Progress 04/01/01 to 04/01/05
Outputs
4d Progress report. This report serves as the final report to document research conducted under a specific cooperative agreement between ARS and Fort Valley State University as part of a project funded by the Southern Regional Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension (SARE) Program. The project Enhancing Sustainability in Cotton with Reduced Chemical inputs, Cover crops and Strip-Till was initiated in the fall of 2000 (funding awarded April 2001). Seven cooperating producers were identified and field operations established near Tifton and Louisville, Georgia. Cooperators at Fort Valley University were responsible for evaluating soil biological, chemical and physical properties in on-farm plots during the summers of 2001 and 2002. They also participated in an evaluation of alternative cover crop mixtures during 2002 and 2003. Results indicate that cover crop management can reduce pesticide applications under certain conditions; soil biological activity
demonstrates seasonal fluctuations that are not related to cover crop management. Additional publications are expected in FY2006. Publications and additional details can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 6612-61660-001-00D Developing Sustainable Crop and Animal Production Systems Suitable for the Southeast. This project contributes to objective 1: Develop alternative cover crop and tillage systems that decrease production costs, increase productivity, and enhance productivity of cotton production for the Southeast as part of the Integrated Agricultural Systems National Program (207) and to the ARS Strategic Plan performance measure 5.2.6 Develop information services, tools, decision-support, and management systems to enhance the economic and environmental sustainability of agricultural enterprises.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? This report serves to document research conducted under a specific cooperative agreement between ARS and Fort Valley State University. This sub agreement contributes to the project "Enhancing Sustainability in Cotton with Reduced Chemical inputs, Cover crops and Strip-Till" was initiated in the fall of 2000 (6612-61660-001-02R). The Fort Valley cooperators participated in planning and establishing field sites, evaluating soil properties during 2001 & 2002 and established a field study at FtVSU evaluating additional cover crop mixtures during 2002 & 2003. They are progressing on the evaluation of soil organic fractions in soils collected from on-farm plots. They have found that particulate organic matter and microbial biomass carbon in the surface soil of cotton fields is greater when planted in winter to legume cover crops than to cereal, cereal-legume mixture, or no cover crop. The FtVSU cooperators
results on cover crop mixtures indicate that Berseem clover + early crimson clover + early vetch mixture, and early vetch alone produced maximum early biomass, early vetch and rose clover grown alone produced maximum mid-season biomass and rose clover grown alone produced maximum biomass at the full-season harvest. Among rye cultivars, Wrens Abruzzi was the highest biomass producer at all sampling dates. These results should be published and available in FY 2005. Additional details can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 6612-61660-001-00D Developing Sustainable Crop and Animal Production Systems Suitable for the Southeast. This project contributes to the Integrated Agricultural Systems National Program (207) and Objective 1: Develop alternative cover crop and tillage systems that decrease production costs, increase productivity, and enhance productivity of cotton production for the Southeast.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
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