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In subhumid Southeastern USA, rapid decomposition of initially low cotton residue limits the benefits of no-tillage system in regard to the soil quality. Long-term addition of cover crops may compensate the low cotton residue and further improve the soil physical quality under no-tillage system. We examined the long-term (34 yr) effect of two cover crop species, hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and no cover crop, applied on conventional tillage and no-tillage on soil hydro-physical properties and cotton yield. Research was conducted on a Lexington silt loam in Jackson, TN, during 2015 and 2016. Soil physical properties including bulk density, cone penetration resistance, in-situ soil moisture content, wet aggregate stability, water infiltration and field-saturated hydraulic conductivity, soil water retention characteristics, and dry aggregate size distribution were measured. Bulk density …