Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #67775
Title: WEED MANAGEMENT IN CONSERVATION TILLAGE COTTON

Author
item Smart, James
item Bradford, Joe
item Makus, Donald

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/4/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Producer acceptance and adoption of conservation tillage in cotton production has been slow in south Texas and northern Mexico due to weed management concerns of producers planting into high residue conditions. Objectives of this study were to determine weed management strategies for cotton production when planting into no-tillage grain sorghum or corn residue. Six studies were conducted over two years in crop residue levels ranging from 4,000 to over 11,000 kg/ha. Banding herbicides over the crop row at planting used in combination with the timely use of high residue cultivator was the most economical and effective in managing weed populations and reducing weed competition. Banded herbicide applications at planting of clomazone and flumeturon or pendimethalin plus fluometuron were most effective in controlling weeds and limiting cotton injury.

Technical Abstract: Adoption of conservation tillage practices in south Texas and northeastern Mexico in cotton production has been slow due to producer concerns regarding weed management and cotton stalk destruction. Crop residue on the soil surface can interfere with herbicide incorporation, stalk destruction, and volunteer fall seedling cotton destruction mandates which favor conventional tillage practices. The objective of this study was to determine weed management strategies for pre-plant no tillage cotton planted into grain sorghum or corn residue. Six experiments were conducted over two years in corn and grain sorghum residue which had weathered from one to eight months. Sixteen combinations of weed control treatments were evaluated for each of the six experiments. Combinations of clomazone plus coteran or pendimethalin plus fluometuron banded over the crop row at planting in addition to the timely use of a high residue cultivator was the most effective weed management treatment and also among the most cost effective in reducing weed population and crop competition while exhibiting very little crop injury symptoms.