Land Forming Effects on Dryland Sorghum Production in the Southern Grean Plains

Jones, O R (1981) Land Forming Effects on Dryland Sorghum Production in the Southern Grean Plains. Soil Science Society of America Journal , 45. pp. 606-611.

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Abstract

The effectiveness of selected low-cost, water-conserving land forming systems in preventing runoff and increasing dryland grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] yields on Pullman clay loam was evaluated for 4 years (1975-1978) at Bushland, Tex. Systems investigated were mini-bench terraces (5 m wide), conservation mini-bench terraces (9 m wide with a ratio of watershed to level bench area of 1:1), and three configurations of contour furrows. Runoff was measured from conventional graded furrows (0.25% grade) that were used for the check treatment. Total runoff for the 4 years was 258 mm, about 15% of total precipitation. All systems that retained runoff on the field produced significantly greater yields and had greater water-use efficiencies than the graded furrow system. Grain yield and water-use efficiency were significantly greater with mini-bench terraces than with any other treatment. Mean annual grain yield on mini-bench terraces was 2,380 kg/ha, compared to 1,210 kg/ha on conventional graded furrows. Minibenches, conservation mini-benches, and large contour furrows controlled erosion and retained all precipitation from a storm of 75-year expected frequency. In that storm, conventional furrows overtopped and failed to retain runoff.

Item Type:	Article
Author Affiliation:	USDA Conservation and Production Research Lab, Bushland, USA
Subjects:	Plant Production > Farming Systems Plant Production > Production Practices Social Sciences
Divisions:	Sorghum
Depositing User:	Library ICRISAT-InfoSAT
Date Deposited:	21 Feb 2012 10:43
Last Modified:	21 Feb 2012 10:43
URI:	http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/3093

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