PAGE 4 D
HERALD AND NEWS, KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON
SUNDAY, JUNE 8, 1958
Tulelake Durum Wheat Research
Related By Calif. Farm Adviser
r
By K. G. BACnOTT
! Farm Adviser
' Tulelake, California
Field experiments with durum
wheat have been conducted in the
Tulelake area during the past five
years to determine the effect of
irrigation ana leruilzalion on the
yield ana quality of the wheat
The following are the results of
some of the trials. It is interest
ing to note that 84 pounds of nitro
gen coupled with a June irrigation
resulted in maximum yield and a
low chalk content of the durum
wheat. The. wheat protein as you
will note was also influenced by
both irrigation and fertilization.
Many farmers have cooperated on
this work the past two years. One
of our larger trials was on Ed
Seus' farm. Don Younker, Earl
Parsons, Wesley St. Peter, Don
Potter and the U.S. Fish and Wild
life Service have also cooperated
by allowing us to conduct plot tests
on their land.
Durum wneat was grown com
mercially for the first time in the
Tulelake Basin in 1955. Prior, to
that time field experiments had
demonstrated that the crop was
adaptable to the Basin's short
growing season. Experiments have
also shown that the quality and
yield of the durum wheat can be
controlled through irrigation and
fertilization.
Test plots conducted in the field
have demonstrated that yields of
durum wheat can be increased by
both fertilizer and proper timing
of irrigations. Quality can also be
controlled, to some degree, by
proper irrigation timing in maxi
mum yields on all fertilizer trials.
Where no fertilizer was applied,
a June irrigation resulted in equal
yields to a June-July or a June-July-August
irrigation. This is also
true where 42 pounds and 84 pounds
of ammoniacal nitrogen was ap
plied to the soil, prior to plant
ing time. In these fertilized plots,
only a slight increase in yield was
obtained over the check plots
when no irrigation was applied.
Where irrigations were applied,
each increment of nitrogen signi
ficantly increased yields, but the
S4 pounds of mtroeen and the 84
pounds of nitrogen and 60 pounds
of phospha'e treatments were sig
nificantly better than other treat
ments. Since there was a signifi
cant irrigation x fertilizer inter
action, indicating that both factors
contribute to produce the highest
grain yields, much of the increased
yield from the timely irrigation
is que to niirogen leruuzation. The
IRRIGATION
TREATMENT
single irrigation in June or mul
tiple irrigations where the first
irrigation application was made in
June-July, June-August or June-July-August
with nitrogen fertili
zation gave the highest yields. The
maximum economic yields were
produced with a June irrigation
with the use of 84 pounds of nitro
gen per acre.
The per cent protein of the dur
um wheat was affected by both
fertilization and irrigation. Where
no fertilizer was applied the aver
age protein for all irrigation treat
ments was 10.99 per cent. Where
42 pounds of nitrogen was applied
the protein was 11.12 per cent.
Where 84 pounds of nitrogen
was applied it was 11.80 per cent.
The average protein on all fer
tilized treatments with a June ir
rigation was 12.30 per cent. The
same treatments with a July irri
gation gave 11.96 per cent and an
August irrigation resulted in 11.-22
per cent protein. A June-July ir
rigation gave 10.96 per cent and
a June-August irrigation resulted
in 10.16 per cent. Irrigating in
July and August gave 12.16 per
cent protein and a June-July and
August irrigation produced an
average of 11.65 per cent protein.
These results show that a June
irrigation coupled with 84 pounds
of nitrogen or 84 pounds of nitro
gen with 60 pounds of phosphate
resulted in the highest protein
values of durum wheat.
Excess chalky - kernels (yellow
berry), results in the lowering of
the grade and milling quality of
durum wheat. Here again, both
fertilization and irrigation affected
the amount of chalk in the durum
wheat. The recommended June ir
rigation with no fertilizer, resulted
in 34 per cent chalk. Where 42
pounds of nitrogen per acre was
applied with a June irrigation, the
ciialk dropped to 9 per cent and
only raised to 12 per cent where
84 pounds of nitrogen was applied.
The June-July irrigation with no
fertilizer gave 30 per cent, 42
pounds of nitrogen 33 per cent
ana witn 84 pounds of nitrogen
the chalk dropped to 8 per cent.
A July irrigation with no fertiliz
er gave 12 per cent chalk while
42 pounds of nitrogen gave 13 per
cent, 84 pounds of nitrogen result
ed in only 7 per cent. An August
irrigation with no fertilizer gave
si per cent, 42 pounds of nitrogen
gave 42 per cent and 84 per cent
of nitrogen gave 17 per cent chalk.
The July-August irrigation with no
lertuizer gave 19 per cent. 42
pounds of nitrogen gave 21 per
cent and 84 pounds gave 12 per
cent chalk. It is interesting to
note that where no irrigation wa
ter Was applied and no fertilizer
used the chalk content was 7 per
cent, no irrigation witn 42 pounds
of nitrogen gave only 2 per cent
while 84 pounds of nitrogen gave
9 per cent chalk. Undoubtably the
irrigation of durum wheat, if im
properly timed and applied, can
increase the chalkyness of the dur
um wheat. Dryland durum plant
ings in the area have had less
difficulty with chalkyness and low
protein than the irrigated fields.
