Evaulation of Cryland Cotton Cropping System Effects on Yields and Returns in the Texas High Plains

Cotton production in the Texas High Plains region constitutes a large part of total cotton production in the United States. Much of the cotton in the region is grown under dryland farming practices. Although much of the cotton in the region is farmed using a conventional tillage cropping system, several alternative cropping systems are becoming increasingly accepted. The net returns to six feasible dryland cropping systems are ranked using stochastic dominance with respect to a function (SDRF). Four conservation cropping systems are confirmed to be superior to the widely accepted conventional cotton cropping system. The adoption of alternative conservation systems can result in increased net revenues to producers. Therefore, conservation cropping systems seem to be practical alternatives for dryland cotton producers in the Texas High Plains.