Abstract: Cotton, corn and peanut production in Georgia covers 2.3 million acres and is a $867 million business annually. On 30% of those acres, conservation tillage is the preferred method of operation. Conservation tillage is a systems approach that provides benefits such as reduced fuel usage, improved soil quality, and reduced erosion. But perhaps one of the most important aspects, water savings, is often overlooked. Considering that 49%, 55% and 75% of cotton, corn and peanuts receive irrigation, conservation tillage can save a significant amount of water and energy statewide. Conservation tillage systems, through the use of cover crops and reduced tillage, increases water infiltration by as much as 30 to 45% compared to conventional tillage systems for loamy sand and sandy loam soils. This means less water is running off fields and into waterways, which may carry agrochemicals.
Publication Year: 2010
Publication Date: 2010-11-12
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 1
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