Irrigation Efficiency and Uniformity, and Crop Water Use Efficiency

This Extension Circular describes various irrigation efficiency, crop water use efficiency, and irrigation uniformity evaluation terms that are relevant to irrigation systems and management practices currently used in Nebraska, in other states, and around the world. The definitions and equations described can be used by crop consultants, irrigation district personnel, and university, state, and federal agency personnel to evaluate how efficiently irrigation water is applied and/or used by the crop, and can help to promote better or improved use of water resources in agriculture. As available water resources become scarcer, more emphasis is given to efficient use of irrigation water for maximum economic return and water resources sustainability. This requires appropriate methods of measuring and evaluating how effectively water extracted from a water source is used to produce crop yield. Inadequate irrigation application results in crop water stress and yield reduction. Excess irrigation application can result in pollution of water sources due to the loss of plant nutrients through leaching, runoff, and soil erosion

Irrigation Efficiency and Uniformity, and Crop Water Use Efficiency

This Extension Circular describes various irrigation efficiency, crop water use efficiency, and irrigation uniformity evaluation terms that are relevant to irrigation systems and management practices currently used in Nebraska, in other states, and around the world. The definitions and equations described can be used by crop consultants, irrigation district personnel, and university, state, and federal agency personnel to evaluate how efficiently irrigation water is applied and/or used by the crop, and can help to promote better or improved use of water resources in agriculture. As available water resources become scarcer, more emphasis is given to efficient use of irrigation water for maximum economic return and water resources sustainability. This requires appropriate methods of measuring and evaluating how effectively water extracted from a water source is used to produce crop yield. Inadequate irrigation application results in crop water stress and yield reduction. Excess irrigation application can result in pollution of water sources due to the loss of plant nutrients through leaching, runoff, and soil erosion

Proceedings of the 23rd annual Central Plains irrigation conference

Presented at Proceedings of the 23rd annual Central Plains irrigation conference held in Burlington, Colorado on February 22-23, 2011

Reducing the cost of pumping irrigation water

Irrigation accounts for a large portion of the energy used in Nebraska agriculture. The cost to pump irrigation water depends on the type of energy used to power the pumping unit. This document describes a method to estimate the cost of pumping water and to compare the amount of energy used to that for a well maintained and designed pumping plant. The results can help determine the feasibility of repairing the pumping plant

Proceedings of the 21st annual Central Plains irrigation conference, Colby Kansas, February 24-25, 2009

Presented at the 21st annual Central Plains irrigation conference on February 24-25, 2009 in Colby, Kansas

Pumping Plant Performance

Irrigation accounts for a large portion of the energy used in Nebraska agriculture. This paper describes a method to estimate the cost of pumping water and compares the amount of energy used by a properly designed and well-maintained pumping plant, represented by the Nebraska Pumping Plant Performance Criteria (NPPPC). The results can help determine the feasibility of repairing the pumping plant. Methods to compare energy sources are also presented. We recommend that you periodically arrange with a well drilling company to test the efficiency of your pump. Worksheets for pumping plant performance are included in the appendix

EC00-2540 Field Records for Restricted Use Pesticide Applications and Integrated Crop Management by Private Applicators

Private applicators must record their restricted use pesticide (RUP) applications, as required by the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade (FACT) Act of 1990. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service administers this activity. In Nebraska, RUP application records must be maintained for three years from the date of application. The certified pesticide applicator should retain these RUP records, but must be able to make them accessible for copying by authorized representatives. This booklet is a suggested guide for preliminary or final RUP application records

Updating the Nebraska Pumping Plant Performance Criteria

Irrigation water is removed from groundwater storage using deep well turbine pumps powered by electric motors or diesel, gasoline, propane, ethanol, or natural gas internal combustion engines. For best operating efficiency irrigation power units are selected to specifically meet the requirements of the irrigation system that include how deep the water in the well is under pumping conditions, the water pressure required at the pump outlet, and the system flow rate. The evaluation of pumping plants to establish pumping plant performance dates back into the 1950’s when researchers at the University of Nebraska were unable to directly compare the operation of an electrically powered pump installation to that powered by a diesel or other internal combustion engine. The solution to this issue was to develop performance criteria for each energy source that would be based upon the amount of work (water horsepower-hours) operators could expect if the system were well-designed and well-maintained. This performance criterion was referred to as the Nebraska Pumping Plant Performance Criteria (NPPPC) that is cited by irrigation design engineers worldwide. A new pumping plant testing program is under way to update the Nebraska Pumping Plant Performance Criteria for all energy types

Effect of rainfall timing and tillage on the transport of steroidhormones in runoff from manure amended row crop fields

Runoff generated from livestock manure amended row crop fields is one of the major pathways of hormone transport to the aquatic environment. The study determined the effects of manure handling, tillage methods, and rainfall timing on the occurrence and transport of steroid hormones in runoff from the row crop field. Stockpiled and composted manure from hormone treated and untreated animals were applied to test plots and subjected to two rainfall simulation events 30 days apart. During the two rainfall simulation events, detection of any steroid hormone or metabolites was identified in 8–86% of runoff samples from any tillage and manure treatment. The most commonly detected hormones were 17 _estradiol, estrone, estriol, testosterone, and _zearalenol at concentrations ranging up to 100–200 ng L−1. Considering the maximum detected concentrations in runoff, no more than 10% of the applied hormone can be transported through the dissolved phase of runoff. Results from the study indicate that hormones can persist in soils receiving livestock manure over an extended period of time and the dissolved phase of hormone in runoff is not the preferred pathway of transport from the manure applied fields irrespective of tillage treatments and timing of rainfall

Effect of Composting on the Fate of Steroids in Beef Cattle Manure

In this study, the fate of steroid hormones in beef cattle manure composting is evaluated. The fate of 16 steroids and metabolites was evaluated in composted manure from beef cattle administered growth promotants and from beef cattle with no steroid hormone implants. The fate of estrogens (primary detected as estrone), androgens, progesterone, and the fusarium metabolite and implant a-zearalanol was monitored in manure compost piles. First-order decay rates were calculated for steroid half-lives in compost and ranged from 8 d for androsterone to 69 d for 4-androstenedione. Other steroid concentration data could not be fit to first-order decay models, which may indicate that microbial processes may result in steroid production or synthesis in composting systems. We demonstrate that composting is an effective strategy to remove steroid hormones from manure. Total steroid hormone removal in composted beef cattle manure ranged from 79 to 87%