Conservation tillage methods for cabbage production

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) production in Virginia is concentrated in the mountainous southwest region of the state where soil erosion and soil-moisture deficits are major problems associated with row-crop agriculture. The objectives of this study were to assess the applicability of conservation tillage systems for cabbage production. Four tillage systems (conventional tillage, CT; no-tillage, NT; and two types of strip tillage—Ro-till, RT, and chisel plow, CP) and three planting dates (early, mid and late) were compared in 1985 and 1986. Plants were set with a locally adapted no-till transplanter into a cover crop of cereal rye (Secale cereale L.). Under unusually rainy conditions in 1985, cabbage yields with NT were lower than with CT; while with dry weather prevailing in 1986, NT and CT yields were equal for all planting dates. Yields in strip tillage systems were equal or higher than NT and CT with ample or deficit soil moisture. RT out-yielded both CT and NT in 1986. Yield was positively correlated with soil moisture content in 1986, but not in 1985. Once-over resetting was done in all plots resulting in no differences in plant numbers among tillage treatments. Head size was affected by tillage systems and was highly correlated with yield. These data indicate that (i) conservation tillage systems are viable alternatives to CT for production of cabbage, and (ii) available water resources and soil drainage should be important considerations in selection of the most productive tillage system.