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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 #199819
Title: Irrigated soybean evapotranspiration in a semi-arid environment.

Author
item Howell, Terry
item Evett, Steven - Steve
item Tolk, Judy
item Copeland, Karen
item Colaizzi, Paul

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/2006
Publication Date: 11/12/2006
Citation: Howell, T.A., Evett, S.R., Tolk, J.A., Copeland, K.S., Colaizzi, P.D. 2006. Irrigated soybean evapotranspiration in a semi-arid environment. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting, November 12-16, 2006, Indianapolis, Indiana. 2006 CDROM.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production is expanding in the Texas High Plains since it has a slightly lower irrigation requirement than corn (Zea mays L.) and supplies feed for an expanding regional swine industry. Evapotranspiration of irrigated soybean (Group IV) was measured with large, precise weighing lysimeters in 1995, 2003, and 2004 at Bushland, TX. In 1995, the cultivar, Pioneer 9461, was grown, and in 2003 and 2004 the cultivar, Pioneer 94B73RR, was grown. In all three growing seasons, two weighing lysimeters were used to measure crop water use. Mean evapotranspiration (ET) was 801, 771, and 611 mm, respectively. Mean lysimeter yields were 407.7, 474.3, and 315.2 g m-2. The resulting water use efficiencies were 0.509, 0.614, and 0.516 kg m-3. Maximum daily ET rates were between 10 and 11 mm d-1 in each season. The crop coefficient (Kc) for the ETr reference (alfalfa base) was nearer a peak Kcb value of 0.75 to 0.85 in 2003 and 2004 and in 1995 was closer in agreement with the peak value of 0.95 for Kcb for beans in Idaho. The peak Kc in 2003 and 2004 agreed well with the 1.12 peak Kcb for the ETo reference (grass base) for beans in Davis, CA, but the peak Kc was nearer 1.20 in 1995.