Barley yield response to irrigation and potential profits in the Texas High Plains

✍ Scribed by W. L. Harman; C. Regier; V. D. Lansford; F. Petr; T. H. Marek

• Book ID: 104656713
• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1990
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 867 KB
• Volume: 11
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0342-7188
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00189454

✦ Synopsis

Irrigated winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) can be a profitable alternative to some low profit major crops in the Texas High Plains. A six-year evaluation of yield response related to total spring irrigation water, applied by surface methods (furrow), and seasonal precipitation resulted in a multivariate function explaining 74% of the yield variation. Predicted yields varied from a low of 3.69 Mg ha-1 to a maximum 6.18 Mg ha-1 with 0 and 389 mm, respectively, based on average monthly precipitation quantities. Precipitation is skewed to less than average in th semi-arid Texas High Plains. Using modal precipitation amounts of 40% of average precipitation, yield estimates were reduced to 2.29 Mg ha-1 with zero spring irrigation and to 5.63 Mg ha-1 at the peak with 450 mm. A second multivariate yield response function related to alternative timings of single and multiple spring irrigations explained 76% of the variation in yields. Among all combinations of 1, 2, 3, and 4 spring irrigations, irrigation water-use efficiency was estimated to be highest with one application at the boot stage of development. All other single and combinations of multiple irrigations resulted in lower water-use efficiencies. A comparison of enterprise budgets of four irrigation timing alternatives and levels of application indicated highest profit over variable costs, $ 287 ha-1, was attained by applying a total of 307 mm in three spring applications at the boot, head, and milk stages. A lower level of 217 mm applied at boot and milk stages was $12 ha-1 less profitable and a higher level of 425 mm was $ 24 ha-~ less profitable. When fixed costs of irrigation facilities, land, and machinery were considered, returns to management and risk were highest, $101 ha -1, with 217 mm. Using 40% of average precipitation, profits were reduced $65ha -~ with 217mm and $69ha -~ with 307mm spring irrigation levels.