ARS | Publication request: SUBSURFACE DRIP IRRIGATION FOR COTTON WITH CONSERVATION TILLAGE

Submitted to: ASAE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: July 10, 2000
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Subsurface drip irrigation was investigated on a cotton-soybean rotation under several conservation tillage cultures during 1998-1999. Irrigated cotton yields were greater than rainfed in both years. There were no yield differences among irrigation lateral spacings or conservation tillage methods. Two tillage methods reduced soil compaction at very shallow soil depths but compacted layers remained at depths of about 20 cm. Although improved slightly from the no-tillage system, root growth remained restricted and probably limited the efficacy of subsurface drip irrigation, which was located at the 30-cm depth. These results indicate that to obtain optimum no-tillage crop production with subsurface drip irrigation on these soils, strategies to further reduce soil strength must be developed.