www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-7-cash-crop-selection-and-rotation research-case-study-3 Research Case Study A Farmer-Researcher Collaborative Effort to Design No-Till Systems Appropriate for Small-Scale Organic Producers in Alabama and the Deep South Project Information Project type: Research and Education Grant Project number: LS09-218 Project dates: 2009–2013 Principal investigator: Joseph Kloepper Auburn University Project reports: https://projects.sare.org/sare_project/ls09-218/ Problem Statement No-till has been implemented successfully on large-scale conventional farms that rely on […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-7-cash-crop-selection-and-rotation common-crops-grown-in-the-southeast Common Crops Grown in the Southeast Cash crops commonly grown in the Southeast work well in two-, three- and four-year rotations, and with cover crops (Table 7.2). They can be grown using conservation tillage but have historically been grown in monoculture systems. The following sections discuss growth habits and Southeast production considerations for soybeans, hay, corn, wheat, cotton, rice, peanuts, sorghum, […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-7-cash-crop-selection-and-rotation crop-selection-decisions Crop Selection Decisions The characteristics of the farm and region determine the cash crops and cover crops that can be successfully grown. Climate, soils, markets, government programs and producer preferences all influence the crops selected. Choosing the right crops and rotations will foster economic and environmental sustainability [4]. Climate Climate is the long-term average rainfall, maximum and minimum […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-7-cash-crop-selection-and-rotation crop-rotations-versus-monoculture Crop Rotations Versus Monoculture Crop rotation systems are superior to the monoculture production systems that dominated the Southeast during the “cotton boom” from the mid-1800s to the 1920s. Monoculture systems grow the same crop in the same field year after year. Often, these systems dominate when one crop has greater profit potential than others that thrive in the same […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-7-cash-crop-selection-and-rotation Chapter 7: Cash Crop Selection and Rotation Mark S. Reiter, Virginia Tech The crops commonly grown in the Southeast United States do well in the humid, temperate climate and low-organic-matter soils predominant in the region. Yields and soil quality are improved when these crops are part of a rotation. Production practices such as timing, tillage, pesticide application, irrigation and cover crops will […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-6-in-row-subsoiling-to-disrupt-soil-compaction summary-7 Chapter 6 Summary Even though it is possible to subsoil a field to remove compaction, exercise care before performing this expensive operation. Use a soil penetrometer to determine when and where subsoiling is needed. Subsoiled soil easily re-compacts with vehicle traffic. Research indicates that two passes of a tractor in the subsoiled area will cause the soil to […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-6-in-row-subsoiling-to-disrupt-soil-compaction reducing-in-row-subsoiling-expenses Reducing In-Row Subsoiling Expenses Planning budgets for 2011 estimated the total cost of using a four-row subsoiler to be $31.73 per hectare ($12.85 per acre) [16]. A third of this cost, $10.82 per hectare ($4.38 per acre), was for fuel. Wherever in-row subsoiling is needed, reducing the cost emerges as the most likely method of reducing the overall cost […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-6-in-row-subsoiling-to-disrupt-soil-compaction in-row-subsoiling In-Row Subsoiling In conservation systems, subsoiling is often conducted only in the row, instead of over the entire field. It is then referred to as in-row subsoiling (Figure 6.2). If adequate crop residue is left on the surface and if appropriate measures are taken to minimize residue disturbance, in-row subsoiling can be a valuable way to combat […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-6-in-row-subsoiling-to-disrupt-soil-compaction subsoiling Subsoiling Subsoiling is defined as non-inversion tillage below a depth of 14 inches [1]. Figure 6.1 shows an example of an agricultural implement that has been used for uniform disturbance of a soil profile to depths of 14–20 inches. Soils compacted from traffic, animals or natural processes benefit from subsoiling because the compacted zone is disrupted. […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-6-in-row-subsoiling-to-disrupt-soil-compaction Chapter 6: In-Row Subsoiling to Disrupt Soil Compaction Randy L. Raper, Oklahoma State University Warren J. Busscher, USDA-ARS Alan D. Meier, North Carolina State University Kipling S. Balkcom, USDA-ARS Until the 1880s, agricultural vehicles were relatively light, horse-drawn and not particularly damaging to soils. Mass production of tractors began in 1902 [15] and these heavy vehicles caused excessive compaction, especially if operated across […]