ON FARM COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AT THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA CONSERVATION TILLAGE DEMONSTRATION FARM

Authors: Schomberg, Harry; MCDANIEL, R - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA; WANDLESS, K - NUTRASWEET KELCO CO, GA; MALLARD, E - MONSANTO, WAYNESBORO, GA; SANDERS, T - MONSANTO, STATESBORO, GA; Endale, Dinku; Franzluebbers, Alan; Sharpe, Ronald

Submitted to: Annual Southern Conservation Tillage Conference for Sustainable Agriculture
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/10/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The Central Savannah River Area Conservation Tillage Demonstration Farm at Waynesboro, GA, was established to develop and demonstrate sustainable cropping and tillage systems suitable for Coastal Plain soils as a joint effort of Monsanto, Nutrasweet-Kelco and BioGro Inc. Tillage comparisons are made on side-by-side 5 to 10 acre fields using standard farm machinery and are to remain in place to determine long term effects. Limited information is available on cropping and tillage system effects on soil quality indicators for Coastal Plain soils. We expect increased biomass inputs will increase soil organic matter near the soil surface and improve soil physical, chemical and biological properties and are measuring these indicators under conservation and conventional tillage for; 1. following long term Bermuda grass sod; 2. peanut following corn; and 3. cotton-rye. Additional future studies: 1. After 5 and 10 yr, measure infiltration and runoff using rainfall simulators. 2. Evaluate N availability from poultry litter, commercial by-products and fertilizer. 3. Determine soil quality changes following conversion of highly erodible land from long term Bahia to continuous cropping. Results will demonstrate the effectiveness of conservation tillage systems are in conserving C and increasing productivity and nutrient holding capacity for Coastal Plain soils.