Modeling Basin-Scale Impacts of Cultivation Practices on Cotton Yield and Water Conservation under Various Hydroclimatic Regimes

Lili Tan, Yingqi Zhang, Gary W. Marek, Srinivasulu Ale, David K. Brauer and Yong Chen
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Lili Tan: College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Yingqi Zhang: College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Gary W. Marek: USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory, Bushland, TX 79012, USA
Srinivasulu Ale: Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Vernon, Vernon, TX 76384, USA
David K. Brauer: USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory, Bushland, TX 79012, USA
Yong Chen: College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: The SWAT model equipped with an improved auto-irrigation function was used to assess the impacts of cultivation practices on irrigated and dryland cotton yield and water conservation in the Texas Panhandle. Results showed the largest irrigation depth led to reductions in irrigation and crop evapotranspiration (ET c ) with slightly increased cotton yields compared to the baseline scenarios under different hydroclimatic regimes. However, soil water content and surface runoff values were increased when using the largest irrigation depth. The opposite results were observed for the small irrigation depth. Early planting of cotton resulted in decreased irrigation and ET c , and increased cotton yields under both irrigated and dryland conditions, particularly in normal and wet years. By contrast, the late planting scenarios indicated the opposite for those variables. Simulated hydrologic variables were relatively stable using various maturity cultivars. Nevertheless, greater than 10% reductions in irrigated cotton yield under diverse hydroclimatic years and dryland yields during normal and wet years were identified in the long-season cotton. The opposite was determined for the short-season cotton. These outcomes suggest that a larger irrigation depth, earlier planting date, and short-season cultivar are promising cultivation practices for improving cotton yield and water conservation in the Texas Panhandle.

Keywords: Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT); irrigation application depth; planting date; cultivar maturity; precipitation regimes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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