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Abstract
This thesis investigates the rate of soil moisture retention, soil quality, and field specific water balance under conservation tillage (ST) versus conventional tillage (CT) systems in cotton production in Georgia. Experiments were conducted at three locations in the counties of Oconee, Bulloch and Pulaski with two fields per county, one each of conservation tillage and one of conventional tillage. Soil moisture data were analyzed to determine the rate of soil moisture loss during drying periods between rainfall events. Field-specific water balance calculations were conducted based on the rainfall, drainage, crop evapotranspiration, and runoff. The water loss rates vary by location, with combined averages of CT losing water 16% faster than ST. Overall, ST sites retained 21.5% more soil moisture and had less runoff than CT sites. Soil organic matter was 96% greater in ST than CT for Bulloch County and not statically different in the other two counties. Results from the water balance calculations were not statistically different between tillage type.