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Title: GROWING HIGH-VALUE IRRIGATED CROPS IN A LIMITED IRRIGATION SYSTEM - A CASE STUDY WITH SUGAR BEET.

Author
item Panella, Leonard
item YONTS, C. DEAN - UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

Submitted to: Journal of Soil and Water Conservation Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/30/2006
Publication Date: 7/21/2006
Citation: Panella, L.W., Yonts, C. Growing high-value irrigated crops in a limited irrigation system - a case study with sugar beet. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation Society. 2006.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: There are over 300,000 acres of sugar beet grown in the semi-arid western United States. This is often the crop the “pays the mortgage” in those areas where it is grown. As water becomes limited and more expense, growers need to make hard choices on which crops to plant to maximize the impact of their irrigation water. Research shows that there are both management and genetic measures that can reduce the water needed to produce a successful sugar beet crop. Because of the availability of irrigation water, there has been little interest in changing sugar beet irrigation practices or little effort to develop more water use efficient varieties. With the past years of drought, the time might be right for change.