Abstract
Ground water resources for irrigated agriculture are becoming increasing limited in semiarid regions of the world. Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) and a no-till conservation tillage system were evaluated over 3 years on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum, L.) production and fiber quality in north Texas. Subsurface drip irrigation significantly increased cotton yields over that from furrow irrigation in 2 of 3 yr. When averaged over 3 yr, the cover crop treatments on 1 and 2 m drip line spacing and a 100% ET replacement yielded numerically more than the companion treatments without a cover crop. Across years, the SDI treatments significantly increased loan values by an average of $ 0.045 k g − 1 over furrow-irrigated cotton. Within SDI, deficit irrigation did not appear to affect cotton yield in proportion to the amount of restricted irrigation. In 2003, a 50% reduction in ET replacement under conventional tillage reduced yield only 22%, indicating that a 100% ET replacement may not be necessary to produce economically acceptable yields. Results from this study provide preliminary evidence that cover crops may actually prove beneficial under SDI systems and could play a role in developing best management practices that incorporate conservation tillage practices.
Highlights
Agriculture accounted for nearly 65% of world’s water consumption in 2000, while industry and urban needs accounted for an additional 31% [1]
Results from this study provide preliminary evidence that cover crops may prove beneficial under Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) systems and could play a role in developing best management practices that incorporate conservation tillage practices
When averaged over 3 yr, the cover crop treatments on 1 and 2 m drip line spacing and ET100 yielded numerically more than the companion treatments without a cover crop
Summary
Agriculture accounted for nearly 65% of world’s water consumption in 2000, while industry and urban needs accounted for an additional 31% [1]. Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) is perhaps the most efficient water delivery system to roots of plants, producing crop yields equal to or greater than other irrigation methods and, in many cases, requiring less water and improved water-use efficiencies [3,4,5,6]. In regions where irrigation well capacities are low and in cases where available irrigation water is saline or where shallow water conditions are saline, SDI, compared with surface irrigation systems, offers the greatest potential to increase yields and irrigation water use efficiency [7,8,9,10]. In addition to greater water-use efficiencies, fertilizer N and P applications rates may be lowered using SDI systems where N and P are applied through the system; that is, less nutrients are required to maximize yield, improving profitability [11,12,13,14]
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