Tillage and nitrogen fertilization effects on yield and nitrogen use efficiency of irrigated cotton

•Intensive soil tillage is not necessary for cotton cultivation in irrigated arid lands.•Cover crop in cotton mono-cropping systems can increase the efficiency of applied N.•Response to applied N can be higher in permanent beds (PB) than in conventional system (CT).•Cotton production in PB system does not require increased N fertilizer dose than in CT.•PB with cover crop and N application can be a viable alternative to CT cotton in irrigated arid lands.