A Comparison of Three Cotton Tillage Systems

Abstract

Two reduced cotton tillage systems, both of which utilize controlled traffic farming techniques, are being compared to a conventional tillage system in terms of energy requirements, field work time requirements, crop yield, and operating costs. Four seasons of testing show the Sundance system to have the lowest energy requirement of 28.2 HpHr /Ac, the Uprooter-Shredder-Mulcher (USM) the second lowest at 40.5 HpHr /Ac, and conventional tillage the highest at 54.4 HpHr /Ac. Field work times of the two reduced tillage systems are about one-half that of conventional tillage. Costs of the two reduced tillage systems are lower than for conventional tillage. We have never measured a significantly lower lint yield with either of the two reduced tillage systems, relative to conventional tillage.