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Title: COVER CROP EFFECTS ON LIMITED-IRRIGATION COTTON GROWN ON A COASTAL PLAIN SOIL

Author
item Schomberg, Harry
item MCDANIEL, RICHARD - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
item CABRERA, MIGUEL - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

Submitted to: 2003 Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/7/2003
Publication Date: 6/15/2003
Citation: SCHOMBERG, H.H., MCDANIEL, R., CABRERA, M. COVER CROP EFFECTS ON LIMITED-IRRIGATION COTTON GROWN ON A COASTAL PLAIN SOIL. 2003 BELTWIDE COTTON CONFERENCE. 2003.

Interpretive Summary: Not needed

Technical Abstract: Conservation tillage is used in less than 30% of the cotton grown in Georgia. Conservation tillage acreage has increased with adoption of herbicide resistant varieties, but use of cover crops is limited. Our objective was to evaluate effects of tillage (strip-till vs. no-till) and cover crops [Austrian winter pea (Pisum sativum L. ssp. arvense (L.) Poir), balansa clover (Trifolium michelianum Savi), crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), oil seed radish (Raphanus sativus L.), black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb), and rye (Secale cereale L)] on cotton production on a Bonifay fine sand. Three years of the cover crop evaluation showed that rye provides a consistent and useful amount of cover on these droughty soils, which thereby helps to increase soil water availability and lower soil temperatures during the early period of cotton establishment. Black oats, Austrian winter pea, oilseed radish, and hairy vetch produced less biomass but provided adequate soil cover. Balansa clover and crimson clover did not grow well in these sandy soils. Strip tillage resulted in greater yields than no-till two out of the three years.