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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #155236
Title: COMPARISON OF SDI, LEPA, AND SPRAY EFFICIENCY FOR GRAIN SORGHUM

Author
item Colaizzi, Paul
item SCHNEIDER, ARLAND - HEDGES ENGR. & CONSULTING
item Howell, Terry
item Evett, Steven - Steve

Submitted to: ASAE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/24/2003
Publication Date: 7/29/2003
Citation: Colaizzi, P.D., Schneider, A.D., Howell, T.A., Evett, S.R. 2003. Comparison of SDI, LEPA, and spray efficiency for grain sorghum [abstract]. American Society of Agricultural Engineers Meetings Papers. Paper No. 032139.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A three-year study was conducted at Bushland, Texas (Southern High Plains) to compare SDI, LEPA, and spray irrigation on grain sorghum. Parameters compared were grain yield, seed mass, soil water depletion, seasonal water use, water use efficiency (WUE), and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE). Parameters using each irrigation method were compared within five irrigation levels consisting of full irrigation and 0-, 25-, 50-, and 75% of full irrigation. In all three years, SDI had greater yield, WUE, and IWUE than other irrigation methods at the 50% level and especially at the 25% level, whereas spray outperformed SDI and LEPA at the 75% and full irrigation levels. Differences in seed mass, soil water depletion, and seasonal water use were usually insignificant at the 25% and 50% levels and inconsistent at the 75% and full levels. Parameters were most sensitive to irrigation level, then year, then irrigation method, although relative rankings of parameters for each method within a level were consistent across years.