Cotton and Sorghum Intercropping

Intercropping of cotton with other crops is an important part of agriculture in the Texas High plaines. Although cotton is well suited for the climate in West Texas, intercropping and crop rotation can improve productivity, decrease weed and disease pressure, and bring about other benefits. A three year study was conducted to test intercropped cotton and sorghum for yield, quality, and economic viability. Intercropped regimes consisting of two planting dates and five irrigations were used to test different intercropping strategies. The intercropping strategies included three irrigation rates, as well as early irrigation and late irrigation only to simulate the movement of water from one crop to another during a growing season. Both cotton and sorghum had relatively higher yields when irrigation was applied later in the season. As a result, irrigation management that resulted in the highest economic returns included combining differing planting dates, focusing water on cotton with drylands sorghum, and other management strategies that maximized productivity for one crop.