Manure Application in Strip Tillage to Improve Resource Use Efficiency Under Dryland Cropping Systems.

Minimizing the input cost and maximizing the resource efficiency are crucial for the success of any dryland cropping systems in semi-arid environments of southern Great Plains. Manure has long been proven to be an excellent source of organic matter and plant nutrients. However, the excessive application of manure to agricultural lands may often lead to potential excessive nitrate and salt accumulation, undesirable microbial load and pathogens, greenhouse gas emissions, and eutrophication problems. Moreover, the costs associated with the manure material, application, and handling can substantially affect the input cost of dryland cropping systems. In view of importance of optimal use of manure, a study was initiated in 2015 at Tucumcari, NM to evaluate the manure rate (5 and 10 ton/ac) and incorporation (surface and incorporated at 6 inch) effects on water dynamics, nutrient availability, and yield characteristics of grain sorghum in strip tillage systems under dryland conditions.The results from first year study suggested that manure used in the study was a significant source macro and micro nutrients, especially N,P, Fe. Total plant water use and average change in the volumetric water content from beginning to end of the study were not influenced by either manure rate or incorporation method. However, grain water use efficiency was affected by manure rate and incorporation method as a result of grain yield difference between various treatments. For a possible reason of several low precipitation events occured in the growing season of 2015, surface application of 5T and 10T manure rate increased the grain water use efficiency compared to incorporated manure and the control. Manure rate did not have any effect on water use efficiency. Additionally, manure application in the strip till band will cut the costs of manure and application to more than half and save significant money to producers. However, the results found in first year experiment should be verified in the on-going second year and subsequesnt experiments.