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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Plant Stress and Germplasm Development Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #367663
Research Project: Development of Economically Important Row Crops that Improve the Resilience of U.S. Agricultural Production to Present and Future Production Challenges

Location: Plant Stress and Germplasm Development Research

Title: Cotton x environment x water: 9 years x 6 plantings x 4 water levels on the southern high plains of texas

Author
item Mahan, James
item Payton, Paxton

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/3/2019
Publication Date: 9/30/2019
Citation: Mahan, J.R., Payton, P.R. 2019. Cotton x environment x water: 9 years x 6 plantings x 4 water levels on the southern high plains of texas. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts. Presentation.

Interpretive Summary: Changes in weather during a season can have a large effect on crop yield. Scientists and producers need information about crop growth during the season to understand the effects that weather and farming practices have on yield. Crop data collection can be a labor intensive, error prone, and time consuming task. This research resulted in the creation of a system for monitoring a crop in the field. This relatively low-cost system consists of a consumer drone and software that is free to the public. This system allows researchers and producers to look at a greater number of plants in less time and at lower cost than was previously possible. By providing researchers and producers with better information about growth, this system will help researchers and producers to improve crop yields in present and future environments.

Technical Abstract: The gradual depletion of the Ogallala aquifer has resulted in a transition from fully-irrigated to rainfed cotton production. Efficient use of remains water resources is of interest as is the improvement in rainfed production. In order to explore the relationships among environment and water, cotton has been planted in Lubbock TX in a planting date X water matrix since 2011. Planting dates range from mid-March to late June/early July. Small plots of 50m by 8 rows (1m row spacing) have been used with commercial cultivars. Irrigation volumes were 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0 mm/day. In season rainfall ranged from 50 mm to 375 mm. Yields ranged from ~300 kg/ha to ~3000 kg/ha. Results indicate that planting date had little effect on yield/quality. Yields ranged from ~300 kg/ha to ~3000 kg/ha.