Download - Alfalfa Management For Saline Soils
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Alfalfa Management
For Saline Soils Dr. Don Miller
Dir. of Product Development/Plant Breeder
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Alforex Seed is proud
to be a co-sponsor of
this Alfalfa U with
New Holland and
the High Plains Journal
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Alfalfa Forage Excellence
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CAL/WEST SEEDS & DAIRYLAND SEEDS
One of Largest Forage Breeding
Companies in North America
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Saline/Marginal Soils
In Broad terms the differences
between marginal soils are
based on:
-Dissolved salts
-Variations in pH
-Sodium (Na) content
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Saline and/or Marginal Soils
Soil Types:
Saline
Alkaline
Alkali
Are these the
same
????????????
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Saline Soil – High in dissolved salts EC>4
(Can vary as to pH)
Alkaline Soil – pH above 8.5
Alkali Soil – high levels of Sodium(Na)> 15%
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Factors Affecting Soil Structure
And Water Infiltration
Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR):
Ratio of soil extracts and irrigation waters
used to express the relative activity of
sodium ions in exchange reactions with soil.
*SAR>13 -> poor soil structure -> poor water
infiltration and percolation -> less leaching
of salts out of soil profile and root zone
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Saline Soils • Saline soil is defined as one with enough salts
in soil solutions to interfere with crop growth
• ECe > 4dS/m.
• Alfalfa ECe >2 ( 7.5% yield reduction per point
above 2 (non saline Tolerant alfalfa
varieties)
• Salts: most common sodium sulfate
(Na2SO4) and sodium chloride (NaCl)…
chlorides, sulfate, or bicarbonates of sodium,
calcium, magnesium, and potassium
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Salinity Overview
Problem Salt Areas in U.S. & Can
• Dry Environments or Irrigated
farm land
• Saline Seeps, High water
tables
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Farmington, New Mexico
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Water Quality
Good quality water
TDS<300 mg/L or EC 0.5dS/m
Poor quality water
TDS>300-800mg/L or EC of
0.5=> 1.2dS/m
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California Aqueduct Irrigation
water deposits 600-700 lbs of
salt per acre foot of water
applied.
A full irrigation season of 4 acre
feet deposits 1.2 tons of salt
per acre
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Manure high in salts
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Saline Seep Problems
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Very Wet Years
Long Term Problem
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Measuring Soil & Water Salinity Conversion Chart
% g/L Mpa bars EC or dS/m
0.50 5 -0.28 -0.3 7.8
0.75 7.5 -0.42 -4.2 11.7
1.00 10 -0.56 -5.6 15.6
1.25 12.5 -0.70 -7.0 19.4
1.50 15 -0.84 -8.4 23.3
1.75 17.5 -0.98 -9.8 27.2
2.00 20 -1.12 -11.2 31.1
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EC Meter
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Relative Salt Tolerance of
Agricultural Crops* (Yield Reduction Estimates**)
Crop 0% 10% 25% 50%
ECe ECw ECe ECw ECe ECw ECe ECw
Alfalfa 2 1.3 3.4 2.2 5.4 3.6 8.8 5.9
Barley 8 5.3 10 6.7 13 8.7 18 12
Bermuda
Grass
6.9 4.6 8.5 5.6 11 7.2 15 9.8
Corn 1.7 1.1 2.5 1.7 3.8 2.5 5.9 3.9
Sorghum 6.8 4.5 7.4 5 8.4 5.6 9.9 6.7
Sudangrass 2.8 1.9 5.1 3.4 8.6 5.7 14 9.6
Wheat 6 4 7.4 4.9 9.5 6.3 13 8.7
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ECe = 1.5 ECw
ECe = Means average root zone
salinity as measures by
electrical conductivity of the
saturation soil extract
ECw = electrical conductivity of
the irrigation water
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Soil and Water Management
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Soil Amendments
• Improves Soil Structure
• Follow Soil Lab
Recommendations
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Soil Amendments
• Sodic soils
(poor soil structure and water
infiltration)
• Gypsum
(provides calcium in high pH soils)
• Sulfur
(lowers pH to free up calcium)
• Manure or Organic matter
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Remediation of Saline Soils
Crop Rotation and Crop Selection
- Crop Species
- Tolerant to level of salinity
- As soil improves with
integrated soil and water
management, move to
higher value tolerant crops
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Plant Breeding
Solution ????
