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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #259657
Title: Water Production Functions for Central Plains Crops

Author
item Trout, Thomas
item Bausch, Walter
item Buchleiter, Gerald

Submitted to: Decennial National Irrigation Symposium
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2010
Publication Date: 12/5/2010
Citation: Trout, T.J., Bausch, W.C., Buchleiter, G.W. 2010. Water Production Functions for Central Plains Crops. Decennial National Irrigation Symposium. Sponsored jointly by ASABE and the Irrigation Association Phoenix Convention Center Phoenix, Arizona December 5 - 8, 2010

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Sustaining irrigated agriculture with limited water supplies requires maximizing productivity per unit of water. Relationships between crop production and water consumed are basic information required to maximize productivity. This information can be used to determine if deficit irrigation is economically desirable and how to best manage limited water supplies. Field trials of corn, sunflower, dry bean, and wheat production with six levels of water application were used to develop water production functions based on consumptive use and to better understand water timing effects and crop responses to stress. Initial results indicate linear relationships between yield and crop ET and transpiration. The field data are being used to improve and validate crop models so they can be used to generalize the field results for other climate and soil characteristics. Keywords. Irrigation management, deficit irrigation, productivity, crop stress