Abstract
Winter annual grazing combined with vegetable production can potentially improve the sustainability of farming operations, particularly in the Southeast. However, winter grazing creates excessive soil compaction, which can adversely affect yields of subsequent summer crops. We initiated a study to determine the optimal tillage system following winter grazing for production of sweet corn (Zea mays, L.), Southern field pea (Vigna unguiculata L.), and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) on a Wynnville fine sandy loam, in north-central Alabama of the southeastern U.S. from 2001 to 2003. Each fall, all plots were planted to ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) and stocked with 6.7 cattle ha−1. In the spring, three surface tillage treatments (chisel/disk/level, disk/level, no surface tillage) and three deep tillage treatments (no deep tillage, in-row subsoiling, paratill) were arranged in a factorial randomized complete block design with four replications. Sweet corn ear weights responded to a combination of surface and deep tillage in 2002 and 2003. In 2001, the average response to surface tillage was 105% greater than no-surface tillage, compared with only a 14% increase with deep tillage over no-deep tillage in 2001. Southern field pea grown after winter annual grazing yielded 22% greater 2 of 3 years following surface tillage with disking; inclusion of chisel plowing with the disking showed no benefit. Watermelon yields following winter annual grazing were 39% and 58% greater in 2001 and 2002 with deep tillage alone, specifically in-row subsoiling, without any surface tillage. The tillage system for vegetable growers who choose to complement their operations with winter-annual grazing varies with the vegetable grown. In general, sweet corn responded best to a combination of surface and deep tillage, Southern field pea required only disking, and watermelon responded to in-row deep tillage with no additional surface tillage.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Sweet corn ear weights responded to combined surface and deep tillage in 2002 and 2003.
- Taxon
- Sweet corne0
- Treatment
- a combination of surface and deep tillagee0
- Outcome
- ear weightse0
- Direction
- respondede0
- Qualifier
- in 2002 and 2003e0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Sweet corn ear weights responded to a combination of surface and deep tillage in 2002 and 2003.”
Claim · model-written summary
Sweet corn response to surface tillage in 2001 was 105% greater than without it.
Verbatim
e0“In 2001, the average response to surface tillage was 105% greater than no-surface tillage”
t0“Sweet Corn”
Claim · model-written summary
Sweet corn response to deep tillage in 2001 increased 14% over no deep tillage.
Verbatim
e0“14% increase with deep tillage over no-deep tillage in 2001”
t0“Sweet Corn”
Claim · model-written summary
Surface disking increased Southern field pea yield by 22% in two of three years.
- Taxon
- Southern field peae0
- Treatment
- surface tillage with diskinge0
- Outcome
- yieldede0
- Direction
- greatere0
- Value
- 22%e0
- Qualifier
- 2 of 3 yearse0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Southern field pea grown after winter annual grazing yielded 22% greater 2 of 3 years following surface tillage with disking”
Claim · model-written summary
Adding chisel plowing to disking did not benefit Southern field pea yield.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“inclusion of chisel plowing with the disking showed no benefit”
t0“Field Pea”
Claim · model-written summary
In-row subsoiling alone increased watermelon yield 39% in 2001.
- Taxon
- Watermelon
Citrullus lanatuse0 - Treatment
- in-row subsoilinge0
- Outcome
- yieldse0
- Direction
- greatere0
- Value
- 39%e0
- Qualifier
- in 2001e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Watermelon yields following winter annual grazing were 39% and 58% greater in 2001 and 2002 with deep tillage alone, specifically in-row subsoiling, without any surface tillage”
Claim · model-written summary
In-row subsoiling alone increased watermelon yield 58% in 2002.
- Taxon
- WatermelonCitrullus lanatuse0
- Treatment
- in-row subsoilinge0
- Outcome
- yieldse0
- Direction
- greatere0
- Value
- 58%e0
- Qualifier
- 2002e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Watermelon yields following winter annual grazing were 39% and 58% greater in 2001 and 2002 with deep tillage alone, specifically in-row subsoiling, without any surface tillage”
The same questions in other papers
tillage · yield · Citrullus lanatus (watermelon)Positive and negative results
6 papers in the same direction as this paper · 3 in the opposite direction · 1 reporting no difference from an alternative
- negative
- no effect
- negative
7 papers more in this group
See all 11 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.