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Irrigated Agroecosystem Component
Photo Gallery
Biofuel Variety Trials
Conventional field cropping systems have been criticized
as being unsustainable because they contribute to environmental
degradation (on-farm and off-farm), and are often economically uncertain.
Reducing production costs, through the use of conservation tillage
and reducing inputs as a means of increasing environmental and economic
sustainability of cropping systems are needed. There is a critical
need to develop management technologies to improve soil quality
with adaptation of suitable cover crops for off season soil management,
and reduced tillage and weed management. Cropping systems which
optimize rotational crops in irrigated light texture soils are needed
to maximize yield, crop quality and minimize potential adverse impacts
on soil and water resources. Two long-term cropping systems experiments
have been established to evaluate the sustainability of reduced-till,
and conventional till cropping systems and the use of fall-planted
cover crops in irrigated rotations. The major focus of this research
is to evaluate the sustainability of the irrigated production systems
by measuring agronomic performance, soil quality, nutrient dynamics,
soil biological activity and determine and understand the mechanisms
controlling carbon and nitrogen cycling and trace gas (CO2,
N2O, CH4) fluxes under reduced tillage in
irrigated cropping systems. This research will provide a greater
understanding of the relative sustainability of conventional and
alternative cropping systems, identify key challenges to increased
sustainability, and develop a better understanding of mechanisms
controlling ecological processes.
We will establish large-scale, irrigated cropping
system experiments near Prosser, Washington at WSU and USDA-ARS
irrigated research facilities. These experimental sites have
research infrastructure and support personnel that are required
to achieve our objectives. These sites will be the focus of intensive
measurements and modeling of energy, water, carbon, and nitrogen-related
processes that assess management and environmental controls over
seasonal dynamics. Specific management practices evaluated in irrigated
cropping systems include low disturbance systems (conservation tillage
and no-tillage), water and energy conservation practices (reduced
tillage, drip irrigation systems), crop diversification (use of
cover crops, perennial crops) and precision agriculture applications
(water, nitrogen, crop diversity). We will implement field demonstrations
of the most promising systems on working farms and monitor the performance,
both biologically and economically, for comparison with the projections.
View image of Irrigated
Sample Design (PDF file).
Field research and monitoring begins in Spring 2004.
For more information on the irrigated component contact
Hal Collins, USDA-ARS.
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Updated
May 10, 2005
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