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Double-Cropped Cotton Following Wheat

No Till Cotton Planted into Wheat Cover

At emergence the cotton seedling is generally weak. Early growth is very slow and it usually takes several weeks before significant above ground growth occurs. This is why historically cotton was planted using high seeding rates and the soil was finely pulverized to produce a smooth seedbed. On some soil types, soil tillage is critical because of naturally forming "hardpans" that can restrict cotton root growth. These hard soil layers may form near the surface or deeper into the soil. Wet, cool nature soils are often tilled to form beds (bedding, hipping) to allow the soils to dry and warm faster prior to cotton planting.

Effect of a hardpan on cotton root growth

Tillage has been used as a method to bury crop residue to assist in disease and weed control. Tillage has also played an important role in the control of insects such as the pink bollworm in the Western areas of the United States. With advances in planter technology, chemical weed control, and development of chemical resistant cotton varieties (ex. Roundup Ready and Liberty-Link), cotton tillage and seedbed practices have changed dramatically since the late 1990’s.

Strip Tillage

Cotton planters are now able to more precisely control seed spacing and depth. Advances in row cleaners and pressure springs on planters have allowed cotton growers to plant into crop residue with reduced problems. Early season weed control with herbicides that can be applied over-the-top of cotton has virtually eliminated the use of soil cultivation for weed control in many areas. Reductions in available farm labor and increased fuel costs also have been major factors in decreasing tillage in cotton.

More and more cotton farmers are practicing some form of minimum or conservation tillage. With minimum tillage, the farmer is attempting to limit tillage passes across the field. The amount of tillage required is still largely determined by soil type. However, some farmers are only using tillage in a narrow strip where the seed is planted (strip-tillage), leaving a majority of the soil undisturbed. Other farmers are only applying tillage several weeks before planting in efforts to warm the soil. Cotton planters are then used to break the soil crust(stale seedbed) and plant into moist soil. With conservation tillage, cotton is planted into residue to promote water conservation and reduce soil loss. The amount of residue on the soil can be from a preceding crop or a cover crop planted after cotton is harvested. Generally 30 to 50 percent ground cover must be maintained at planting to be considered conservation tillage.

Stale Seedbed Seedlings

Tillage practices and seedbed preparations still vary greatly as one moves across the cotton belt. As I mentioned before, that is due primarily because of soil types or special situations such as pink bollworm control. Click on the links in the sidebar on this page to find valuable information about tillage and seedbed preparation in various areas of the cotton belt.