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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />1: <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />2002 <br /> <br />Indian Reservation lands using winter dormant varieties. <br /> <br />Climatic conditions, summarized in Section 4, impact the suitability <br /> <br /> <br />of alfalfa to produce economic yields in different climatic zones. <br /> <br /> <br />Table 6.2 summarizes irrigated alfalfa suitability and estimated <br /> <br /> <br />yield for each climatic zone while Table 6.3 summarizes suitabiity <br /> <br /> <br />and estimated yield for dry land alfalfa in each climatic zone. <br /> <br />In general, alfalfa is well suited to a wide range of soil types but <br />obtains best yields on deep, non-compacted medium textured soils. <br />Good drainage is imperative for maximum production. Alfalfa <br />requires large amounts of calcium for satisfactory growth and <br />therefore does very well on most of Colorado's calcium and magnesium <br />cation dominated soils. Sodic soils where exchangeable sodium is <br /> <br />high may cause insufficient calcium uptake because of calcium <br /> <br />compound insolubility. Alfalfa is well suited to soils with <br />salinity levels of about 2 mmhos/cm or lower and is moderately <br /> <br />tolerant to exchangeable sodium levels less than 40 percent. <br /> <br />'J <br /> <br />Irrigation of alfalfa with saline water can result in reduced yields. <br />Application of irrigation water with salinity levels greater than <br />1300 micromhos/cm can reduce alfalfa yields. Table 6.4 summarizes <br />the impact of irrigation water salinity on potential yield based on <br />anticipated irrigation water sources for the Ute Indian Reservations <br />previously identified in Section 4 (see Table 4.1). Salinity <br />concentrations of these irrigation water sources vary significantly <br /> <br />6- 7 <br />