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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />Pivot #8 <br /> <br />F our alfalfa varieties were planted on Pivot #8 in the spring of 1996 and the planting came up to a partial <br />stand but not at a desirable plant population and there was also a very bad Venice mallow weed problem. <br />Because of these problems, Dick Evans, owner and operator of Stonewall Springs farm did not want to <br />gamble on the stand for the next few years and the alfalfa was plowed up and replanted in the fall of <br />1996. Excellent stands of alfalfa were obtained except on small, localized areas which were reseeded <br />(Fig. 11), <br /> <br />On Pivot #8 in 1997, the first year of production, the alfalfa produced a total of6,25 tons per acre <br />from three cuttings. Rain totaling over five inches during 151 and 2nd cutting substantially reduced <br />hay quality. Because of the delay in harvesting, regrowth into the windrows delayed drying of the <br />cut alfalfa and raised the moisture level of the baled hay (Fig. 12). Also, because of the windrow <br />being on top of the new growing hay, the regrowth was affected which reduced potential yield and <br />quality of the second cutting. The Relative Feed Value (RFV), which will exceed 150 with high <br />quality alfalfa, ranged from a low of75.0 to a high of 117.7. The 3'd cutting was finally harvested <br />without rain with RFV ranging from 163.8 to 189.2 <br /> <br />In 1998, the alfalfa was overseeded with wheat to increase the yield potential. Yields averaged 6.5 <br />tons per acre and again untimely rains reduced quality. No quality samples were taken due to these <br />conditions. <br /> <br />Rapid Salinity Mapping <br /> <br />Dr. Jim Rhoades and his salinity team from the U.S. Salinity Laboratory in Riverside, California came to <br />the Pueblo, Colorado area in April of 1996 and put on a Saline and Sodic Soil Workshop and Rapid Salinity <br />Mapping field Demonstration. The workshop was attended by over 50 people from Colorado State <br />University Cooperative Extension and the Natural Resource Conservation Service as well as area crop <br />consultants, Ref. 5. Dr. Rhoades also conducted a Farmer Salinity Workshop at Pueblo County High School <br />but it was poorly attended with only six farmers taking advantage of one of the most knowledgeable men in <br />the world on salinity. <br /> <br />During the workshops, Dr. Rhoades commented on the problems of salinity in the world and in the Arkansas <br />River Valley and noted that these problems were becoming greater as the populations increased. He also <br />discussed possible practices that could reduce salting and increase crop production from saline soils. During <br />the field demonstration, Dr. Rhoades and his salinity team did rapid salinity mapping on four area farms. <br />Two of the locations were Pivots #7 and #8 on the Stonewall Springs Farm ",ith another to the west and <br />another to the east of this location. Mapping ofthe east and west location were for comparison purposes as <br />both had similar and dissimilar problems. All four locations showed soil salinity levels that would <br />substantially reduce crop yields and would require planting and growing of more salt tolerant crops. <br /> <br />The results of the rapid salinity mapping is shown in figures 13 and 14. These results indicate excessive salt <br />levels in the western half of Pivot #7 with the highest readings in the south west portion of the northwest <br />quadrant of the circle. Readings were much lower on Pivot #8 with the highest readings in the eastern half of <br />the circle. <br /> <br />21 <br />