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Title: CONSERVATION TILLAGE SYSTEMS FOR COTTON AND PEANUT FOLLOWING WINTER-ANNUAL GRAZING

Author
item SIRI-PRIETO, GUILLERMO - AUBURN UNIVERSITY
item Reeves, Donald
item Raper, Randy
item BRANS, DAVID - AUBURN UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: International Soil Tillage Research Organization Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/19/2003
Publication Date: 7/14/2003
Citation: Siri-Prieto, G., Reeves, D.W., Raper, R.L., Brans, D. 2003. Conservation tillage systems for cotton and peanut following winter-annual grazing. International Soil Tillage Research Organization Abstracts.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Integrating livestock with cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) rotations offers profitable alternatives for producers in the Southeastern USA, but could result in excessive soil compaction, which can severely limit yields. A study was begun in 2000 at two locations (both Plinthic Paleudults) in south Alabama to develop a conservation tillage system for integrating these crops with winter annual grazing of stocker cattle. Winter pasture and tillage were evaluated in a strip plot design with four replications. Winter pastures (main plots) were oat (Avena sativa L.) and ryegrass (Lolium mutiflorum L.). Tillage systems (subplots) included: moldboard, chisel and disk; and non-inversion deep tillage (none, in-row subsoiling, or paratilling) with and without disking. We evaluated soil cover after grazing, plant population, and seed cotton and peanut yield. Ryegrass and no-tillage systems provided the greatest residue cover (77%). Cotton populations were 17% greater following oat than ryegrass but pasture species did not affect peanut populations. Strict no-tillage had the lowest plant stand in both crops, but strip-tillage, i.e., subsoiling alleviated this problem. Cotton and peanut yields were affected by pasture and tillage system interactions, however, strict no-tillage resulted in the lowest yields(2260 and 3380 kg ha-1 for cotton and peanut, respectively); These yields were 18% and 45% less than the mean yield for cotton and peanut, respectively. Subsoiling or paratilling was necessary to maximize yields in both crops in strict no tillage. Integrating winter annual grazing with these row crops can be achieved using non-inversion deep tillage in a conservation tillage system.