Using straw in steep furrows to reduce soil erosion and increase dry bean yields

Brown, M.J. and Kemper, W.D. (1987) Using straw in steep furrows to reduce soil erosion and increase dry bean yields. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 42(3):187-191.

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Abstract

Furrow-irrigated fields often have different slopes along a furrow, which
tend to cause different water intakes and erosion rates. Irrigated furrows on the steeper
slopes develop narrow channels that reduce the wetted perimeter in the furrow. This results
in lower infiltration, and crops growing on the steep acres do not receive adequate water
for the highest crop yield. Plants growing adjacent to straw-treated furrows received 1.3
to 2.1 times as much irrigation water as plants growing next to untreated furrows. Dry
bean yield increases on the straw-treated furrows, compared to the untreated furrows,
ranged from 614 kg/ha to 1,306 kg/ha—a 21 % to 62 % increase, respectively. Also, sediment
yield reductions in the straw-treated furrows ranged from 69% to 90 % compared
to untreated furrows.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0599
Subjects:	Irrigated crops > Bean / dry bean Irrigation > Furrow irrigation > Erosion > Sraw residue Soil > Erosion Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:52
Last Modified:	13 Jan 2017 18:53
Item ID:	476
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/476