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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Jonesboro, Arkansas » Delta Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #315223
Title: Agronomic and water quality impacts of incorporating polyacrylamide in furrow irrigation water in Arkansas cotton -- 2014

Author
item Reba, Michele
item LEWIS, AUSTIN - Arkansas State University
item TEAGUE, TINA GRAY - Arkansas State University

Submitted to: Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/20/2015
Publication Date: 7/10/2015
Citation: Reba, M.L., Lewis, A., Teague, T. 2015. Agronomic and water quality impacts of incorporating polyacrylamide in furrow irrigation water in Arkansas cotton -- 2014. Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series. 610. pp. 102-107.

Interpretive Summary: Arkansas irrigates the most acres of any state in the Mississippi River Basin. Forty-six percent of the irrigated acres in Arkansas use furrow irrigation. Prudent irrigation management not only preserves resources and reduces production costs but also impacts water quality by reducing the amount of runoff and associated nutrients and agrochemicals entering waterways from agricultural fields. Improved management is needed to increase irrigation efficiency. One management strategy is to apply polyacrylamide (PAM) to fields. PAM has been found to increase infiltration rate and reduce irrigation advance times. The objective of this project was to improve our understanding of the impact of PAM on agronomic production, irrigation efficiency and as well as run-off water quality in cotton production. This manuscript reports the first year of findings from a plot-scale research study that took place at the Judd Hill Research Farm near Trumann, AR. Findings from the impact that PAM had on cotton production from this study are preliminary and will continue in the next production season. Generally, PAM application shows promise in improving irrigation efficiency and impact to water quality, but additional years of data are needed. Final results from this research, will likely influence the adoption rates of PAM in MidSouth cotton production.

Technical Abstract: The combined erosion-halting and infiltration-increasing effects of PAM appeared to be an ideal practice for Midsouth cotton producers interested in improving irrigation efficiency and nutrient management; however, there has been limited research to evaluate PAM in the Midsouth. The objective of this project was to improve our understanding of the impact of PAM on agronomic production, irrigation efficiency and as well as run-off water quality. This manuscript reports the first year of findings from a plot-scale research study that took place at the Judd Hill Research Farm near Trumann, AR. Soils in the field are classified as a Dundee silt loam (77.3%), Mhoon silt loam (20.9%), and Hayti soils (1.8%). Cultivar Delta Pine 0912 RFB2 was seeded on 7 May 2014. There were three treatments: Irrigation (IRR), Irrigation plus PAM (IRR+PAM), and Rainfed. The experiment was arranged as a randomized complete block with 3 replications. PAM applications were made twice during the season, owing to wet conditions. Liquid Flobond L33 (30% active product, 30% anionic charge) at concentrations of 2 ppm was injected with a small pump into the access port of the Y-valve connected to the polytubing. Findings from the impact that PAM had on cotton production from this study are preliminary. The research will continue in the next production season. It is encouraging that total P was reduced with the PAM application but other water quality parameters were not statistically different. Environmental benefits associated with PAM application have included reduced pesticide and fertilizer runoff (Green and Stott 2001). Yield from the Irrigated, Irrigated with PAM and rainfed plots were all significantly different. The reasons for the reduction in yield with PAM are unknown, but results from plant monitoring and end-of-season mapping suggest reduce first position boll retention.