Author : Vijaya Raj Joshi
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781339679761
Total Pages : 150 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (797 download)
Book Synopsis Irrigation Management for Confection Sunflower Production in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming by : Vijaya Raj Joshi
Download or read book Irrigation Management for Confection Sunflower Production in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming written by Vijaya Raj Joshi and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Confection sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) has become an increasingly important cash crop in Wyoming, especially in the Bighorn Basin region. Wyoming is the fifth driest state in the U.S. and drought is a constant threat in the region. Therefore, judicious irrigation management options are essential for sustainable crop production. Although sunflower is considered a crop of low to medium sensitivity to drought, its response to water and agronomic management practices are still need to be explored, especially for confectionary genotypes. The objective of this thesis was to develop efficient irrigation strategies and agronomic practices for confection sunflower production in the Bighorn Basin region of Wyoming and similar environments. The results showed that irrigation, planting date and plant population have profound effect on growth, yield and yield quality of confection sunflower. Irrigation of confection sunflower grown on a clay-loam soil may be terminated as early as at R5.5 stage without significant yield reduction but to late stages if grown on coarse soils. Our study showed higher yield of confection sunflower if planted on the late May. Planting date affected the yield of confection sunflower by causing significant variations in head diameter and seed number per head. Our studies also showed the possibility to limit irrigation in confection sunflower production during vegetative and early reproductive stages without significant yield loss. The economic analyses showed that confection sunflower production is profitable at low planting density. However, irrigation strategies, optimum planting period and level of plant population might need to be reconsidered depending upon the climate, soil type, genotype and agronomic practices.