ARTICLES

Agronomic and Economic Effects of Irrigation and Rotation in Peanut-based Cropping Systems

Author: M.C. Lamb

  • Agronomic and Economic Effects of Irrigation and Rotation in Peanut-based Cropping Systems

    ARTICLES

    Agronomic and Economic Effects of Irrigation and Rotation in Peanut-based Cropping Systems

    Author:

Abstract

This is an accepted article with a DOI pre-assigned that is not yet published.

Although the Southeast U.S. receives anaverage annual precipitation of 1300 mm, crop yields are often limited byerratic seasonal rainfall distributions. Studies were conducted from 2001through 2017 at the USDA/ARS Multi-crop Irrigation Research Farm in Shellman,GA (84°36¢ W, 30°44¢ N) on a Greenville fine sandyloam (fine, kaolinitic, thermic Rhodic Kandiudults). The objective of this long-termstudy is to evaluate the effects of irrigation and crop rotation sequencingconsisting of peanut, corn, and cotton on yield and net economic returns toboth variable and total costs. Analysis included the entire study period andwas also separated for years with below and above average rainfall. Whenaveraged across all years, irrigationincreased peanut, corn, and cotton yield and net returns compared with non-irrigation.Six different rotation sequences were addressed inclusive of continuous peanut,one year out of peanut with corn or cotton, and two years out of peanut withcombinations of corn and cotton. In both irrigated and non-irrigated peanuts,the least and greatest yields were from continuous peanut and the two year outrotations, respectively. No peanut yield difference resulted with corn orcotton rotation partners for the rotation sequence.  Length of rotation between peanut years did influencepeanut yield and net returns. Profitability and optimal rotation sequence withinany cropping system depended on irrigation, yield, crop price, and productioncosts for peanut, corn, and cotton.

Keywords: peanuts, corn, cotton

Accepted on
23 Mar 2022
Peer Reviewed