ABSTRACT

Center of Excellence farms have been established in numerous locations across the United States to promote conservation tillage. In 1998 one of these sites was established on the Turner Brothers Farm near Mer Rouge, LA. Three tillage systems were initiated in cotton to evaluate the economic potential of conservation tillage. The three tillage systems were, conventional till, low till and no till. Another Center of Excellence site was established on Cato Farms near Yazoo City, MS. Similar tillage systems were initiated in cotton at this site. Production costs (excluding land rent) per acre were fairly similar between the sites. These ranged from a high of $457.18 at Mer Rouge and $440.10 at Yazoo City for the conventional till system to a low of $413.80 at Yazoo city and $430.98 at Mer Rouge for the no till system. The differences in production costs between the conventional till and no till systems were almost identical. There was a difference of $26.20 at Mer Rouge and $26.30 at Yazoo City. Yields at Mer Rouge averaged 37 pounds of lint more for the no till than for the conventional till. Profits for the no till at Mer Rouge averaged $135 per acre, and $83 for conventional till. The difference in production costs and yields resulted in a profit advantage for the no till system of $52 per acre. Results at Yazoo City were mixed. In 2001, results were very similar to Mer Rouge. However, in 2002, conventional till plots had a stand advantage of about 1 plant per foot, which was due to planting into dry soil in the no till and low till plots versus using a do-all in the conventional till systems. With the substantial difference in yield for 2002, profits averaged only $10 per acre more for conventional till. Break-even costs at Mer Rouge ranged from a low of $0.38 per pound with the no till systems in 2002 to a high of $0.83 per pound for the conventional till in 1998. At Yazoo City, break-even costs ranged from a low of $0.43 per pound in 2001 with the no till plots to a high of $0.46 per pound for the no till plots in 2002.