Progress Report on Microirrigation in Oregon, 2003.
Clint Shock1, Erik Feibert1, Eric Eldredge1, Monty Saunders1, Marvin Butler2, Claudia Campbell2, Jim Klauser3, A. I. Akin4, and L. A. Unlenen5
Western Region Project W-128: Microirrigation: Management Practices to Sustain Water Quality and Agricultural Productivity, Davis, CA, October 22-24, 2003
1Malheur
Experiment
Station, OSU, 595 Onion Ave., Ontario, OR 97914 (541) 889-2174 Clinton.Shock@oregonstate.edu
and 2Central Oregon Agricultural
Research
Center, OSU, 850 Dogwood Lane, Madras, OR 97741 (541) 475-7107, 3Clearwater
Supply, Ontario, OR, Researcher, 4Ankara
Nuclear Agriculture and Animal Research Center, 06105 Saray/Ankara,
Turkey,
5Agricultural
Engineer, Nigde Patates Arastirma, Enstitusu Mudurlugu, Nigde, Turkey,
51100.
I. Summary
Drip irrigation systems were tested in 2002 and 2003 on alfalfa for seed, alfalfa for hay, potato, onion for seed and for bulbs, poplar for saw logs, yew, sugar beet, and carrot for seed. Treatments are being evaluated based on crop yield, crop quality, and water use. Grids of sensors are being used to examine the vertical and horizontal movement of water through the soil profile from drip tapes. Various soil moisture monitoring equipment was evaluated for irrigation scheduling in growers' fields.
2. Highlights Were as Follows:
A. In 2002 and 2003 demonstrations in growers' fields showed that that onions required relatively little fertilizer N when irrigated with SDI.
B. Drip-irrigated onion has expanded to 3,000 acres in the Treasure Valley and above 8,000 acres in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). There were 1,800 acres in Malheur County alone, with vastly reduced N inputs and no irrigation-induced erosion and associated pollutant runoff. Thirty to 40 percent less water was required using SDI.
C. For onion production on 42-44 inch beds with 0.22 gal/min/100 foot tape, growers use irrigation set times of 4-6 hours in April and May, 6-8 hours in June, and 8-12 hours in July and August. Our initial research on the irrigation criteria for drip irrigated onion used high frequency drip irrigation with set times of about 1 hour. In 2002 and 2003 we tested irrigation duration as a variable, to determine if longer sets would result in more water being applied or differences in bulb yield or quality.
D. Ultra-low-flow drip tape was compared to low-flow drip tape in onion and potato.
E. Three small commercial drip-irrigated potato fields were planted in Oregon and Idaho in 2003; 3, 5 and 10 acre fields. Growers plan to expand their acreage in 2004.
F. In an attempt to make drip-irrigated potato more productive and profitable, a versatile potato planter was designed and built in 2003 to allow variable distance between potato rows, between seed pieces within the rows, and variable drip tape placement with respect to the potato rows. Three different drip-irrigated potato planting configurations were tested at two potato plant populations. This trial was planted by us, both at Ontario, OR, and Patterson, WA, in the Columbia Basin.
G. We seek to identify potato varieties adapted to drip irrigation. Eleven potato varieties were compared for bulking rate, yield, grade, and quality under drip irrigation in 2003.
H. Irrigation criterion for alfalfa seed production was examined for the third year in 2003. Alfalfa seed yield using SDI was highest with about 14 acre-inches of water per acre, compared to wetter or drier treatments.
I. The semi-permanent subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system in the alfalfa seed field is being converted to serve rotation crops. Wheat and corn are planned for 2004 and 2005.
J. A demonstration area compared alfalfa variety forage performance under SDI.
K. Water use efficiency of SDI was greater than micro-sprinklers for poplar saw log production in 2002.
L. Poplar clones are being screened for tolerance to alkaline soil with a surface drip irrigation system. This trial is being conducted by Mick O'Neill at Farmington, NM, and by us at Ontario, OR.
M. In cooperation with OSU, Central Oregon growers compared drip irrigation systems to sprinkler irrigation systems for carrot and onion seed production. Carrot seed production with drip irrigation resulted in water savings and increased seed yield.
N. Carrot grown for seed is a very important high-value crop in central Oregon. Disease tolerances are low in the crop, particularly to Xanthomonas campestris pv carotae, Alternaria radicina and A. dauci. Employing a subsurface drip system to deliver irrigation water may decrease potential for disease infection and spread within the carrot canopy and may provide long term benefits of decreasing water and fertilizer use.
O. Several types
of
soil moisture sensors have been compared for irrigation scheduling over
the last three years. Three types of data loggers have been used
to automatically read Watermark soil moisture sensors; two of which
simplify
data collection for growers.
