Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in Dawson, GA, say irrigation pays off for peanut, corn and cotton farmers.

Marshall Lamb and his colleagues at the ARS National Peanut Research Laboratory are conducting long-term, multi-crop research at a farm location to define the best irrigation management practices for growers of peanuts, corn and cotton. Results from the study's fourth year indicate that irrigation, when done properly, pays off.

In the study, planned to run for 15 years, crops of corn, cotton and peanuts are grown in six crop rotation sequences. Some crops are not irrigated, while others are irrigated in amounts of 100%, 66% and 33% of their estimated water needs.