ARS | Publication request: The impact of sub-surface drip on cotton productivity

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 5, 2008
Publication Date: October 9, 2008
Citation: McMichael, B.L., Lascano, R.J., Gitz, D.C., Mahan, J.R., Wanjura, D.F. 2008. The impact of sub-surface drip on cotton productivity[abstract]. American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America Annual Conference. October 5-9, 2008, Houston, Texas.

Technical Abstract: The efficient use of water for irrigating crops on the Texas Southern High Plains is essential to maintain and improve production of good quality cotton. Since loss of irrigation water must be minimized due to high evaporative demand in the area, approximately 350,000 acres in the region is irrigated using sub-surface drip (SDI) technology. The objective of this research was to determine the impact of different water application rates using SDI on cotton development and productivity. The results have indicted a linear relationship between total seasonal water applied and yield up to 481mm. Additional water applications past that resulted in no further increase in yield. Also, information on root distribution indicated that the distribution in the drip (wet) furrow was not significantly different across irrigation levels and as more water was introduced into the wet furrow, more roots appeared in the dry furrow. The implications of these results on the dynamic relationship between SDI technology and productivity will be discussed.