ARS | Publication request: CONSERVATION TILLAGE FOR INTEGRATING WINTER-GRAZING OF CATTLE IN COTTON PRODUCTION

Submitted to: International Soil Tillage Research Organization Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: January 13, 2005
Publication Date: August 28, 2008
Citation: Reeves, D.W., Siri-Prieto, G., Raper, R.L., Gamble, B. 2008. Conservation tillage for integrating winter-grazing of cattle in cotton production [abstract]. International Soil Tillage Research Organization Abstracts.

Technical Abstract: Producers in the southeastern USA interested in integrating cattle/cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production are concerned about soil compaction from trampling. We conducted a 3-yr study using a strip-plot design on a loamy sand to develop a conservation tillage system for integrating cotton production with winter-annual grazing of cattle. Winter forages were oat (Avena sativa L.) and annual ryegrass (Lolium mutiflorum L.). Tillage systems included: moldboard and chisel plowing; and combinations of non-inversion deep tillage (none, in-row subsoil or paratill) with/without disking. Soil water content was reduced by 15% with conventional tillage or deep tillage, suggesting that cotton rooting was increased by these systems. Oat increased cotton stands 25% and seed-cotton yields by 7% compared to ryegrass. Strict no-tillage resulted in the lowest yields; 30% less than the overall mean (3.69 Mg/ha). Non-inversion deep tillage in no-till (especially paratill) following oat provided the highest yields (3.97 Mg/ha). Winter-annual grazing in rotation with cotton can be achieved using non-inversion deep tillage following oat in a conservation tillage system.