Abstract
Cover crops can reportedly improve soil fertility, suppress weed growth and pest pressure, and contribute to cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) yield improvements. To systematically evaluate cover crop effects on cotton yield and weed suppression, we conducted a random‐effects meta‐analysis investigating 10 moderating variables in 104 articles, yielding 1117 independent studies over 48 yr. Globally, cover crops increased cottonseed and lint yield by 6 and 5%, respectively, while decreasing weed biomass by 20%. Overall, leguminous cover crops increased seed cotton yield by 17 to 43% ( Vicia spp. and Pisum spp., respectively). Monocots, nonlegume dicots, and legumes were effective at suppressing weed growth (21, 52, and 10%, respectively). Incorporation of cover crops by tillage (rather than chemical burn down) resulted in lint (14%) and seed (42%) yield increases. Cover crops increased cotton yields markedly on loamy soils, whereas there were lesser increases for other textures ( p > 0.05). Greater efficacy of cover crops at controlling weeds was proportionate to soil silt content, which was inversely related to sand content. In addition, cover crops were effective at controlling multiple types of weed species; however, weed species with shorter maximum heights were most suppressed by cover crops. Overall, cover crops had a positive effect on cotton yield and weed suppression. Their effectiveness, however, can vary depending on soil texture, management strategy, and cover crop or weed genera. These results are useful in developing recommendations for suppressing weed growth and improving yield via cover crop integration in cotton cropping systems per geographic region and soil texture.
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Claims 4
Claim · model-written summary
Cover crops increased cottonseed yield by 6% globally.
- Taxon
- Cotton
Gossypium hirsutumt0 - Treatment
- cover cropse1
- Outcome
- cottonseede1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 6e1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“Globally, cover crops increased cottonseed and lint yield by 6 and 5%, respectively, while decreasing weed biomass by 20%”
t0“Cotton Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover crops increased cotton lint yield by 5% globally.
- Taxon
- CottonGossypium hirsutumt0
- Treatment
- cover cropse1
- Outcome
- lint yielde1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 5%e1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“Globally, cover crops increased cottonseed and lint yield by 6 and 5%, respectively, while decreasing weed biomass by 20%”
t0“Cotton Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover crops decreased weed biomass by 20% globally.
- Taxon
- CottonGossypium hirsutumt0
- Treatment
- cover cropse1
- Interactor
- weede1weed
- Outcome
- weed biomasse1
- Direction
- decreasinge1
- Value
- 20%e1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“Globally, cover crops increased cottonseed and lint yield by 6 and 5%, respectively, while decreasing weed biomass by 20%”
t0“Cotton Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Leguminous cover crops increased seed cotton yield by 17 to 43%.
- Taxon
- CottonGossypium hirsutumt0
- Treatment
- leguminous cover cropse1
- Outcome
- seed cotton yielde1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 17 to 43%e1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“Overall, leguminous cover crops increased seed cotton yield by 17 to 43%”
t0“Cotton Yield”
The same questions in other papers
cover crop · quality: grain · Gossypium hirsutum (cotton)Results differ
5 papers in the same direction as this paper · 6 in the opposite direction · 1 reporting no difference from an alternative
- no effect
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See all 13 papers →cover crop · yield · Gossypium hirsutum (cotton)Results differ
17 papers in the same direction as this paper · 21 in the opposite direction · 5 reporting no difference from an alternative
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See all 44 papers →cover crop · weed · Gossypium hirsutum (cotton)Positive and negative results
7 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 in the opposite direction
- positive
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See all 9 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.