Furrow Diking to Improve Soil and Water Conservation for Southeast Row Crops

Authors: Nuti, Russell; Truman, Clinton; Sorensen, Ronald - Ron; Lamb, Marshall

Submitted to: American Society of Agronomy Meetings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/23/2007
Publication Date: 6/25/2007
Citation: Nuti, R.C., Truman, C.C., Sorensen, R.B., Lamb, M.C. 2007. Furrow Diking to Improve Soil and Water Conservation for Southeast Row Crops. American Society of Agronomy Meetings.

Interpretive Summary: none required.

Technical Abstract: Crop production in the Southeastern U.S. is water limiting. Rainfall is supplemented by irrigation to sustain profitable crop production. Increased water capture would improve water use efficiency and reduce irrigation requirements, thus reducing input costs. Furrow diking is a cost effective management practice that is designed to create a series of depressional storage basins in the furrow between crop rows to catch and retain rainfall and/or irrigation water. The objective of this study was to compare water capturing and erosion control characteristics of furrow diking by comparing infiltration, runoff, soil loss, and soil water content of diked and non-diked tillage systems. In 2006, a field study (Faceville loamy sand) was established near Dawson, GA with diked and non-diked conventional tilled systems managed to irrigated cotton. Simulated rainfall (50 mm/h for 1 hr) was also utilizing on diked and non-diked plots (2x3 m) (n=3). Runoff and soil loss were measured continuously from each rainfall simulator plot. Diking reduced runoff and sediment yields by 3.5 times compared to the non-diked treatment. Diking increased infiltration by 38% resulting in 7.1 days of estimated plant available water for diked plots and only 3.9 days of estimated plant available water for non-diked plots.