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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Southern Insect Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #396537
Research Project: Ecologically Sustainable Approaches to Insect Resistance Management in Bt Cotton

Location: Southern Insect Management Research

Title: Impact of cover crop species on soil physical properties, cotton yield, and profitability

Author
item DENTON, S.D. - University Of Tennessee
item DODDS, D.M. - Mississippi State University
item KRUTZ, L.J. - Mississippi State University
item VARCO, J.J - Mississippi State University
item GORE, J. - Mississippi State University
item MILES, B.E. - Mississippi State University
item RAPER, T.B. - University Of Tennessee

Submitted to: Journal of Cotton Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/12/2021
Publication Date: 10/2/2021
Citation: Denton, S., Dodds, D., Krutz, L., Varco, J., Gore, J., Miles, B., Raper, T. 2021. Impact of cover crop species on soil physical properties, cotton yield, and profitability. Journal of Cotton Science. 25:67-68. https://doi.org/cotton.org/journal/2021-25/2.

Interpretive Summary: Conventional tillage cotton fields is a common practice in the Mid-South. After cotton harvest, land commonly remains fallow during the winter until planting the following season. Fallow fields are at greater risk for erosion and nutrient leaching because of the lack of plant roots, and high rainfall occurring during the winter months. This research investigated if cover cropping improves basic soil physical properties, crop productivity, and economic parameters in conventionally tilled soils. The effects of irrigation and cover crop species on bulk density, water infiltration rate, cotton yield, and net returns were evaluated on a Dundee silty clay loam (Fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic type Typic Endoqualfs) near Tribbett, MS in 2017 and a Leeper silty clay loam (fine, smectitic, nonacid, thermic Vertic Epiaquepts) near Starkville, MS from 2017 through 2018. Relative to the fallow production system, cereal rye and crimson clover decreased bulk density 4.6% but had no effect on water infiltration rate. Pooled over year and location, cover crop had no effect on lint yield in either irrigated or non-irrigated environments. However, transitioning from conventional to a cover crop system reduced net returns for cotton $50.22/ha to $307.87/ha on average. Our data indicate that while transitioning from a conventional to a fall cover crop production system, modest improvements in some soil physical properties due to cover crop establishment will not increase cotton productivity but will decrease net returns.

Technical Abstract: Poor soil health purportedly limits crop yield and on-farm profitability in environments with a history of intensive tillage. Research was conducted to determine if cover cropping improves basic soil physical properties, crop productivity, and economic parameters in conventionally tilled soils. The effects of irrigation and cover crop species on bulk density, water infiltration rate, cotton yield, and net returns were evaluated on a Dundee silty clay loam (Fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic type Typic Endoqualfs) near Tribbett, MS in 2017 and a Leeper silty clay loam (fine, smectitic, nonacid, thermic Vertic Epiaquepts) near Starkville, MS from 2017 through 2018. Relative to the fallow production system, cereal rye and crimson clover decreased bulk density 4.6% but had no effect on water infiltration rate. Pooled over year and location, cover crop had no effect on lint yield in either irrigated or non-irrigated environments. However, transitioning from conventional to a cover crop system reduced net returns for cotton $50.22/ha to $307.87/ha on average. Our data indicate that while transitioning from a conventional to a fall cover crop production system, modest improvements in some soil physical properties due to cover crop establishment will not increase cotton productivity but will decrease net returns.