The results of these studies in
dicate that durum wheat quality
apparently can be controlled by
proper timing of irrigations,
Yield and quality of durum wheat
are both affected by irrigation and
fertilization. Wheat protein was the
highest where 84 pounds of nitro
gen and 60 pounds of phosphorous
was applied and the lowest where
no fertilizer was used. A June
irrigation resulted in the highest
protein percentage of all other ir
rigation treatments. Chalky wheat
kernels were held at a minimum
with no irrigations, the June and
July irrigations with 42 pounds
and 84 pounds of nitrogen also
resulted in low kernel chalk per
centage. The highest chalk was in
the August, June July, June
August and June-July-August irrigations.
Many farmers have asked me
about the use of foliar applica
tions of fertilizers on cereals. le
gumes and potatoes. Because the
requirements of plants for micro-
nutrients (trace elements) is rel
atively smad, these nutrients are
suited to foliar applications.
However the probability of con
trolling nitrogen, phosphorous, po
tasium and sulfur deficiencies by
louar fertilization are less prom
ising, these elements have been
shown to be absorbed by leaves
and readily translocated to roots
and regions where -rapid growth
is occuring. ine quantitative plant
requirements for these elements is
so much greater than for micro-
nutrients that several sprays at a
maximum safe concentration are
required to bring about yield re
sponses. Just how deficient the
soil may be before one can ex
pect a significant response to foliar-applied
micro-nutrients has not
been determined. Most experiment
stations report that tests indicate
that these levels are below those
required for profitable production.
We are cooperating with Dick
Falconer, Stan Buckingham and
Parasite Toll Can Be Held
This Is the time of year when
farmers should be watchful against
parasite problems in young farm
animals which have just been
weaned, according to a bulletin to
day from the American founda
tion for Animal Health.
Some of these parasites, such
as tapeworms, rob the host ani
mal of the nutritional elements in
feed. Others suck the blood of the
host animal and cause anemia.
Some parasites block small blood
vessels or penetrate intestinal
walls. Still others may damage the
animals livers or lungs.
In some parts of the country,
liver flukes cause death losses or
retard the growth of lambs and
calves. Lungworms also may
cause death or poor growth.
As preventive measures, foun
dation authorities suggested that
livestock be kept away from old
pastures, low swampy ground.
stale ponds', unclean water tanks,
and old barn lots.
A number of new medicines
have been developed which are
helpful both In preventing internal
parasites and in treating infected
Dick Fuller in attempting to find
out what gibberellic acid at five
parts per million will do to netted
gem potatoes. I treated the seed
pieces and those farmers have
planted this treated seed. We will
attempt to discover any yield dif
ferences, specific gravity and qual
ity of the potatoes, etc.. on these
trials this year.
the difference between desnair
and hope is often a good nights
sleep."
animals. However, the foundation
said they should be employed un
der veterinary direction, because
some are dangerous if not proper
ly used.
CHALK LINES
Lines drawn with a piece of tai
lor's chalk are easier to see than
those made with a pencil when
Masonite hardboards are being
marked for cutting or layout
work, according to Popular Me
chanics magazine. Light-colored
crayons also are - excellent for
such use.
Ford Trucks
Last Longer
on Hie
FARM
See your Farm
Truck Headquarters
BALSIGER
MOTOR CO.
Main at Esp. . Ph. TU 4-3121
FERTILIZATION TREATMENT
POUNDS NITROGEN FER ACRE
NONE j U2 N 8h N I y N I . AVERAGE
I 60 P2os
PERCENT! PROTEIN '
. I i
June 11.0U 12.77 12.79 13-03 12.30
July 11.85 i 11.85 12.39 11.75 11.96
August 10.73 I 10.55 11. 8U 11.78. 11.22
June & July 10.76 J lO.lil 11;29' 11.38 T.0.96
June 4: August 9.75 9.75 I 10.58 10.89 10.16
July & August .11.61 i 11.59 12.33 13.1U 12.16
June, July 4 Aug.' 11.21 10.9U 11.81 12.62 11.65
Average 10.99 11.12 J 11.80 12.08
CUdhoAisd . . .
CLINTON & WISCONSIN MOTOR
SALES & SERVICE
- PARTS. IN STOCK-
Bring Your Small Motor Service
- Problems, Any Make, To DALE
CARTER At '
J. V. KERNS SMALL SHOP
734 So. 6th
Phone TU 4-4197
EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTILIZATION AND IRRIGATION ON YIELD OF DURUM WHEAT
30001
2000
10001
v
y x
""H" iy Aug. June June July June
For All Your
Fencing
Needs See
So. 6th St. Steel
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Wire
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