Growers in the Northern High Plains of Texas are turning to cotton plantings in hopes of reducing their watering needs and possibly extending the life of the Ogallala aquifer. There’s one tool that should be used on all these new acres that could make this endeavor more profitable.

As concerns about the viability of the Ogallala aquifer continue, researchers believe they have found a window of opportunity in the growth cycle of cotton to reduce watering without hurting yield in the end.

Data from 29-year study finds cover crops offer benefits with no-till cotton systems.

About 20 years ago, Ron, Robert and Earl Rayner of A Tumbling T Ranches in Goodyear, Ariz., began developing a no-till double-cropped cotton and wheat planting as part of an overall crop rotation they follow. This video chronicles their progress and highlights the success they've had in managing risks, sustaining productivity, economizing on water use, improving soil function, reducing soil temperature and developing a successful reduced-disturbance production system.