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Title: FORAGES GROWING IN SALINE DRAINAGE WATER RE-USE SYSTEMS ON THE WESTSIDE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA: WATER USE, PRODUCTIVITY AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE

Author
item BENES, SHARON - CAL ST U, FRESNO, CA
item SUYAMA, H - CAL ST U, FRESNO, CA
item ROBINSON, PETER - DEP LAWR, UC DAVIS, CA
item GRATTAN, STEPHEN - DEP LAWR, UC DAVIS, CA
item Grieve, Catherine

Submitted to: Proceedings of the International Salinity Forum
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/11/2005
Publication Date: 4/25/2005
Citation: Benes, S., Suyama, H., Robinson, P., Grattan, S.R., Grieve, C.M. 2005. Forages growing in saline drainage water re-use systems on the Westside San Joaquin valley of California: Water use, productivity and nutritional value. In: Proceedings of the International Salinity Forum, Managing Saline Soils and Water: Science, Technology, and Soil Issues. April 25-27, 2005. Riverside, CA pp:55-58.

Interpretive Summary: In semiarid regions with irrigated agriculture, such as the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) of California, drainage of the farmland is necessary for sustaining long term productivity. Drainage effluents in the Valley contain dissolved salts which are detrimental to crops. Unfortunately, the Valley has very few drainage outlets to manage the disposal of these waters. One of the few on-farm options available to growers in the Valley is the reuse of drainage waters for irrigation, a management practice which would reduce the volumes of drainage water requiring disposal and increase productivity of these lands. Another problem that exists in the SJV is the shortage of high quality forages for dairy and beef cattle. Salt-tolerant forage crops that could grow well under saline irrigation would not only increase forage supplies, but could play a key role in drainage water management. Objectives of study were to identify and characterize forage crops for long term suitability for production using saline-sodic irrigation waters, and to assess their water use, productivity, nutritional value, and safety for animal consumption. Crops evaluated in this field trial were: tall wheatgrass, creeping wildrye, tall fescue, alkali sacaton, paspalum, and puccinellia. Based on biomass production, tall wheatgrass and creeping wildrye were the most successful candidates. Forage quality of tall wheatgrass and tall fescue was acceptable for animals requiring a high energy diet such as lactating cows. Creeping wildrye and puccinellia forage quality was more appropriate for non-lactating animals.

Technical Abstract: In semiarid regions with irrigated agriculture, such as the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) of California, drainage of the farmland is necessary for sustaining long term productivity. Drainage effluents in the Valley contain dissolved salts which are detrimental to crops. Unfortunately, the Valley has very few drainage outlets to manage the disposal of these waters. One of the few on-farm options available to growers in the Valley is the reuse of drainage waters for irrigation, a management practice which would reduce the volumes of drainage water requiring disposal and increase productivity of these lands. Another problem that exists in the SJV is the shortage of high quality forages for dairy and beef cattle. Salt-tolerant forage crops that could grow well under saline irrigation would not only increase forage supplies, but could play a key role in drainage water management. Objectives of study were to identify and characterize forage crops for long term suitability for production using saline-sodic irrigation waters, and to assess their water use, productivity, nutritional value, and safety for animal consumption. Crops evaluated in this field trial were: tall wheatgrass, creeping wildrye, tall fescue, alkali sacaton, paspalum, and puccinellia. Creeping wildrye growing in moderately saline fields had the highest annual biomass production (10 to 14 MT/ha). Under more saline conditions (ECe = 18 to 20 dS/m), tall wheatgrass out-performed the other forages with an average annual biomass production of 7 MT/ha. Forage quality of tall wheatgrass and tall fescue was acceptable for animals requiring a high energy diet such as lactating cows. Creeping wildrye and puccinellia forage quality was more appropriate for non-lactating animals.