2017
Agronomic and Irrigation Efficiency Impacts of Conservation Tillage and Cover Crops in Soybean Production: Three-Year Results
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Contributor/Checkoff:
Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
GeneticsGenomicsSeed quality
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Jason Krutz, Mississippi State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board
$1
Institution Funded:
Mississippi State University
$1
Brief Project Summary:

The focus of this research is to determine the impacts of implementing cost efficient soil health production systems throughout the Mid-South. The project determines the effect of conservation tillage, including conventional tillage, reduced tillage, zone tillage, and cover crop options like cereal rye, tillage radish or no cover crop, with conservation tillage on soybean grain yield, net return above specified costs, irrigation application efficiency and agrochemical transport.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, extension agents

Information And Results
Project Deliverables

1. Soybean grain yield was not influenced by conservation tillage or a cereal rye cover crop during the year one transition period. When averaged across years two and three, conservation practices did alter soybean grain yield. Conventional tillage/no cover was no different than MT/SS or MT/RC, but was greater than ZT/TR, MT/NC, ZT/NC, and MT/TR. Minimum tillage/sub-soiling was greater than only MT/TR and no other treatments were different from one another. These results agree with similar studies which reported no differences in soybean grain yield following a cereal rye cover crop and reductions in a no-tillage system.

2. Net returns above specified costs were not influenced by conservation tillage or a cereal rye cover crop during the year one transition period. However, net returns were affected by treatments when averaged across years two and three. Net returns above specified costs for MT/SS, CT/NC, and ZT/NC were greater than those for MT/RC and MT/TR, but were no different from those for ZT/TR, and MT/NC. Similarly, ZT/TR and MT/NC were not different from one another, but were greater than those for MT/TR, while MT/RC and MT/TR net returns were not different.

3. Evaluated production systems that promote soil health improved irrigation application efficiency, extended furrow advance times, and reduced runoff volume. Increasing furrow advance times allows irrigation water to remain in the furrow longer, potentially increasing infiltration and decreasing runoff volumes. Zone tillage/no cover reduced runoff volumes by at least 60% relative to MT and CT; however, cumulative runoff for MT/RC was only different from MT. Irrigation application efficiency for MT/RC and ZT/NC was at least 13% greater than for CT and MT.

Final Project Results

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.