Yield Reduction Due to Soil Compaction in Southeast Arkansas

J.S. McConnell and M.H. Wilkerson


 
ABSTRACT

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) lint yield reductions due to soil compaction were studied for two years 1984 and 1985) under production conditions on two soils. These soils, Hebert silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, thermic Aerie Achraqualfs) and Rilla silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, thermic Typic Hapludalfs), are common to cotton production in the Arkansas Delta region, and have a propensity for becoming compacted. Due to traffic patterns, the soils in the study field were stripped in compacted and uncompacted sets of rows. This afforded a unique opportunity to examine and compare plant growth, yield, and fruiting of side by side compacted and uncompacted rows with equal fertility and pest pressure.

Plant heights were significantly reduced by compaction in both soils in both years. Fruit loads were estimated in 1985, and also reduced similarly to the plant heights. Changes in plant growth characteristics lowered yields in both soils by 7.2% in 1984, and by 13.1% in 1935. Bulk density studies of the uncompacted and compacted soils revealed the depth and severity of the plow pans. The bulk density of the plow pan in the Hebert soil maximized at 1.67g/cm3 at depths of 10 to 20 cm. This compared to 1.64g/cm3 at 15 to 24 cm. for the Rilla soil. The distance to the plow pan influenced yields with the deeper soils yielding more than the shallow soils.



Reprinted from 1986 Proceedings: Beltwide Cotton Production Research Conferences pp. 454 - 455
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Sunday, Dec 6 1998