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No Tillage and Ridge Tillage Effects on Yields and Economics

J. R. Smart and J. M. Bradford


 
ABSTRACT

Conservation tillage practices including no-tillage and ridge-tillage are gaining popularity among producers in south Texas primarily due to reductions in input costs, moisture conservation, and economic benefits of reducing trips over the field with tillage equipment. Objectives of this study were to compare yields and economics of a conventional moldboard plow and disk system with no-tillage and ridge-tillage cotton production systems. Cotton lint yields were not different in 1997 between tillage systems. In 1998 lint yields of no-tillage were 29% less than conventional tillage. In 1999 lint yields were less in ridge tillage compared with moldboard tillage or no-tillage. Net returns for the moldboard plow and disc system were negative in all years and ranged from $-56/acre to $-116/acre. Net returns for the ridge tillage were greater than the moldboard tillage returns this treatment also had a net loss for each of the three years ($-8 to $-86/acre). Net returns were positive for the no-tillage in 1997 and 1999 ($8 and $4/acre). Even with a lower yield for the no-tillage in 1998 net returns were larger with no-tillage compared with conventional moldboard plow and disc system. Returns were the least with the moldboard plow and disc system and always at a net loss (negative returns). Net returns with the no-tillage system were $64, $28, and $91 more than with the conventional moldboard plow and disk system in 1997, 1998 and 1999, respectively.



Reprinted from Proceedings of the 2000 Beltwide Cotton Conferences pp. 1412 - 1414
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Saturday, Jun 17 2000