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Title: COVER CROPS AND TILLAGE COMBINATIONS FOR WIDE AND ULTRA NARROW ROW COTTON

Author
item DELANEY, D - AUBURN UNIV.PH.D.STUD.
item Reeves, Donald
item MONKS, C - AUBURN UNIVERSITY
item PATTERSON, M - AUBURN UNIVERSITY
item MULLINS, G - VA.POLY.INST.&ST.UNIV.
item GAMBLE, B - AUBURN UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Southern Conservation Tillage for Sustainable Agriculture Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/24/2002
Publication Date: 6/24/2002
Citation: Delaney, D.P., Reeves, D.W., Monks, C.D., Patterson, M.G., Mullins, G.L., Gamble, B.E. 2002. Cover crops and tillage combinations for wide and ultra narrow row cotton. In: Van Santen, E., editor. Proceedings of the 25th Annual Southern Conservation Tillage Conference for Sustainable Agriculture - Making Conservation tillage Conventional: Building a Future on 25 Years of Research. Special Report no. 1, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station and Auburn University, June 24-26, Auburn, Alabama. p. 369-370.

Interpretive Summary: Alternative crops and management methods are needed for drought-prone soils in the Southeastern Coastal Plain. High plant populations and close row spacings used in ultra narrow row (UNR, less than 10 inches) cotton systems may assist in drought avoidance, particularly when combined with conservation tillage techniques. We conducted a field experiment to determine the optimum combination of winter cover crops (rye or legumes), tillage (conventional or no-till), and row spacing (36-inch or 8-inch) for a sandy, drought-prone soil. UNR lint yields were 15 to 50% greater than with 36-inch rows in the two years with below normal rainfall. Conventionally tilled rye cover treatments yielded 35% more lint than no-tilled rye cover treatments in 1 of 3 years. In another year, conventional tillage yielded 19% more than no-till treatments, regardless of cover crop. These results indicate that UNR cotton is a more productive system for cotton on marginal soils than traditional wide rows. They also suggest that conservation tillage may increase risks and require a higher level of management than conventional tillage. This information may be used by producers, crop consultants, extension and NRCS specialists to better manage cotton production on sandy drought-prone soils.

Technical Abstract: Ultra Narrow Row (UNR) cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) has potential to lower machinery costs and increase yields on poorer quality soils, but research with this system is lacking. Alternative crops and management methods are needed for drought prone soils in southeast Alabama. Lint yields from cotton planted in traditional wide (36 inch) rows with conventional tillage are often severely depressed by drought. High plant populations and close row spacings used in UNR systems may assist in drought avoidance, particularly when combined with conservation tillage techniques. Legume cover crops, including white lupin (Lupinus alba L.) have been shown to increased lint yields of UNR cotton in Alabama, compared to traditional grain cover crops, such as rye (Secale cereale L.). An experiment was conducted on a Lucy loamy sand (loamy, kaolinitic thermic Arenic Kandiudults) in southeast Alabama to determine the optimum combination of winter cover crops (rye or legumes), tillage (conventional or no-till), and row spacing (36-inch or 8-inch) on a drought prone soil from 1998 through 2001. In this experiment, UNR lint yields in 1998 were 50% greater than with 36-inch rows in and 15% greater in 2001 with no difference in 1999. Conventionally tilled rye cover treatments yielded 35% more lint than no-tilled rye cover treatments in 1999. In 2000, conventional tillage yielded 19% more than no-till treatments. Leaf Area Index taken at early bloom and plant population counts usually followed the same trends as lint yields. These results indicate that UNR cotton may be a more productive system for cotton on marginal soils than traditional wide rows.