2013 & 2014 Safflower Irrigation Research Results

Presentation by

L. Niel Allen Extension Irrigation Specialist

Earl Creech, Clark Israelsen, Mike PaceStudents Holly Kent and Phillip Castro

Logan, UtahFebruary 24, 2015

Irrigated Safflower

Adequate water is important to the production of high safflower yields.

Excess irrigation can reduce yields, increase late weed growth, and create an environment where safflower is more susceptible to Alternaria leaf spot.

Alternaria leaf spot is caused by fungi that grow on leaves of safflower and can decrease yield and is expensive to control. Disease occurs when spores land on leaves or stems, germinate in the presence of free moisture, and directly penetrate and infect the plant.

Introduction

Questions Investigated:

1. When and how often should safflower be irrigated?

2. At what growth stage should irrigation be terminated? and

3. How does irrigation impact Alternaria leaf spot?

Greenville Utah Agriculture Experiment Farm, North Logan, Utah

(field on Oct. 7, 2014 harvested on Oct. 9-10, 2014)

Safflower 20131,942 lbs./ac.

Winter Wheat 2012-20133,584 lbs./ac

Spring Grains 20132,888 lbs./ac.

Irrigation Plot Layout

2014 Cropping Information

Pre-plant fertilizer application of 70 lbs N per acre

April 12: Treated with Sonalan for weed control (2 pints per acre)

April 14: planted (8 days earlier than 2013) Seeding rate of 20 lbs per acre

Variety is #208

May 1: cotyledon leaf stage, some still coming up

June 11-14 : 1st irrigation (3 inches net avg.)

June 30 – July 2: 2nd irrigation (3 inches net avg.)

July 16-17: 3rd irrigation (3 inches net avg.)

Cropping Information

August 5: Fungicide application on half of each plot (Quadris Flowable) at 12 oz. per acre and (Exit Activator Adjuvant) at about 6 oz. per acre.

Oct 9-10: Harvested Plot Yield Samples. The seed had sprouted in the head.

Oct 17 and 20: Harvested remainder of plots. The seed had sprouted in the head.

Total yield of field (all buffers and plots) was 45,000 lbs on approximately 15 acres or about 3,000 lbs. per acre. 2013 yield was slightly less than 3,000 lbs. per acre.

Unique Conditions

Higher than average rains, particularly in July, August, and September.

Three different cropping patterns on plots in 2013 (safflower, spring grains, winter wheat).

Most of the harvested safflower seed had sprouted in the head.

Data Collected

Weather data from USU Greenville Farm station

Soil moisture samples taken periodically at 8 locations (2 for each irrigation level) May 20 through September 5.

Yield data for plots

Oil content, bushel weight, moisture percent

Seed Color Score

June 17, 2013 (first Irrigation June 11) June 24, 2013

July 15, 2013

July 18, 2013 (third and last irrigation)

July 22, 2013 (3 irrigations) July 22,2 013 (no irrigations)

2013 False Color Image (red is well irrigated)

August 3 (Aerial Photo and Irrigation level)

0

0

2

1

2

0

0

0

0

2 2

22 3

3

3

3

3

3

1

1

1

1

1

Difference between area treated with and without fungicide

September 19, 2013

August 22, 2014, NorthwestJuly 23, 2014 Northwest

July 23, 2014 Southeast

August 22, 2014, Northwest

July 25, 2014 (Southeast and Southwest Plots)

SE

SW

July 25, 2014 (Southeast and Southwest Plots)

SE

SW

July 25, 2014 (Northwest Field)

NE

2013 Safflower Yields

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Yie

ld (

lbs.

/ac.

)

Irrigation Amounts (inches)

Safflower Yield for Irrigation Levels (2013)

2013 Yields for Irrigation Levels and Fungicide Treatments

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

I-0 I-0 FT I-1 I-1 FT I-2 I-2 FT I-3 I-3 FT

2013 Safflower Average Yields for Irrigation Levels (I) and Fungicide Treatments (FT)

2014 Safflower Yield Map (North Plots)Back-to-Back Safflower

2014 Safflower Yield Map (South Plots) Small Grains Previous Year

2014 Safflower Yields v. Number or Irrigations

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

0 1 2 3

Yie

ld (

lbs/

ac)

Number of Irrigations

Effects of Irrigation 2014 Safflower Yield (all Data)

SE 2013 Winter Wheat SW 2013 Spring Grains NW 2013 Safflower

2014 Safflower Oil Content v Number of Irrigations

y = -1.1892x + 39.69R² = 0.6783

25

30

35

40

45

50

0 1 2 3

Oil

Con

tent

(%

)

Number of Irrigations

Effects of Irrigation on 2014 Safflower Oil Content (all Data)

2014 Safflower Yield v. Oil Content

25

30

35

40

45

50

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500

Oil

Con

tent

(%

)

Yield (lbs/ac)

Effects of 2014 Safflower Yield on Oil Content

Fungicide Treatment (half of each plot was treated on August 5, 2014

Fungicide treatment average 32 lbs/ac more, not significant

y = 0.9902x + 59.254R² = 0.9137

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500

Yie

ld w

ith

Fun

gici

de T

reat

men

t (l

bs/a

c)

Yield without Fungicide Treatment (lbs/ac)