3. Funding
EPA 319, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality through EPA 319 funds, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, OSU Agriculture Research Foundation, Oregon Department of Ag Specialty Crops Grant Program, T-Systems, Irrometer Co., and Clearwater Supply all contributed to the success of this program.
4. Reports Related to Micro-irrigation
A. Refereed
Articles
Shock, C.C., E.B.G.
Feibert,
L.D. Saunders, and S.R. James. 2003. Umatilla Russet and Russet Legend
potato yield and quality response to irrigation. HortScience. In Press
for October.
Shock, C.C., 2003. Soil water potential measurement by granular matrix sensors. In Stewart, B.A. and T.A. Howell, (eds). The Encyclopedia of Water Science. Marcel Dekker. p 899-903.
Eldredge, E.P., C.C. Shock, and L.D. Saunders. 2003. Early and late harvest potato cultivar response to drip irrigation. Acta Horticulturae. In press.
B. Reports to Growers At Field Days
Central Oregon Farm Fair , Feb 5-6.
Butler, M. 2003. Drip irrigation on carrots grown for seed.
Malheur Experiment Station Field Day, July 9.
Feibert, E.B.G. and C.C. Shock. 2003. Optimal irrigation scheduling and N fertilization management for drip-irrigated onion production.
Feibert, E.B.G. and C.C. Shock. 2003. Can onion production benefit from ultra low flow tape? Will this increase the yield of drip-irrigate onions? What irrigation frequency is needed?
Shock, C.C. 2003. Monitoring soil moisture movement under low flow and ultra low flow drip tape and irrigation strategies for drip-irrigated onion.
Feibert, E.B.G. and R. Flock. 2003. Micro irrigation management of poplar for saw log and peeler log production.
Feibert, E.B.G. and R. Flock. 2003. Selection of poplar cultivars for their productivity under drip irrigation on alkaline soils.
Eldredge, E.P. and C.C. Shock. 2003. Bulking rate of potato cultivars under drip irrigation.
Shock, C.A. 2003. Automation of reading Watermarks for irrigation scheduling in onions.
Eldredge, E.P., C.C. Shock, et al. 2003. Usefulness of Vydate for drip-irrigated potato?
Shock, C.C., E.P. Eldredge, et. al. 2003. Planting configurations for drip-irrigated Umatilla potato.
Shock, C.C., E.P.
Eldredge,
et. al. 2003. A trial to examine the relationship between plant
population
and marketable yield for drip-irrigated red potato production.
.
Malheur County Drip
Irrigation
Field Tour, July
Shock, C.C. and E.P. Eldredge. 2003. Alfalfa variety performance using buried drip irrigation.
Klauzer, J. and C.C. Shock. 2003. Planting configurations and irrigation options for potato.
Larson, L. et al. 2003. Water filtration for drip irrigation systems.
Jensen, L. and C. Yano. 2003. Vydate use in drip-irrigated onion.
Jensen, L., C. Yano, and C.C. Shock. 2003. Irrigation practices in drip-irrigated onion.
Shock, C.A, C.C. Shock, M.K. Hansen, and A. Hawkins. 2003. Automated reading of soil moisture sensors for irrigation scheduling in drip-irrigated onion.
C. Publications for Users
2002 Central Oregon
Agricultural
Research Center Annual Report
Weber, Mike, Brad
Holliday,
Marvin Butler, Claudia Campbell, Jim Klauzer, Leroy Buck, Tom Kirsch,
Rich
Lewis, Harold Siegenhagen, and Stan Sullivan. 2003. Drip irrigation on
commercial seed carrots and onions in 2002.
