Cropping system diversity and tillage intensity affects wheat productivity in Texas

Abstract

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production in Texas depends heavily on conventional tillage (CT) and a long summer fallow period, which contributes to soil degradation. This study compared the impact of reducing tillage intensity (CT, no-tillage, and strip-tillage) combined with summer cropping to CT–summer fallow on wheat establishment, grain production, and herbage mass from 2016 to 2020 in three Texas ecoregions (Coastal Plains, Southern High Plains, and Blackland Prairie). Tillage and summer cropping resulted in variable impacts on wheat stand establishment, grain yield, and herbage mass across years and locations. At Beeville, in the Coastal Plains, wheat grain and herbage mass yields were not impacted by tillage. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) cropping resulted in less wheat grain yield in 2020. In 1 yr at Lubbock in the Southern High Plains, wheat grain yield was greater with CT than reduced tillage. Sorghum summer cropping resulted in lower wheat grain yield than cover crop mixture or cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) in 2017, but yield was greater in 2020. At Thrall, in the Blackland Prairie, wheat stand establishment and yield with reduced tillage were greater than CT in 2016, whereas CT was greater in 2017 and 2020. Sorghum or cover cropping resulted in reduced wheat grain yield compared with fallow in 2018, but sorghum and sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) resulted in increased yield compared with fallow in 2019 and 2020. Summer cropping in wheat production systems rarely had a negative impact on wheat production compared with summer fallow in all three ecoregions.