Effect of irrigation application depth on cereal production in the semi-arid climate of southern Alberta

Different water application depths and irrigation intervals were compared for two cereal crops in southern Alberta. Four irrigation treatments and three fertilizer N treatments were applied to soft white wheat in 1987 and 1988 and barley in 1989 and 1990 on a Lethbridge loam. The treatments were light, frequent irrigation for the whole growing season (F), conventional irrigation for the whole growing season (C), light, frequent irrigation until heading, followed by conventional irrigation (FC), and conventional irrigation until heading, followed by light, frequent irrigation (CF). Fertilizer N as ammonium nitrate was broadcast in the spring at 0, 60 and 120 kg N ha^-1. Light frequent irrigations for the entire growing season increased wheat straw yield compared to the conventional irrigation treatment (5211kg ha^-1 vs 4152 kg ha^-1, respectively). Straw yield with F irrigation for part of the growing season was intermediate between the other two irrigation treatments. Irrigation treatment did not affect soft white wheat grain yield. Barley straw yield was not affected by irrigation treatment but barley grain yield was greater for the C irrigation treatment than the F and FC treatments (4924 kg ha^-1 vs 4177 kg ha^-1, respectively). Lodging was evident in the barley crops, particularly with F irrigation in the first half of the growing season. Grain/straw ratios were greater for the C than the other irrigation treatments. Higher water use in the F than the C treatment in the higher water stress years (1988 and 1989) was balanced with greater vegetative growth. In the lower water stress growing seasons (1987 and 1990), higher water use in the C than the F treatment was attributed to deep percolation. Water use efficiency (WUE) was generally not affected by irrigation treatment except for barley in 1989, when lower WUE values in the F than the C treatment were associated with severe lodging.