Author
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JOHNSON, JOSEPH - MAFES |
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McGregor, Keith |
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Submitted to: Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Special Reports
Publication Type: Government Publication Publication Acceptance Date: 6/18/1995 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Farmers need alternative cropping practices to consider for land being removed from the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). This study reports on the first-year effects on plant populations, plant height, canopy closure, crop residue levels, and crop yields of fall-hipping, spring hipping, no-till, no-till plant plus cultivate, and conventional-till practices at one site in 1993 and at another site in 1994 that simulate CRP land being returned to cotton production. Plant height and canopy closure were highest for plots that had preplant tillage and lowest for plots that had no preplant tillage. Crop residue for ground cover decreased as tillage increased. Treatments receiving tillage resulted in residue levels less than 30 percent at planting. Crop yields were significantly lower for plots that were planted no-till and cultivated during the growing season. This research study provides helpful information for farmers, extension workers, and conservationists concerning crop production on land previously in the CRP program. Technical Abstract: A study was begun at the North Mississippi Branch Experiment Station in 1993 to evaluate tillage practices for Conservation Reserve Program land being returned to cotton production, with particular emphasis on the first year out of CRP. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with five replications. Tillage treatments were: (1) fall hipped and spring rehipped; (2) no-till; (3) conventional-till (disk-chisel, disk, hip); and (4) no-till plant followed with two cultivations during the growing season. First-year effects on plant populations, plant height, canopy closure, crop residue levels, and crop yields of the five tillage treatments were evaluated at one site in 1993 and at another site in 1994. Plant height and canopy closure were highest for plots that had preplant tillage and lowest for plots that had no preplant tillage. Crop residue for ground cover decreased as tillage increased. Treatments receiving tillage resulted in residue levels less than 30 percent at planting. Crop yields were significantly lower for plots that were planted no-till and cultivated during the growing season, but crop yields of other treatments were not significantly different. The continuation of this research study provides helpful information for farmers, extension workers, and conservationists in making decisions concerning crop production on land previously in the CRP program |
