Reduced Tillage Effects on Irrigation Management in Cotton

Abstract

Conservation or reduced tillage practices in cotton-based crop rotation systems were studied in field experiments initiated at Marana, Coolidge and Goodyear in 2001. Following barley cover and grain crops, soil and water management assessments were made during the 2002 cotton season at the three sites. Cover and grain crop residues and a lack of tillage prior to planting cotton or during the cotton season increased the infiltration of irrigation water into coarsetextured soils, slowed irrigation advance times, and increased the amount of irrigation water used at two of the three sites compared to conventional tillage treatments.