Irrigating Corn and Grain Sorghum With Limited Water

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In 1974 we evaluated how irrigation amount and timing influenced corn and grain sorghum yields at Man· hattan and Tribune. The results should help irrigators who want to use limited or less water because of limited pumping capacity, limited time, limited water supplies, increased cost of fuel for pumping, or other reasons.
At Manhattan, the study was on the Ashland Research Farm, approximately 8 miles southwest of Manhattan. The soil is Muir silt loam, which developed from river sediments .
The Tribune data were collected on the Tribune Branch Experiment Station Irrigation Field on Ulysses silt loam; a soil developed from windblow n deposits. A brief description of the field plots is given in Table 1. Available water stored in the 5-foot soil profile exceeded nine inches at plant emergence at both locations. Figure 1 presents the 30-year average rainfall pattern and the ra·infall received during the warm season at both Manhattan and Tribune. Rainfall at Tribune was 8.3 inches compared to  Table 2 gives 1974 corn g rain yields at Manhattan and Tribune. Treatments consisted of no in-season irrigation; one irrigation at either one week before tasseling, during silk emergence, or at blister stage; and three irrigations, one at each of the three growth stages mentioned. Corn plots at Tribune received a pre-plant irrigation.

AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
rable 3 g ives sorghum grain yields at Manhattan and Tribune. Treatments consisted of no

1974.
Note: A ll plots at Tribune were damaged by hail August 10 and by frost Sept ember 3. in-season irrigation; a single irrigation at either boot stage, half-bloom; or soft-dough; and three irrigations, one at each of those g rowth stag€ Grain sorghum plots at Tribune received a preplant irrigation.
The corn data indicate that a single irrigation applied near tasse ling or at early silking increased yields greatly over one irrigatio n at blister stage or no in-season ·irrig ation. Due to grain sorghum's drought resistance, and timely rainfall, no definite trend between irrigation timing and gra in sorghum yield w as determined in 197 4. limited in-season irrigation is most practical in soils that contain nothing to restrict extensive root . developme nt, that have large water~holding capacity, and if a moderate to large amount of available water is stored before planting.
Info rmation in this report is for fa rmers, producers, colleag ues, industry cooperators, and other inte rested pe rsons. It is in tended as a n aid in irriga tion ma nageme nt decisio ns and not as an irrigation gu ide. It is not a recommendation o r endorsement and represents one year's research at two locations.
Contribution no. 160, Kansas Water Re sources Research Inst itute, Manhattan. The U. S. Department of Interior, Office of Wate r Resea rch and Technolog y p rovided partial support. Con tribution no. 1492, Agronomy Department, Evapotranspirati o n Laboratory; and no. 26, Tribune Branch Experiment Station, Kansas Agricultural Ex periment Station, Manhattan, Kansas 66506.
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