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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » National Sedimentation Laboratory » Water Quality and Ecology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #429734
Research Project: Enhancing Long-Term Agroecosystem Sustainability of Water and Soil Resources Through Science and Technology

Location: Water Quality and Ecology Research

Title: Soil health responses to cotton conservation production systems in the Lower Mississippi River Basin

Author
item Locke, Martin
item KRUTZ, LARRY - Chicot Irrigation
item Steinriede Jr, Robert
item KHAREL, GEETA - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE)
item Bingner, Ronald

Submitted to: Soil Science Society of America Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/14/2026
Publication Date: 7/14/2026
Citation: Locke, M.A., Krutz, L.J., Steinriede Jr, R.W., Kharel, G., Bingner, R.L. 2026. Soil health responses to cotton conservation production systems in the Lower Mississippi River Basin. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 90:e70285. https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.70285.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.70285

Interpretive Summary: Improving soil health is an important goal in developing row crop systems of the mid-southern United States. A long-term (10 y) non-irrigated cotton field study was conducted in Stoneville, MS, USA, to assess the effects of conservation management systems on soil characteristics in surface soils. Results showed that conservation practices such as cover crops and no-tillage that increased plant residue cover on the field enhanced soil carbon 10-12% over the study period. Soil nutrients tended to be higher in no-tillage due to stratification, but no other major trends were observed with respect to nutrients. Enzyme assessments were highest in the surface of soil with cover crops, but did not differ for other management factors. Results from this study will be of interest to farmers, agricultural commodity organizations, and NGOs.

Technical Abstract: Improving soil health is an important goal for developing cropping systems in the mid-southern United States. A long-term non-irrigated cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) field study in Stoneville, MS, USA, assessed effects of conservation management systems on soil characteristics. Soil total C (TC) and N (TN), moisture, and enzyme activity were consistently higher in the 0-5 cm depth in reduced tillage (RT) rye (Secale cereal cv. Wren Abruzzi) cover crop (CC) and no-tillage (NT) treatments compared to those with no cover crop (NC) and that received tillage (RTNC; conventional tillage (CTNC)). Tillage and cover crop effects were less consistent at depths below 5 cm due to stratification in NT or mixing from tillage in RTCC. Averaged over the 0-20 cm soil depth, conservation practices that increased residue cover led to an average 10% and 12% TC increase for RTCC and NTNC, respectively, versus 7% and 8% for RTNC and CTNC. While soil TN across the 0-20 cm depth did not increase over time for all treatments, highest concentrations were in NTNC and RTCC. Fluorescein Diacetate Hydrolytic activity (FDA) levels in the cover crop across the 0-20 cm depth were higher than other treatments, but due to stratification, FDA was lowest in NTNC. No major differences between management treatments were observed for M3 extractable nutrients, except for stratification in the NTNC with higher concentrations measured in the 0-5 cm soil depth. Findings support the potential to improve soil health in agricultural fields through conservation management under conditions in the humid, southern USA.