Transition to conservation tillage evaluated in San Joaquin Valley cotton and tomato rotations

Baker, J; DeMoura, R; Hembree, K; Horwath, W; Klonsky, K; Mitchell, J; Munk, D; Southard, R; Wallender, W; Wroble, J; Madden, N

Transition to conservation tillage evaluated in San Joaquin Valley cotton and tomato rotations

Authors

Juliet B. Baker
Richard L. DeMoura
Kurt J. Hembree
William R. Horwath
Karen M. Klonsky
Jeffrey P. Mitchell
Daniel S. Munk
Randal J. Southard
Wesley W. Wallender
Jonathan F. Wroble
Nicholaus M. Madden

Authors Affiliations

J.B. Baker is Graduate Student, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, UC Davis; R.L. DeMoura is Production Cost Analyst, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC Davis; K.J. Hembree is Farm Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, Fresno County; W.R. Horwath is Professor, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, UC Davis; K.M. Klonsky is Cooperative Extension Specialist, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC Davis; J.P. Mitchell is Cooperative Extension Specialist, Department of Plant Sciences, UC Davis; D.S. Munk is Farm Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, Fresno County; R.J. Southard is Professor, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, UC Davis; W.W. Wallender is Professor, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, UC Davis; J.F. Wroble is Cooperative Extension Field Technician, UC Cooperative Extension, Fresno County; N.M. Madden is Graduate Student, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, UC Davis.

Publication Information

Hilgardia 62(2):74-79. DOI:10.3733/ca.v062n02p74. April 2008.

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Abstract

We compared standard tillage (ST) and conservation tillage (CT) for tomato and cotton production systems, with winter cover crops (CC) and without (NO), in Five Points, Calif., from 1999 to 2003. Conservation tillage reduced tractor trips across the field by 50% for tomatoes and 40% for cotton compared to standard tillage. When averaged over the 2001 to 2003 period (when the conservation tillage systems were established), tomato yields in CTNO were 6 to 8 tons per acre higher than the other treatments. In cotton, the STNO cotton yields during this period were the highest of all treatments and were 276 pounds per acre higher than the CTNO system. In-field dust concentrations were also significantly reduced by conservation tillage. Our results suggest that conservation tillage may be a viable alternative for managing tomato and cotton crops in the San Joaquin Valley, but that fine-tuning of the systems is needed.

References

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