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Moisture Storage and Use by Dryland Spring Wheat Cropping Systems¹

ABSTRACT

Soil moisture data collected at Mandan, North Dakota from 1915 to 1954 were summarized to compare water storage and use from soil annually cropped to spring wheat and alternately fallowed and cropped to spring wheat. Consecutive 2-year periods were used for the comparisons. The periods of study began with time of harvest.

Water storage was similar for both systems from harvest to June 1 of the first year. Eighty-four percent of the water stored during an entire fallow period had accumulated by July 1. Conservation of water over the second winter of fallow averaged only 0.02 inch. For the same period of time, the annually cropped soil conserved 1.67 inches. During an entire fallow period (about 21 months) only 4.36 inches of a possible 22.73 inches were stored. For the same period, an annually cropped soil stored 2.60 inches.

Only 4 more inches of water was used by the annual cropping system in producing a wheat crop averaging 15 bushels per acre than was used during the same period by fallow where a crop had not been grown.

¹ Contribution from the Soil and Water Conservation Research Division, ARS, USDA. Presented before Div. VI, Soil Science Society of America, Nov. 29, 1961, at St. Louis, Mo.

² Soil Scientists, Northern Plains Branch, Soil and Water Conservation Research Division, ARS, USDA, Mandan, North Dakota. The authors are indebted to Mr. J. C. Thysell for the collection of soil moisture samples during the major portion of the study.

Received for publication October 16, 1961. Accepted for publication December 22, 1961.