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/html/sr/sr1046/
Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station, Special Report 1048. Also available on the web at http://www.cropinfo.net/AnnualReports/2002/index.html
Eldredge, E.P., C.C. Shock, and L.D. Saunders. 2003. First year results of the 2002 to 2006 alfalfa forage variety trial. p 14-17. http://www.cropinfo.net/AnnualReports/2002/B5aDripAlf02.htm
Shock, C.C., L.D. Saunders, G. Tschida, L.D. Saunders, and J. Klauzer. 2003. Relationship between water stress and seed yield of two drip-irrigated alfalfa varieties 2002. p 18-30. http://www.cropinfo.net/AnnualReports/2002/Alfseed02.htm
Shock, C.C. and J. Klauzer. 2003. Growers conserve nitrogen fertilizer on drip-irrigated onion. p 61-63. http://www.cropinfo.net/AnnualReports/2002/OnionDripNitrogen02.htm
Shock, C.C., E.B.G. Feibert, and L.D. Saunders. 2003. Irrigation frequency, drip tape flow rate, and onion performance. p 64-70. http://www.cropinfo.net/AnnualReports/2002/OnionDrip02.htm
Shock, C.C., E.B.G. Feibert, and L.D. Saunders. 2003. Micro-irrigation alternatives for hybrid poplar production, 2002 Trial. p 110-118. http://www.cropinfo.net/AnnualReports/2002/Popirr2002.htm
Shock, C.C., E.B.G. Feibert, and J. Eaton. 2003. Effect of pruning severity on the annual growth of hybrid poplar. p 119-124. (Conducted on micro-irrigated poplar). http://www.cropinfo.net/AnnualReports/2002/popprune2002.htm
Shock, C.C., E.P. Eldredge, and L.D. Saunders. 2003. Tuber bulking rate and quality of processing potato clones in relation to planting date. p 152-158. (Drip irrigated potato clone performance). http://www.cropinfo.net/AnnualReports/2002/EarlyHarvProcVars.htm
Akin, A.I., L.A. Unlenen, E.P. Eldredge, C.C. Shock, E.B.G. Feibert, and L.D. Saunders. 2003. Processing potato production with low-flow drip tape or ultra-low-flow tape. p 167-172. http://www.cropinfo.net/AnnualReports/2002/PotatoDripFlowAnRep2002.htm
Shock, C.C., K.
Kimberling,
A. Tschida, K. Nelson, L. Jensen, and C.A. Shock, 2003. Soil moisture
based
irrigation scheduling to improve crops and the environment. p 227-234.
http://www.cropinfo.net/AnnualReports/2002/Hansen2002.htm
Shock, C.C., A. Akin, L.A. Unlenen, E.B.G. Feibert, K. Nelson and A. Tschida. 2003. A comparison of soil water potential and soil water content sensors. p 235-240. http://www.cropinfo.net/AnnualReports/2002/sensortest02.htm
Published only on the web
Shock, C.C. and S.
Sullivan.
2003. Owyhee 5th Grade Field Day (This is a web site with a virtual
field
day on it sponsored by the Owyhee Watershed Council). This site
was
first published in 2002 and entirely rewritten for 2003. (The
field
day includes an introduction to irrigation methods, ideas of water use,
and options for erosion control). http://www.cropinfo.net/owyheefieldday.htm
D. Invited Presentations
Shock, C. C. 2003. Automation of drip irrigation research. WSU Prosser, WA. January 13.
Shock, C. C. 2003. Alfalfa seed drip irrigation research. Oregon and Idaho Alfalfa Seed Growers' Winter Meeting, Four Rivers Cultural Center, Ontario, OR January 15.
Butler, Marvin. 2003. Drip irrigation on carrots grown for seed. Columbia Basin Seed Association Meeting, Moses lake, WA. Jan 21.
Shock, C.C. 2003. Potato irrigation management. Potato Production Workshop, Oregon Potato Conference, January 27.
Shock, C.C. 2003.
Avoiding
potato dark-ends. Potato Production Workshop, Oregon Potato Conference,
January 27.
E. Reports at Professional Meetings
Shock, C.C., A. I.
Akin,
L. A. Unlenen, Erik B. G. Feibert, and Cedric A. Shock, 2003. Precise
irrigation
scheduling using soil moisture sensors. International Irrigation
Show 2003 Proceedings, The Irrigation Association. San Diego, CA.
November
18-20. 12p.
Shock, C.C., E.B.G.
Feibert,
and L.D. Saunders. 2003. Drip irrigation frequency and drip tape flow
rate
affect onion performance? American Society of Agronomy, Denver, CO.
F. Articles in the Popular Press
Educational tour: farmers, residents to daylong agriculture presentation. Larry Meyer. Argus Observer. July 11, 2003. 111:162 pA1-A2.
Malheur Experiment Station field day showcases research. Karen Strickler. July 24, 2003. Western Canyon Chronicle. p11-16.
Onions on drip. Karen Gentry. The Vegetable Growers News. August 2003. p1 and 4.
5. Student Research Help:
Benjamin Horn, Treasure
Valley
C.C., Payette, ID
Susan Sullivan,
University
of Oregon, Ontario, OR
Brian Noble, Treasure
Valley
C.C., Vale, OR
James, Auw,
Albertson
College of ID, Ontario, OR
David McPeak, Treasure
Valley
C.C., Nyssa, OR
Brandon Hoxie, University
of Idaho, Payette, ID
Rebecca Flock, Grove City
College, Vale, OR
Cedric Shock, University
of Oregon, Ontario, OR
Caroline Weber, University
of Puget Sound, Madras, OR