# Data from: Evaluating the effects of cotton intercropping on cool-season perennial forage persistence, forage mass, and nutritive value in the southeastern United States This dataset was used to generate 3 figures and 5 tables in the publication, "Evaluating the effects of cotton intercropping on cool-season perennial forage persistence, forage mass, and nutritive value in the southeastern United States". All data was collected in Florence, South Carolina at the Clemson University Pee Dee Research and Education Center during 2021 and 2022. \#Description of dataset and file structure Data is presented in an Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet, with separate tabs for datasets related to each of the 3 figures/subfigures and 5 tables in the published manuscript. For all data the following treatment abbreviations are used: Fallow = weedy, unplanted treatment ARG = annual ryegrass RC+WC = 50/50 mixture of red and white clover ARG+RC+WC = 50% annual ryegrass, 25% red clover, and 25% white clover **Data for Figure 1** These data were used to generate Figure 1, featuring mean weather data for the study years, 2021 & 2022, along with 30-year mean weather data for the nearest NOAA weather station (Florence, SC Regional Airport). Units are provided in the column headers. **Data for Figure 2a & 2b** These data were used to generate Figures 2a and 2b, featuring the amount of spring forage mass accumulation preceding and in between cotton intercropping. Forage mass in the RC+WC and ARG+RC+WC treatments consited of a mix of weeds and clovers, while ARG and fallow treatments are entirely comprised of weedy biomass **Data for Figure 3a & 3b** These data were used to generate Figures 3a and 3b, featuring the red and white clover populations in each treatment for each year of the study. **Data for Figure 3c** These data were used to generate figure 3c, featuring the weedy species population changes from spring to fall before, between, and after two seasons of cotton intercropping in 2021 and 2022.Final data in the published figure was Weeds per square meter. **Data for Tables 1 and 2** These data were used to generate Tables 1 & 2, featuring height data for individual clover, annual ryegrass, and weedy species observed among different treatments. **Data for Table 3** These data were used to generate part of table 3, featuring the forage nutritive value data (crude protien, CP; acid detergent fiber, ADF; neutral detergent fiber, NDF; non-fibrous carbohydrates, NFC; total digestible nutrients, TDN; net energy of lactation, NEL; net energy of maintenance, NEM; net energy of gain, NEG) **Data for Tables 3, 4, and 5** These data were used to generate part of Table 3, and Tables 4 and 5, featuring nutrient compositions of the forage plant tissues collected during the trial. All data are in g/kg dry matter. ## Sharing Access Information These data were originated from the published manuscript: [https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21625](https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21625).

This is digital research data corresponding to a published manuscript, Evaluating the effects of cotton intercropping on cool-season perennial forage persistence, forage mass, and nutritive value in the southeastern United States, in Agronomy Journal. Integrated forage–row cropping systems provide important agronomic and economic benefits to producers. However, little attention has been given to incorporating forages into row crop systems unique to the southeastern United States. This study assessed the viability of intercropping cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) on perennial, cool-season legumes during the summer months in the Southeast Coastal Plain over two production years. Treatments included a weedy fallow, annual ryegrass (ARG; Lolium multiflorum Lam.) monoculture, a red clover (RC; Trifolium pratense L.) and white clover (WC; Trifolium repens L.) mixture, and a three-species mixture of ARG, RC, and WC. Plots were established in fall 2020 with forage grown until May 2021 and 2022, when plots were strip-tilled and planted with cotton. Cotton was managed with minimal herbicide use to preserve perennial clovers.

Data was collected over two years (October 2020 - October 2022) at the Clemson Pee Dee Research and Education Center near Florence, SC. Data was collected by field measurements of plant height, biomass accumulation, and species persistence and diversity, with laboratory assays conducted to collect plant nutritional composition. Forage nutrtitive value parameters and fiber content were conducted by a third-party laboratory (Dairy One LLC, Ithaca, NY).