Effects of Fungicide Treatment on Yield

Fungicide Treatment Half of each plot was treated on August 5, 2014Fungicide treatments color score was 0.4 higher

y = 0.774x + 1.6315R² = 0.7304

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Saff

low

er S

eed

Col

or S

core

wit

h F

ungi

cide

Safflower Seed Color Score without Fungicide

Effects of Fungicide Treatment on 2014 Safflower Seed Color Score

Fungicide Treatment (half of each plot was treated on August 5, 2014)

y = 0.5066x + 18.926R² = 0.7507

32

34

36

38

40

42

44

46

32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46

Saff

low

er S

eed

Oil

Con

tent

(%

) w

ith

Fun

gici

de

Safflower Seed Oil Content (%) without Fungicide

Effects of Fungicide Treatment on 2014 Safflower Seed Oil Content

Safflower Irrigation Management 2014

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

4/14/2014 5/14/2014 6/14/2014 7/14/2014 8/14/2014 9/14/2014 10/14/2014

Inch

es

Evapotranspiration (ET)Greenville Farm, Utah, 2014

Rain ETo

Safflower Irrigation Management (2014)

0

5

10

15

20

25

4/14/2014 5/14/2014 6/14/2014 7/14/2014 8/14/2014 9/14/2014 10/14/2014

Inch

es

Evapotranspiration (ET)Greenville Farm, Utah, 2014

Rain Irrigation ET Irrigation and Rain

Safflower Irrigation Management 2014 Soil Moisture for 3 irrigations

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

41795 41802 41809 41816 41823 41830 41837 41844 41851 41858 41865 41872 41879 41886 41893 41900 41907 41914

Water Mark Soil Moisture Reading(0 is wet and 255 is dry)

1 ft 2 ft. 3 ft. 4 ft. 5 ft.

Safflower Irrigation Management 2014 Soil Moisture for 1 irrigation

Sensors did not wet back up until the October

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

6/5/

2014

6/7/

2014

6/9/

2014

6/11

/201

4

6/13

/201

4

6/15

/201

4

6/17

/201

4

6/19

/201

4

6/21

/201

4

6/23

/201

4

6/25

/201

4

6/27

/201

4

6/29

/201

4

7/1/

2014

7/3/

2014

7/5/

2014

7/7/

2014

7/9/

2014

7/11

/201

4

7/13

/201

4

7/15

/201

4

7/17

/201

4

7/19

/201

4

7/21

/201

4

7/23

/201

4

7/25

/201

4

7/27

/201

4

7/29

/201

4

7/31

/201

4

8/2/

2014

8/4/

2014

8/6/

2014

8/8/

2014

8/10

/201

4

8/12

/201

4

Water Mark Sensor Data Safflower One Irrigation(0 is wet 250 is dry)

1 ft 2 ft. 3 ft. 4 ft. 5 ft.

Beginning Soil Moisture Most significant factor effecting field

across all locations and irrigation treatments

y = 349.68x - 3486.7R² = 0.8468

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

Yie

ld (

lbs.

/acr

e)

Soil Moisture (inches/5 feet )

2014 Safflower Yield for Beginning and ending Soil Moisture

Beginning Soil MoistureEnding Soil MositureLinear (Beginning Soil Moisture)

Beginning Soil Moisture Most significant factor effecting field

across all locations and irrigation treatments

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

10 12 14 16 18 20 22

Yie

ld (

lbs/

ac)

Total Soil Moisture top 5 feet (in.)

2014 Safflower Yield v. Beginning Soil Moisture

NW Safflower 2013 SW Spring Grain 2013 SE Winter Wheat 2013

Greenville Utah Agriculture Experiment Farm, North Logan, Utah

(field on Oct. 7, 2014 harvested on Oct. 9-10, 2014)

Safflower 20131,942 lbs./ac.

Winter Wheat 2012-20133,584 lbs./ac

Spring Grains 20132,888 lbs./ac.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

ET

(in

.)Total Cumulative ET for Irrigation Levels Safflower 2013 based on Soil

Moisture Measurement (top 5 feet), Precipitation and Irrigation

I-3 I-1 I-0 I-2 I-1 I-2

Safflower Seasonal Soil Water Depletion in top 5 feet (2013)

Location No. Irrigations Soil Water Depletion (in.)

ET (in.)

1 - E 3 6.27 18.68

2 - E 1 7.89 12.94

3 - E 0 6.65 8.68

4 - W 2 9.71 17.97

5 - W 1 8.85 15.01

6 - W 2 9.79 18.96

E is located on East side of mainline

W is located on West side of mainline

Precipitation May 1 - August 31 (2.02 inches)

Precipitation May 1 - May31 (1.77 inches)

0

5

10

15

20

25

11-Apr 1-May 21-May 10-Jun 30-Jun 20-Jul 9-Aug 29-Aug 18-Sep

ET

(IN

.)

Total Cumulative ET for Safflower 2014from soil moisture (top 5 feet), rain, and irrigation

The 24” ET may have had some deep percolation from three irrigations.

Summary2013 2014

The number of irrigations made effected the yields with a high significance level. There was the least difference in yield moving from 2 to 3 irrigations.

The alternaria leaf spot disease was not a significant factor in the yield.

The fungicide treatment resulted in improvement of slight yellowing and dark ends.

In 2013 there was very little rain in June, July, and August while the was maturing. The results could change during a year with higher precipitation.

The number of irrigations effected the yields when the beginning soil moisture was low.

The alternaria leaf spot disease was not a significant factor in the yield.

The most significant factor in yield was the initial soil moisture and previous year’s crop.

Back-to-back safflower production lowered resulted in lower yield than other plots.

In 2014 there were regular rains from June 17 through first part of October.

Additional Comments

High yields require high water use (about 20 inches).

Early water (May-June) or water stored in the ground is needed for high yields.

Late water (after mid-July) doesn’t increase yield if early water was not available (May – June).