ARS | Publication request: RESEARCH ON CONVERTING CRP LAND TO CROPLAND AT BUSHLAND, TEXAS

Submitted to: Convert Conservation Reserve Program Land to Cropland & Grazing Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 5, 1995
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Studies for converting CRP land to cropland are underway on Pullman soil at Bushland, Texas. For a study on native grass land, moldboard (MB), sweep (SW), and no-tillage (NT) treatments were started in July 1992. On NT plots, only herbicides are used for weed control. In May 1993, 4.5 in. water was applied to subplots. Propazine was used to control growing season weeds on all plots. At sorghum planting in June 1993, organic C contents at 0-6 in. were: MB, 1.25%; SW, 1.20%; and NT, 1.4%. Total N contents (lb/acre, nitrate + ammonium) at 0-4 ft. were: MB, 118; SW, 126; and NT, 96. Plant-available water contents at 0-5 ft. were: MB- (`-' = no added water), 3.3 in.; MB+ (`+' = added water), 5.6 in.; SW-, 3.7 in.; SW+, 6.9 in.; NT-, 7.2 in.; and NT+, 7.5 in. At flowering, plant water stress was severe on MB, less on SW, and slight on NT plots. Grain yields (lb/acre) were: MB-, 710; MB+, 1610; SW-, 1160; SW+, 2230; NT-, 3040; and NT+, 3130. At wheat planting on the plots in 1994, water contents at 0-6 ft. were: MB, 1.5 in.; SW, 3.1 in., and NT, 8.4 in. In early spring 1995, water stress for wheat was slight on NT, but severe on MB and SW plots. A study with chisel/disk (CH/D), SW, and NT treatments on grass land was started in early 1994. At wheat planting in fall, water contents at 0-6 ft. were: CH/D, 4.0 in.; SW, 5.3 in.; and NT, 5.2 in. Some water stress was evident in early spring 1995 on all plots. On CRP land planted to plains bluestem grass in 1986, research was started in 1994 to evaluate various tillage methods and related practices for returning the land to dryland grain sorghum or winter wheat production while effectively controlling wind and water erosion and optimizing agronomic performance.