U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Columbia Plateau Conservation Research Center: Pendleton, OR
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    Careers


        


                    Related TopicsSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Pacific West Area Pendleton, Oregon Columbia Plateau Conservation Research Center Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            Williams, Johnitem
                                            Wuest, Stewartitem
                                            Robertson, David

                                                         - *Dave*
  Submitted to: Soil Science Society of America Journal
                                    Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 4/23/2015
                                    Publication  Date: 7/24/2015
                                    Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/5922789Citation: Williams, J.D., Wuest, S.B., Robertson, D.S. 2015. Soil water and water use efficiency in no-tillage and sweep tillage winter wheat production in northeastern Oregon. Soil Science Society of America Journal. doi: 10.2136/sssaj2014.12.0494.Interpretive Summary: The productivity of rainfed winter wheat depends on the efficient capture and storage of precipitation. In the semi-arid Pacific Northwest, U.S.A., soil water is managed through a fourteen-month fallow period in order to establish wheat before winter and maximize growth potential the following spring. The effects of residue and soil management on soil water storage were investigated at site near Pendleton, Oregon. Rainfall capture, storage, and use was measured in winter wheat grown every year using no-tillage, and for 10 months followed by 14 months of either chemical fallow or a low-soil-disturbance (undercutter) fallow. Measured from 2007 through 2014, the two year chemical fallow had significantly more soil water than the undercutter fallow. Winter wheat grown annually used less soil water and produced more wheat than the two year rotations. There was no yield difference between the crops grown under chemical or undercut fallow. Thus, water use efficiency was 30% greater in annually grown wheat than the two year rotation wheat. Unlike reports from drier zones of the Pacific Northwest, it appears that chemical fallow and annual wheat production are the best for maximum efficiency of water use by wheat.
                                Technical Abstract: The productivity of rainfed winter wheat (WW, Triticum aestivum L.) depends on the efficient capture and storage of precipitation. In the semi-arid Pacific Northwest, U.S.A., soil water is managed through a fourteen-month fallow period in order to establish wheat before winter and maximize growth potential the following spring. The effects of soil management on soil water storage were investigated on a Walla Walla silt loam soil, (coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Haploxerolls). The treatments were untilled chemical fallow (CF), versus a one-pass undercutter fallow (UF) in two-year WW-fallow rotations. These were compared to an annually cropped no-till WW (ANT). Measured from 2007 through 2014, CF had significantly more soil water than UF. ANT always had less soil water than CF or UF. These results were not reflected in precipitation capture efficiency. Annualized crop yield was significantly greater in ANT than in CF or UF, which were not significantly different. This resulted in water use efficiency being 30% greater in ANT than CF or UF. Unlike reports from drier zones of the Pacific Northwest, it appears that CF and even annual wheat production may be ways to maximize efficiency of water use by wheat.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov