BOARD00184 (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

. . e Maintaining stand under dry conditions ET and water use efficiency Narrative: Mike Schupe and his father Gordon work together in an integrated crop and livestock enterprise. They raise certified Limousine cattle and produce hay for their own cattle and for marketing. They have an innovative marketing approach for their hay with nationwide sales. Their hay enterprise consists of both high quality pure alfalfa and meadow hay that consists ofa blend of native grass species. Because of the location of their farm, Mike and Gordon are familiar with farming with water limitations and they have learned strategies to cope with this challenge. Mike and Gordon will demonstrate partial season irrigation of alfalfa and meadow hay crops. They have put shut-off valves on one span of a full center pivot sprinkler that irrigates a field divided between alfalfa and meadow hay. This span will be irrigated normally until after the first alfalfa cutting and then irrigation will be turned off until falL Water use and crop productivity win be evaluated within the dry span and compared to the adjacent fully irrigated conditions. 3. Evaluation of Soil Salinity and Salinity Remediation Methods Farm cooperator(s): Nick Raffeli Site description: Center pivot irrigated com East of Iliff Practices demonstrated: Land application of gypsum for remediation of salt affected soils Concepts evaluated: Effects of salinity and gypsum on ET and crop yield Narrative: Nick Raffeli works with his brother and Dad in a diverse irrigated crop farming operation. They produce com, sugar beets, and small grains. The Raffelis are innovative and successful farmers that believe in soil testing, proper use of fertilizers, and best . ,_ rT"l'l ~ "" "-"I 1'.1. ,... 11 .1... .. managemem pracnces. 1 ne Karren s are aware or me p01ennal proOlems mall:aIl De l:auseu by salt accumulation in irrigated soils. Soil salinity is a known concern in some parts of the Lower South Platte River I3asin. .When soil salts have too high a concentration of sodiwll, soil properties such as water infiltration are degraded and limited crop production. A common remediation of sodium affected soils is to amend the soil with gypsum followed by leaching with good quality water. Although their soils are not excessively high in sodium salts, Nick Raffeli wants to evaluate whether gypsum amendments will improve crop production and water use efficiency. Gypsum will be applied to the soil surface or applied and incorporated in strips across a full center pivot irrigated com field. This field has had areas where com has shown some symptoms of salt stress in the past. Crop yields within the amended strips will be compared to adjacent untreated strips.