Acre Feet Of Water Needed To Grow Alfalfa

Alfalfa is california s single la rgest agricultural water user due to the amount grown typically about 1 million acres and its long growing season.

Acre feet of water needed to grow alfalfa.

In fact on the average alfalfa needs about 6 of water in the soil available to the roots for each ton of dry matter produced. 1 alfalfa uses general info. Hay harvested at 12 moisture removes 240 lbs water ton hay or 1 800. On the average irrigated alfalfa will use approximately 4 to 5 inches of water for every ton of hay produced.

Anyone who has grown alfalfa even a few years knows it needs a lot of water to produce high tonnage. 2012 12 03 23 41 50 2012 12 03 23 41 50. 3 how to grow alfalfa. 8 alfalfa harvest yield per acre.

Not much water is exported with alfalfa hay. 4 alfalfa soil requirements variety selection weed management. From about mid april to early august daily water use of a good stand of alfalfa in the farmington area averages between 0 25 and 0 30 inch figure 1 and totals more than 30 inches during this time period. How much water is required to grow one acre of alfalfa.

Requirements for alfalfa are 20 to 46 inches of water per season depending on climate elevation growing season number of cuttings latitude and fall dormancy rating of the alfalfa variety. Seasonal alfalfa water applications generally. 6 alfalfa fertilizer requirements. 5 sowing and seeding rate of alfalfa.

A north dakota study shows that irrigators can expect alfalfa increases of 1 6 to 1 5 ton per acre per year for each inch of water applied until irrigation and precipitation water total 24. Alfalfa is a. Over the entire alfalfa growing season from dormancy break in february or march to the first frost in mid october however et totals 45 to 50 inches and should produce 8 tons of dry hay or more per acre. Kearney alfalfa and forage field day september 18 2015 parlier ca how much water does alfalfa need.

Seasonal alfalfa water applications generally range from 4 000 000 to 5 500 000 acre feet. 2 alfalfa plant information. 9 alfalfa crop rotation. 7 alfalfa water requirements.

A well fertilized healthy alfalfa crop may use as much as 8 inches of water from the soil in addition to 4 to 6 inches of water supplied by irrigation and rainfall before the first cutting.