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<br />Because of the extreme salinity level of the soil under Pivot #7, Dr. Gary Banuelos, soil and plant <br />scientist with the USDA- ARS Water Research Laboratory in Fresno, California was contacted. <br />Dr. Banuelos is doing work with salt and selenium tolerant crops, looking at tolerant crops being <br />grown in different areas of the world. Soil and water samples from the demonstration site, Pivot <br />#7, were sent and a greenhouse study with some of the more salt tolerant crops he had found that <br />might be adapted to the Arkansas River Valley of Colorado is being conducted. Dr. Banuelos <br />planted a special type of Tall Fescue grass and two different types of Trefoil. The crops were <br />grown in soil taken from Pivot #7 and irrigated with water synthesized from river and ground <br />water samples sent from the demonstration site. The crops are being grown with saline soil and <br />good river water, saline soil and saline groundwater and good soil with good river water and <br />good soil with saline groundwater. His report (see attaclunent) indicated the Tall Fescue grass is <br />the most tolerant of the three crops producing lush growth offorage. The Trefoil has been <br />affected by the combination of saline soil and saline water, however; using saline soil and good <br />quality river water, the Trefoil appears to be doing fairly well. This greenhouse grow out will <br />continue through the winter/spring of 1998 to observe the continued response of the different <br />crops to the different growing conditions <br /> <br />Alfalfa production on Pivot #8 was less than expected this first year of production. Planted in the <br />fall of 1996, bare spots under the pivot were reseeded in the spring of 1997 and very acceptable <br />stands were achieved. The alfalfu produced 2.75 tons per acre from the first cutting but untimely <br />rains totaling over five inches occurred while the windrows were in the field. These rains delayed <br />harvest over two weeks and significantly reduced the quality of the hay. The Relative Feed Value <br />(RFV), which will exceed 150 with high quality alfalfa, ranged from a low of 107.6 to a high of <br />117.7. Because ofthe delay in harvesting, regrowth into the windrows delayed drying of the cut <br />alfalfa and raised the moisture level of the baled hay. Also, because of the windrow being on top <br />ofthe new growing hay, the regrowth was affected which reduced potential for the second <br />cutting. <br /> <br />Results from the second cutting on Pivot #8 were also affected by heavy rains reducing the quality <br />of the alfalfu even more that first cutting. RFV ranged from a low of75.0 to a high of 117.0, <br />~~~~~~~alfalfu~~~~~=~~~~~ <br />than anticipated. <br /> <br />Third cutting results were much better from a quality standpoint as RFV ranged from a low of <br />163.8 to a high of 189.2 which shows the reduction in potential on the first and second cuttings. <br />Because of the delayed harvesting on the first and second cuttings, third cutting was also lower <br />than expected at 1.25 tons per acre. The 6.25 tons per acre yield for the growing season was <br />fairly good but below the expected while quality on the first two cuttings severely reduced the <br />value ofthe crop. <br /> <br />Because of the conditions of the crops and excessive amounts of rainfull, no field tours were held <br />at the Stonewall Springs farm in 1997. However; Dr. Banuelos and Dr. Paul Beuselinck, trefoil <br />plant geneticist for the USDA-ARS located at the University of Missouri, were presenters at an <br />Irrigation Water Management Workshop held February 26 in La Junta, Colorado. Over 70 <br />people attended the workshop, including some 30 furmers, to learn of how to combat or live with <br />