2008 Woodie Awards
Irrigation delay may conserve water and increase yields
Andrea Vasquez
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: News
After years of drought, scientists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are helping farmers conserve as much water as possible while continuing to grow strong crops.
They have developed an approach to soybean farming that delays irrigation from spring until early July, which is when the plants are in the beginning pod stage.
"The beginning pod stage is most sensitive to drought and most receptive to rainfall," said Jim Specht, an agronomy and horticulture professor and soybean geneticist. "The crop should be able to survive on that water pretty easily until that pod stage."
Deferred soybean irrigation depends on the stored water in the soil from past irrigation and precipitation.
"That ground never really dries since it's irrigated every year," said Josh Hladik, a senior agronomy and plant biology major whose family farms corn and soybeans. "They (the soybean plants) won't even be hurting for water until then (July)."
If producers irrigate in spring, the water could be unnecessary because of rain and remaining water in the soil. And if plants aren't inundated with water, their roots have to grow deeper into the soil to search for water and end up being stronger.
UNL scientists researched the deferred irrigation method by setting up a drip irrigation system on East Campus for several years. The dry summer months in the last few years "offered a real test" to the research, Specht said.
But despite drought and dry months, delaying irrigation should still produce stronger soybean plants and possibly an even higher yield than early irrigation.
"It doesn't seem to hurt us as long as we catch up with whatever deficit there is," Specht said. "You don't have to irrigate soybeans early as long as you have a system to catch up with the deficit, if there is any."
Specht said delaying irrigation can produce larger yields - potentially about 70 to 85 bushels per acre, while the state average is about 50.
This method has to be adjusted for farms in western Nebraska, where the soil has less capacity to hold water and there is less precipitation.
"Just like anything else (and) any technology, not everyone will be able to utilize it," Specht said.
The researchers are trying to spread the word about deferred irrigation by working with farmers and through the UNL Extension Education program.
Scott Nitchie, a junior agronomy major whose family farms soybeans around Holdrege, said his family has saved a few inches of water per acre.
"I think we can do a better job of irrigating the soybeans much more effectively and efficiently so that we can still get pretty good yields," Specht said.
andreavasquez@dailynebraskan.com
They have developed an approach to soybean farming that delays irrigation from spring until early July, which is when the plants are in the beginning pod stage.
"The beginning pod stage is most sensitive to drought and most receptive to rainfall," said Jim Specht, an agronomy and horticulture professor and soybean geneticist. "The crop should be able to survive on that water pretty easily until that pod stage."
Deferred soybean irrigation depends on the stored water in the soil from past irrigation and precipitation.
"That ground never really dries since it's irrigated every year," said Josh Hladik, a senior agronomy and plant biology major whose family farms corn and soybeans. "They (the soybean plants) won't even be hurting for water until then (July)."
If producers irrigate in spring, the water could be unnecessary because of rain and remaining water in the soil. And if plants aren't inundated with water, their roots have to grow deeper into the soil to search for water and end up being stronger.
UNL scientists researched the deferred irrigation method by setting up a drip irrigation system on East Campus for several years. The dry summer months in the last few years "offered a real test" to the research, Specht said.
But despite drought and dry months, delaying irrigation should still produce stronger soybean plants and possibly an even higher yield than early irrigation.
"It doesn't seem to hurt us as long as we catch up with whatever deficit there is," Specht said. "You don't have to irrigate soybeans early as long as you have a system to catch up with the deficit, if there is any."
Specht said delaying irrigation can produce larger yields - potentially about 70 to 85 bushels per acre, while the state average is about 50.
This method has to be adjusted for farms in western Nebraska, where the soil has less capacity to hold water and there is less precipitation.
"Just like anything else (and) any technology, not everyone will be able to utilize it," Specht said.
The researchers are trying to spread the word about deferred irrigation by working with farmers and through the UNL Extension Education program.
Scott Nitchie, a junior agronomy major whose family farms soybeans around Holdrege, said his family has saved a few inches of water per acre.
"I think we can do a better job of irrigating the soybeans much more effectively and efficiently so that we can still get pretty good yields," Specht said.
andreavasquez@dailynebraskan.com
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