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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Soil Dynamics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #180922
Title: SITE-SPECIFIC SUBSOILING BENEFITS FOR COTTON PRODUCTION

Author
item Raper, Randy
item Reeves, Donald
item SHAW, JOEY - AUBURN UNIVERSITY
item VAN SANTEN, EDZARD - AUBURN UNIVERSITY
item MASK, PAUL - AUBURN UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: ASAE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/16/2005
Publication Date: 7/18/2005
Citation: Raper, R.L., Reeves, D.W., Shaw, J.N., Van Santen, E., Mask, P.L. 2005. Site-specific subsoiling benefits for cotton production [abstract]. American Society for Agricultural Engineers. Paper No. 051025.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The negative impacts of soil compaction on crop yields can often be alleviated by subsoiling. However, this subsoiling operation is often conducted at unnecessarily deep depths where it wastes energy and disturbs surface residue necessary for erosion control and soil quality. A corn (Zea mays L.)-cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) rotation experiment was conducted for four years on a Coastal Plain soil with a hardpan in east-central Alabama to evaluate the potential for site-specific subsoiling (tilling just deep enough to eliminate the hardpan layer) to improve crop yields and conserve energy. Both crops showed benefits of subsoiling as compared to the no-subsoiling treatment. Site-specific subsoiling produced yields equivalent to deep subsoiling treatment while not excessively disturbing surface soil and residues. Significant reductions in draft force and drawbar power were found for site-specific subsoiling as compared to uniform deep subsoiling. Producers in the Coastal Plains who can determine the depth of their root-impeding layer and can provide site-specific subsoiling to loosen compacted soil profiles should have comparable yields and reduced energy requirements as those producers who use uniform deep subsoiling.