Tillage Effects on Cotton Performance and Soil Quality in an Irrigated Arid Cropping System

Abstract

Reducing tillage has become necessary in irrigated, arid cropping systems in southwestern USA, to address soil degradation and erosion problems associated with intensive soil tillage. A study was conducted in arid southwestern USA, to compare a reduced tillage method (strip tillage) to two conventional tillage methods (plow tillage and raised bed tillage) for irrigated upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) production. Strip tillage (ST) was established in a single pass by a strip tillage equipment, while the plow tillage (PT) consisted of plowing, disking the soil twice, subsoiling and harrowing. The raised bed tillage (BT) consisted of all the tillage operations under PT method, with an additional tillage event to shape the beds. Crop and soil parameters were assessed during the growing seasons. Soil physical and biological measurements were assessed at the beginning of the trial before planting, and at the end of each cropping season. Results show no significant differences in cotton yield and fiber quality parameters under the tillage systems tested. Out of the soil physical measurements assessed, the cone index (CI) significantly differed with tillage systems during the mid-season assessments, with BT generally having better CI than ST and PT. Other physical measurements were not significant with tillage, but significantly declined over time irrespective of tillage treatments. Out of the soil biological measurements assessed, the total fungal biomass and the arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi biomass were significant with tillage, with ST and BT having higher measurements than PT. In contrast to soil physical measurements that declined, most of the soil biological measurements improved over time. Comparing some soil biological measurements at the beginning to the end of the trial across the tillage treatments, the total microbial biomass increased from 714 to 3565 ng/g, the total bacterial biomass increased from 321 to 1478 ng/g, and the total fungal biomass increased from 84 to 436 ng/g. This study shows that ST can perform adequately for sustainable cotton production in an irrigated arid region of United States.

Influence of Organic and Mineral Fertilizers on Soil Organic Carbon and Crop Productivity under Different Tillage Systems: A Meta-Analysis

“…The yield response of fiber crops was positive only with MO under NT (1.8%), even if this result is limited due to a very small sample size (n = 2), in accordance with the findings of Idowu et al [98] that reported several benefits of reduced tillage in cotton crop. Moreover, oilseeds and root crops showed a significant increase in grain yield using O with CT (21.8%) and MO with CT and RT (18.8 and 16.2%, respectively).…”

Microbial Indices to Assess Soil Health under Different Tillage and Fertilization in Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Crop

“…The soil tillage operated with different machineries could affect positively the water holding, increasing the incorporation of crop residues in the soil surface with higher water content in the upper soil layer and lower evapotranspiration, lower soil temperature, and more stable soil aggregates, protection of soil erosion, nutrients and organic C accumulation near the soil surface, nitrogen leaching decreased [7]. Most of the crop cultivation came with intensive tillage operations using plow and disk harrow as primary and secondary tillage equipment with multiple fields passes to create a suitable seedbed for crop cultivation [8]. Although soil tillage had a positive influence on crop performance, intensive tillage could cause adverse effects on soil fertility [9].…”