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The Effect of Conservation Practices on Runoff, Available Soil Moisture and Cotton Yield¹

ABSTRACT

The mechanical conservation practices of contouring and terracing have produced significant differences in runoff, available soil moisture, and cotton yield in a 26-year experiment at Spur, Tex. The increased cotton yield may be attributed primarily to reduction or elimination of runoff with attendant deeper penetration of moisture which resulted in reduction of moisture losses by evaporation and weed growth.

Available soil moisture in the second and third feet of soil on May 20 was increased from an average of 1.27 inches on plots with rows in the direction of the slope to 1.60 inches on contoured plots with closed level terraces. The average annual runoff on the former plots was 2.75 inches and was completely eliminated on the latter. The average yields of lint cotton for the two practices were 117 and 188 pounds per acre.

¹ Contribution from the Texas Agr. Exp. Station, Spur, Tex., as Technical Article No. 1765. Presented before Division VI, Soil Science Society of America, Dallas, Tex., Nov. 18, 1953.

² Assistant Agronomist, and Superintendent, Texas Agr. Exp. Sta., Substation No. 7, Spur, Tex.

Received for publication November 23, 1953.