Cotton Irrigation Study, 1994, Georgia Coastal Plain
Study:

Research Objectives:

    1. Develop irrigation/N management systems for consistent high yield and quality cotton for loamy sand soils.
    2. Establish soil water requirements needed for consistent growth and boll development.
    3. Validate cotton irrigation by N models for the Georgia Coastal Plain
Treatments:
 1.Soil water content scheduling - when the average soil water content in the 10 to 45 cm depth exceeds 35 kPa schedule an irrigation for the next day (1 day late)
 2.Irrigation scheduled by Neogen Envirocaster sensors.
 3.No irrigation
 4.Tensiometer - vary 10-45 cm at 35 kPa except during June.
 5.Tensiometer - vary 10-45 cm at 35 kPa except during July.
 6.Tensiometer - vary 10-45 cm at 35 kPa except during August.
 7.Tensiometer - vary 10-45 cm at 35 kPa except during September.
 8.Tensiometer - vary 10-45 cm at 35 kPa excrept during October.
 9.Tensiometer - vary 10-45 cm at 35 kPa except during August and September.
 10.Tensiometer - vary 10-45 cm at 35 kPa except during September and October.

Basic Crop Management: PLANTED - 13 May 1994 (placed 2 cm deep, seed rate 13 seeds/m); HARVEST - ; TILLAGE - Moldboard Plow (30 cm deep plus smoothing and bed shaping), wheel traffic controlled at 1.2 m centers; FERTILIZATION - Typical Extension Recommended Rate; WEED & PEST CONTROL: Typical Extension Recommendations.
Chronological Treatment and Observation Details

Observations and data sets for individual treatments (crop years) follow:
Treatment 1:
 Soil water content scheduling - when the average soil water content in the 10 to 45 cm depth exceeds 35 kPa schedule an irrigation for the next day (1 day late)
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 May 1994; Pollination (R2) - ; Maturity -
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
Treatment 2:
 Irrigation scheduled by Neogen Envirocaster sensors.
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 May 1994; Pollination (R2) - ; Maturity -
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
Treatment 3:
 No irrigation
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 May 1994; Pollination (R2) - ; Maturity -
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
Treatment 4:
 Tensiometer - vary 10-45 cm at 35 kPa except during June.
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 May 1994; Pollination (R2) - ; Maturity -
  • Stand Count:
Treatment 5:
 Tensiometer - vary 10-45 cm at 35 kPa except during July.
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 May 1994; Pollination (R2) - ; Maturity -
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
Treatment 6:
 Tensiometer - vary 10-45 cm at 35 kPa except during August.
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 May 1994; Pollination (R2) - ; Maturity -
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
Treatment 7:
 Tensiometer - vary 10-45 cm at 35 kPa except during September.
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 May 1994; Pollination (R2) - ; Maturity -
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
Treatment 8:
 Tensiometer - vary 10-45 cm at 35 kPa except during October.
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 May 1994; Pollination (R2) - ; Maturity -
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
Treatment 9:
 Tensiometer - vary 10-45 cm at 35 kPa except during August and September.
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 May 1994; Pollination (R2) - ; Maturity -
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
Treatment 10:
 Tensiometer - vary 10-45 cm at 35 kPa except during September and October.
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 May 1994; Pollination (R2) - ; Maturity -
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
For more information on the study and its interpretation contact:
Dr. Jim Hook Professor, Soil and Water Management
Crop and Soil Sciences Department and NESPAL
The University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
P.O. Box 748, Tifton, GA 31793-0748
e-mail: jimhook@tifton.cpes.peachnet.edu

Page developed by James E. Hook, Amanda Richards, and Linsey Forlow.
Last Modified on 29 June 2000.