Tillage, Cover Cropping, and Poultry Litter Effects on Cotton: I. Germination and Seedling Growth

Abstract

Inadequate and less vigorous crop stand is a constraint to adoption of conservation tillage in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production. We evaluated the effects of tillage (conventional till, mulch‐till, no‐till), cropping system (cotton–winter fallow, cotton–winter rye, Secale cereale L.), and N source and rate (ammonium nitrate and poultry litter; 0, 100, and 200 kg N ha−1) on cotton seedling emergence on a Decatur silt loam soil (Typic Paleudults) in northern Alabama, from 1996 to 1998. Cotton seedling counts under no‐till were 40 to 150% greater than those under conventional till at 1 and 2 d during seedling emergence. Cotton–winter rye cropping system had 14 to 50% greater seedling counts than cotton–winter fallow cropping during the first 4 d of emergence in 1998. Poultry litter source of N gave 17 to 50% greater cotton seedling counts than ammonium nitrate during the first 4 d of emergence in 1998. In all these cases, the differences progressively narrowed down by the 4th day of seedling emergence. Cotton seedling counts were significantly correlated to cotton growth parameters and lint yield, especially in the drier year (1998). These results were attributed to soil moisture conservation during seedling emergence. Our results show that conservation tillage improved cotton germination, emergence, dry matter, and lint yield. Therefore, no‐till with winter rye cover cropping and poultry litter can be used for achieving early cotton seedling emergence and growth in the U.S. cotton belt where dryland cotton production systems are on the increase and safe disposal of poultry litter is becoming an environmental problem.