ABSTRACT
Soil erosion has historically been a major problem confronting farmers in the Southeast. The area has abundant energy from sunshine to promote vegetative growth. Highly weathered and well-developed Ultisols are the most extensive soils in the Southeast. Soils in this order are acid, relatively infertile, and have low base saturation. These soils usually have low organic matter content and are easily dispersed. The major row crops of the Southeast include corn, wheat, and soybean. Cotton is a major crop in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina and west Tennessee. In the Coastal Plain, peanut is an important crop, and vegetable and citrus production are important cash crops in Florida. Tillage systems in the Southeast range from the clean tillage provided by a moldboard plow to no-tillage where the soil and residue are left undisturbed except for a narrow band where the seeds are placed and covered.