Alfalfa
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Salinity Affect
On Alfalfa Plant
Growth
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Reduction ECe
Data from USDA Soil Salinity Lab, Riverside, CA
Alfalfa Germination
No Limitations < 1.0
5-10% seedling mortality 1.0-2.0
10-35 % seedling mortality 2.0-4.0
35-75% seedling mortality 4.0-8.0
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Alfalfa Yield
Data from USDA Soil Salinity Lab, Riverside, CA
Reduction PPM ECe
Alfalfa “Threshold” 1286 2.0
Alfalfa 10% Yield Loss 2186 3.4
Alfalfa 25% Yield Loss 3472 5.4
Alfalfa Stops Growth 10228 16.0
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Alfalfa Breeding Objective
• Increase Alfalfa’s establishment
rate in Saline Soils (Germination)
• Increase Alfalfa’s Salinity
“Threshold” (Mature Plant)
• Reduce Yield loss due to Salinity
**Maintain Yield on Non-Saline Soils
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Salinity Tolerant Alfalfa
Multiple Cycles Original Population
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Yield Salt Screening in Containers
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Survival
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Salt Tolerant Alfalfa Selection
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Combined
Resistance
Testing
Salinity Tolerance: Conventional Breeding
(Non-GMO)
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Salt Trials
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California Salinity Trials
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Crop Salinity Index*
AC Saltlander 12.51
Tall Wheatgrass 11.73
Barley 8.29
Improved Saline
Tolerant Alfalfa 8.27†
Canola 8.00
Slender Wheatgrass 7.84
Alfalfa 6.79
Durum Wheat 5.20
Least Salt
Tolerance
Most Salt
Tolerance
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Salt Hot Spot in Alfalfa Field
EC= 4-8 (75% seedling mortality)
Each EC point above 2 = 7.5% yield loss
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Salinity Tolerant Variety:
Provides increased revenue on marginal land
PGI 427
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North Dakota Saline site
(4 yrs. Forage Yield)
Variety % Vernal
PGI 427 128
Rugged 128
Vernal 100
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Cisco II Alfalfa
Saline Ground (dairy)
Roswell, NM
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Maximizing your Profit
in Saline Soils:
New Saline Tolerant
Forage Varieties
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Salinity Tolerant Varieties • Varieties are now available with
improved germination and forage
production under saline stress.
• Common misconception: Saline
tolerant alfalfa’s are only for use
on saline soils. Good for all alfalfa
production!! Just has additional
beneficial trait, just like pest
resistance.
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Rugged
PGI 427
AFX 457
Magnum Salt
Cisco II
AC Saltlander
Varieties
Alfalfa
Grass
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Alfalfa Management with
Low to High Salt Levels • Conduct a soil and water test to
determine extent and severity of
salinity
• pH: optimal 6.5-7.5 ( 6-8.4)
• SAR < 13
• EC range 4-8 (soluble salts)
• EC Above 8 consider other species
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Saline Soils
pH: Saline soils can vary as to pH
• Salinity tolerance is independent of
pH tolerance.
Alfalfa optimal pH 6.5-7.5 ( 6 - 8.4 )
• Lime for acid soils
• Alkaline soils
- sulfur, acid fertilizers, gypsum
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Planting Considerations
For Saline Tolerant Varieties
• Realistic expectations!!
• Improved varieties can provide
improved stand establishment
and yield on marginal soils.
• Integrated approach to salinity
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Planting Considerations
- Seeding Rates (Plant on high end of recommended
rates for irrigated or dryland)
- Seed Mixtures (Two or more species can provide
broader adaptation in variable soils)
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Planting Considerations
- Planting Time
- Moisture
- Crusting
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Planting Considerations
- Seed placement /depth
(seed to soil contact)
- No-till drill
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Planting Considerations
Check Soil Fertility
Healthy plants
tolerate more stress
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Summary
1. Salinity problem requires
an integrated approach
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Summary 2. Improved saline tolerant
varieties help reduce size of
salt hot spots in field (more
productive acres on farm)
3. Saline tolerant varieties are
also top yielders in non
saline fields
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Managing
Saline Seeps
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Reduce the water table of
saline seeps by utilizing salt
tolerant alfalfa with tolerant
grass species
Long Term
Integrated Approach
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Alfalfa Saline Seep Control
Salt Tolerant Grass
(AC Saltlander)
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Soil
Water Table
Water
Alfalfa
Wet Low Ground
Alfalfa Extracting water from soil Profile
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Recharge Zone Planted to Alfalfa
Flooded Low Ground
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Be sure to cash in on the Grower
Rewards inside your Registration
Packet.
Enjoy this afternoons
program.
Thank You!