In 1998 Monsanto initiated a three to five year study to investigate and study Conservation Tillage cotton systems at numerous locations across the Belt. Centers of Excellence (COE') were established in areas with low adaptation of conservation tillage systems. The COE's were established on cooperator farms to compare agronomic systems, to maintain or increase yields, lower production costs, and incorporate new technologies, specifically, Roundup Ready, Bollgard Cotton and no-till farming techniques. Basic comparisons included three tillage systems: no-till, conservation tillage, and conventional tillage. Each of these tillage comparisons had three herbicide or weed control systems: Roundup Ultra only (no residuals), Roundup Ultra plus a limited residual, and Roundup Ultra with a full residual package.

Complete records were recorded and maintained by a third party university extension person or an independent consultant. All production costs were recorded including seed, land rent, pesticide and growth regulators, fertilizers and lime, plus operation costs. Yields were collected on all treatments.

There were no significant differences in weed control between any of the treatments at any of the locations. Average cost of weed control treatments ranged from $30/A for Roundup Ultra only to $50/A for Roundup Ready plus the full residuals. Tillage cost ranged from $0/A to $35/A. No-Till (1998) and Conservation tillage (1999) yields were the highest across locations.

When comparing the cost of tillage herbicide treatments, herbicide applications, and time savings across the COE sites in all three tillage systems, the Roundup Ready system (non-residual), no-tillage had the lowest cost. Conservation tillage was $20.68/A more expensive than the no-till system. Conventional tillage was $45.08/A more expensive than the no-till system.

This data also revealed that cotton growers incur the greatest expenses on pesticides and growth regulators, followed by operation costs (tillage, fuel, equipment, labor), followed by land rent, and then by seed cost and fertilizer and lime.

The economic benefits from no-till and conservation tillage linked with Roundup Ready systems with no or limited residuals should be compelling to cotton growers; offering a chance to convert to new systems without reducing yield. Labor was reduced by .5 hours per acre, giving the operation opportunity to utilize that time elsewhere.