Less Is More with Cereal Rye and No-Till Cotton

By Jessica Ryan

Researchers found that reducing cereal rye and cotton seeding rates could save cotton producers time and money while still maintaining the same production levels for no-till cotton. 

Like the name suggests, cover crops are used in farming to cover soil after a cash crop’s harvest season is over. For cash crops like cotton, the benefits of cover crops include decreased weeds, reduced soil erosion, and improved soil moisture during weather conditions like droughts or intense rainfalls. 

Cereal rye is the cover crop of choice for cotton producers in the southern United States, because the crop is easy to establish and is adaptable to different soils and climates.

Although cereal rye benefits can improve soil health and profitability, cotton producers must spend time and money on seed and equipment to plant and maintain it. 

“Cotton producers are under pressure to reduce environmental impacts and maintain profit margins by adopting cover crops and no-till growing systems,” said Research Agricultural Engineers Ted Kornecki and Corey Kichler at the ARS National Soil Dynamics Laboratory in Auburn, AL.