigation to allow them to irrigate fields in one set, saving time and eliminating trips to the field; however, they are concerned about reducing yields with the strategy. A study was conducted at the University of Missouri Fisher Delta Research Center near Portageville in 2014 and 2015 to investigate the impact of different furrow irrigation patterns on cotton yield. Although some treatments may have been affected by waterlogging when irrigation was followed closely by rain, irrigated treatments yielded better than a rainfed treatment. Differences were also observed in crop canopy properties collected with in-season mobile sensors. As more data are collected the relationship between in-season (sensors) and end-of-season (yield) observations should improve. More efficient use of water will result from methods developed to eliminate irrigations that do not result in increased yield. Producers will benefit from fewer excess applications resulting in wasted energy and labor, and the water savings will benefit everyone.

Technical Abstract: Cotton is one of the major crops in the U.S. Mid-South and producers in the region often farm numerous fields spread over a large area. While sufficient groundwater is available for surface irrigation in many areas, the supply and cost of labor is always a concern. For surface irrigated fields, they commonly employ patterns such as every-other-furrow irrigation to allow them to irrigate fields in one set. In many years there is sufficient rainfall that no obvious deleterious effect is observed but producers are concerned about reducing yields. A study was conducted at the University of Missouri Fisher Delta Research Center near Portageville to investigate the impact of different furrow irrigation patterns on cotton yield. The study included four furrow irrigation patterns: every furrow; every other furrow; every other furrow, alternating; and every third furrow; along with a rainfed treatment. In 2014, only two treatment yields were significantly different from the field average. Some treatments may have been affected by waterlogging when irrigation was followed closely by rain; however, all irrigated treatments yielded better than the rainfed treatment. In 2015, yields were greater than the previous year and all treatments were significantly different from the field average. In 2014, canopy temperature was highest for the rainfed treatment and lowest for the every third furrow treatment, which had a dry furrow on either side of the sensed rows. The treatment with every furrow irrigated had the tallest plants and the rainfed treatment the shortest. NDVI was significantly greater than the field average for the every furrow treatment and significantly less for both the rainfed and every third furrow treatments. Sensing data from 2015 was being analyzed at the time of this report. Because 2014 was a fairly wet year, including data from additional years should help to clarify the observed response. The study is planned for a third growing season in 2016.