Transactions of the ASAE · 1985 · 29 citations · 0 references
AgricultureAgronomySoil SciencesConservation TillageCrop ProductionSoil ScienceSoil Conservation PracticesSoil ErosionSoil Erosion ControlSoil Fertility ManagementTillage ManagementTillage SystemsConservation Tillage SystemsNo-till AgricultureSeed Yield ImprovementSoil Loss EstimationSoil Loss ModelingSoil Loss PreventionTillage Effects On YieldTillage Practice Management
ABSTRACT SOIL loss was measured from no-till, no-till plant and cultivate, and conventional-till cotton. Soil loss ratios were computed for each cropstage of the tillage systems for use in the USLE to estimate soil loss. Soil loss from conventionally tilled continuous cotton averaged over 70 t/ha-yr in contrast to previously measured soil losses of 19 and 16 t/ha-yr from soybeans and corn, respectively, under similar tillage and climatic conditions. Beneficial effects of conservation tillage were seen in the comparison of plots conventionally tilled after 11 years of no-till and conventionally tilled after 11 years of conventional-till. The no-till history reduced erosion by 47%, reduced runoff from 48% to 35% of the rainfall, and increased seed cotton yield about 20%.