Comparison of Soil Characteristics and Crop Yield in Sod-Based Versus Reduced Tillage Cropping Systems.

 

Reduced tillage production systems have become more prevalent in the southern United States over the past several decades.  In recent years interest in sod-based systems has increased.  Research was conducted at four locations in the coastal plain of North Carolina to determine corn, cotton, peanut, and soybean response to systems with fescue grown for the previous four years compared with reduced tillage systems including corn or cotton for the same period of time.  Fescue was established in the fall of 2004 with corn, cotton, peanut, and soybean planted in 2009.  A range of soil physical and biological factors were evaluated in addition to crop yield and quality.