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Effects of Water Quality on Forage Production¹

ABSTRACT

Field studies were conducted during a 4-year period to determine the influence of water quality on forage production. Three levels of blow down water (used to cool the electrical generating facility) (EC = 12 mmhos/cm, SAR = 11) and city water (EC = 1.5 mmhos/cm, SAR = 4.3) were used to irrigate alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and fourwinged saltbush [Atriplex canescens (Pursh.) Nutt.]. Forage stands were initiated in 1975 on a Friona fine sandy loam which is a fine-loamy, mixed, thermic, Petrocalcic Paleustoll. Alfalfa yields responded positively to irrigation. The highest yield occurred in the high-irrigation city water treatment followed by the high-irrigation blow down water treatment. The medium-irrigation levels produced intermediate yields, with the dryland production decreasing during the span of the experiment. Atriplex yields were not significantly affected by irrigation. There was no difference in forage production with respect to irrigation with either city or blow down water.

The results of this experiment indicate that both alfalfa and Atriplex can utilize blow down water as an irrigation water source. From a forage management perspective, however, there is a difference between the crops. Alfalfa responds to water additions with increased forage production, whereas Atriplex does not under these conditions.

Key Words: blow down water • irrigation • alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) • fourwinged saltbush [Atriplex canescens (Pursh.) Nutt.] • basin irrigation • electrical conductivity (EC) • sodium adsorption ratio (SAR

¹ Contribution from the Dep. of Plant and Soil Science and the Dep. of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock, TX 79409.

² Assistant Professor; former Graduate Research Assistant, now Area Agronomist, Weslaco, Tex.; Associate Professor; and Graduate Research Assistant, respectively.

Received for publication April 25, 1979.