Rainfall is the most limiting factor in dryland cotton production in the Texas Rolling Plains. Cropping systems that enhance rainfall capture during the season and limit runoff offer the most promise for increased dryland cotton yield. This project was initiated in 2001 to study cropping systems that offer a means to capture limited rainfall other than furrow-diking and at the same time offer seedling cotton protection from blowing sand. The research was conducted at the Chillicothe Research Station. The objectives include (1) a comparison of rainfall capture and soil moisture profiles in five cropping systems that include furrow- diked, conventional tillage, minimum-till, flat-planted and an in-furrow-seeded small grain that is terminated prior to cotton planting, (2) determining the effects of different cropping systems on plant response and yield parameters in each of the above systems, and (3) develop educational programs to disseminate information obtained from this research. The test contained three replications of each cropping system.

Two rows of rye (7.5-inch spacing) were planted on 15 November 2000 between the future cotton rows. Rye was terminated at 50% heading on 9 April 2001 with Roundup Ultra. Paymaster 2280 RR/BG was planted on 9 May 2001 at 4 seeds per foot of row on 40-inch rows. On 11 May 200, soil moisture probes were placed at 1-foot and 3-foot intervals within plots to determine soil moisture extraction profiles over the season. Probes were read weekly and soil moisture at each depth was plotted against time. A runoff collection system was installed mid-May to collect rainfall runoff from three systems: conventional, strip-till with inter-seeded rye, and reduced-till with furrow dikes.

The 2001 growing season was extremely dry with only four rainfall events (totaling 3.48 inches) resulting in minor runoff. Soil moisture probe data indicated that all moisture was extracted from the top foot of soil by 9 July in all cropping systems. By 1 August all soil moisture was extracted at the 3-foot depth in all systems. Furrow-diked plots and the strip-tilled plots with inter-seeded rye were numerically the last to dry out at each recording depth. However, statistically there were few differences among cropping systems.

Surface water runoff was recorded in May and again in September. Data indicated significant differences in runoff from the first rainfall event on 21 May, with conventional tillage resulting in nearly twice as much runoff as the strip-tilled with rye and the diked systems. Over the growing season strip-till with terminated rye reduced runoff by about 40% and the diked system about 60% compared with conventional tillage.

Due to the extreme drought of 2001, lint yields were not significantly different among the five systems. However, the runoff results are encouraging in that the strip-tilled system approached that of furrow-diking with respect to rainfall capture.