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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #310959
Title: Impact of soil variability on irrigated and rainfed cotton

Author
item Vories, Earl
item STEVENS, GENE - University Of Missouri
item Sudduth, Kenneth - Ken
item Drummond, Scott
item BENSON, RAY - University Of Arkansas

Submitted to: Journal of Cotton Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/11/2015
Publication Date: 5/11/2015
Citation: Vories, E.D., Stevens, G., Sudduth, K.A., Drummond, S.T., Benson, R. 2015. Impact of soil variability on irrigated and rainfed cotton. Journal of Cotton Science. 19(1):1-14.

Interpretive Summary: Cotton is a vital component of the economies of Mid-South states. A study was conducted in 2011 and 2012 at the Fisher Delta Research Center in Portageville, Mo., to determine the impact of soil spatial variability on yield and irrigated water use efficiency. The variable soil had quite low observed electrical conductivity values, consistent with measured sand contents. Spatial statistical analyses were used to investigate the relationships and an equation was developed from irrigated and rainfed conditions relating yield to the amount of irrigation water applied. Future efforts will include additional fields and environments to increase the understanding of the impact of soil variability and allow for improved site specific application of water and other inputs. Cotton producers will benefit from the potential cost savings that result and everyone will benefit from more efficient use of inputs like water and fertilizer in the environment.

Technical Abstract: Cotton is a vital component of the economies of Mid-South states. Producers and landowners are looking for ways to reduce the variability of irrigated yields and soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) is a readily obtained parameter that can indicate soil variability. A study was conducted in 2011 and 2012 at the Fisher Delta Research Center in Portageville, Mo., with the objective to determine the impact of soil spatial variability on yield and irrigated water use efficiency for cotton. Observed ECa values were quite low, consistent with average sand contents that ranged from 59% to 82% in the upper 0.76 m. Spatial autocorrelation was present in the data and thus spatial analyses were used. In 2011, yields for two treatments were not significantly different from the mean field effect; however, ECa significantly impacted the irrigated yields, indicating that soil variability impacted yield more than irrigation for the two treatments. In 2012, yields for four of the six treatments were significantly different from the mean field effect; however, the adjusted ECa did not significantly impact the irrigated yields. A quadratic equation was fit to the combined data from irrigated and rainfed plots in 2012. The resulting equation had a maximum of 3372 kg ha-1 at 135 mm total irrigation and the median observed ECa value (3.0 mS m-1). Future efforts will include additional fields and environments, increasing the understanding of the impact of soil variability and allowing for improved selection of optimum management zones for site specific application of water and other inputs.