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ARS Home » Plains Area » Mandan, North Dakota » Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #151261
Title: WATER USE AND DEPLETION BY DIVERSE CROP SPECIES ON HAPLUSTOLL SOIL IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS

Author
item Merrill, Stephen
item Tanaka, Donald
item Krupinsky, Joseph

Submitted to: Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2004
Publication Date: 8/25/2004
Citation: Merrill, S.D., Tanaka, D.L., Krupinsky, J.M. 2004. Water use and depletion by diverse crop species on haplustoll soil in the northern great plains. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. V. 59(4):176-183.

Interpretive Summary: In the semiarid-to subhumid portions of the Northern Great Plains (NGP), availability of precipitation is the chief limiting factor for soil productivity and crop yield. This study had the objective of comparing the water use of a diverse suite of crops that can be grown in the NGP. Water use by crops consist of the combination of transpiration and evaporation from the soil surface (evapotranspiration), and water use is determined experimentally as soil water depletion plus precipitation, both measured over the spring-to-fall growing season. We compared the water use of 10 crop species over a two year period (3 years for 4 of the most important crops) and found that there were consistent differences in water use. Differences in water use derive principally from differences in the length of crops' active growth season and differences in rooting depth among crops. Sunflower and safflower were found to be relatively heavy water users, while soybean came in 3rd in water use. Dry pea consistently used less water than other crops, and barley and spring wheat were also shown to be low water users. We observed during two different years that there would be up to 4 inches more water in the soil profile the next spring at seeding time after a dry pea crop compared to after a sunflower crop. If there is some degree of drought, this type of soil water difference can translate into approximately $40 to $60 per acre differences in gross spring wheat revenues.

Technical Abstract: Improved soil and water conservation practices have resulted in more intensive and diverse cropping systems in the Northern Great Plains. Developing crop sequences for diverse cropping systems to take advantage of synergism among crops can be a problem. No-till field research was conducted 11 km southwest of Mandan ND on a Wilton-Temvik silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic and Typic Hapulustolls) to determine the influences of previous crops and crop residues on seed and residue production of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), canola (Brassica napus), chickpea (Cicer arietinum), corn (Zea mays L.), dry pea (Pisum sativum L.), grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), lentil (Lens culinaris), proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.), sunflower (Helianthus annus L.), and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in 2003 and 2004. Crop sequence enhanced seed production for corn, dry pea, grain sorghum, proso millet, and sunflower, when compared to the crop seeded on its residue. For these crops, seed production was enhanced by up to three-fold. Seed production of chickpea and wheat were not influenced by crop sequence. Residue production was less responsive to crop sequence and in most cases was not different than the crop seeded on its own residue.