• Evaluating an in-situ, Low-Cost Soil CO2 Sensor as a Soil Health Assessment Tool in Agricultural Soils

      Sanyal, Debankur; Heun, John; Stackpole, Charles; Andrade-Sanchez, Pedro (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-12)
      Measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from agricultural soils are essential to understand the journey of an agricultural operation toward sustainability. Existing commercial technologies to measure CO2 emissions are expensive and require advanced technical knowledge. A new, low-cost, in-situ CO2-measuring device was designed and standardized by the authors to upscale CO2 emission measurements in commercial agricultural operations, spatially and temporally. We present an initial report from our preliminary studies as we measured CO2 emissions in different agroecosystems and compared different management strategies. Diurnal soil respiration or CO2 emission was also measured under different weather conditions. We coined the term, Potential Soil Respiration or PSR, to indicate the CO2 emission from soils with actively growing crops. Our data revealed that cover cropping influenced carbon storage in the soil while fallowing continued to lose soil carbon in a cotton production system, which was correlated with plant vigor. We are also working toward integrating this sensory system with other existing or new sensory systems to be deployed in commercial agricultural operations for effective natural resource management and environmental stewardship.
    • Recurring Topics of Breakout Group Discussions at the 2023 Arizona Viticulture Summit

      Weiss, Jeremy; Halldorson, Matthew; Rauluk, Valerie; Duval, Dari; Sherman, Joshua (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-10)
      University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, in collaboration with Visit Southern Arizona and Designing Arizona Signatures, organized and presented the Arizona Viticulture Summit on March 6 and 7, 2023. The purpose of the two-day summit was for growers and winemakers in attendance to help detail and expand research and extension plans through discussions of current needs and priorities. Participants also reviewed and assessed different innovation models and technologies potentially relevant to wine grape growing.
    • Research Report Winter Cereal Variety Evaluation at Maricopa, 2019

      Ottman, Michael J.; Coblentz, Wayne K. (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-10)
      Winter cereals for forage are displacing durum for grain in many areas of Arizona due to the demands of the dairy and beef cattle industry. The University of Arizona has only sporadically tested winter cereals for forage. This trial was initiated at the request of the dairy industry and may be conducted annually depending on demand for this information and available funding.
    • Research Report Winter Cereal Variety Evaluation at Maricopa, 2020

      Ottman, Michael J.; Coblentz, Wayne K. (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-09)
      Winter cereals for forage are displacing durum for grain in many areas of Arizona due to the demands of the dairy and beef cattle industry. The University of Arizona has only sporadically tested winter cereals for forage. This tria was initiated at the request of the dairy industry and may be conducted in the future depending on demand for thi information and available funding.
    • Arizona’s Seasonal Role in National Supply of Vegetable & Melon Specialty Crops

      Duval, Dari (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-09)
      Arizona’s agricultural industries are diverse, producing a wide variety of field crops, orchard crops, fruits and vegetables, livestock, and livestock products. Western Arizona, including the Yuma area, and Central Arizona to a lesser extent, play niche roles in the production of specialty vegetable and melon crops. Because of geography and climate, Western and Central Arizona serve as the leading source and at times even exclusive source of certain commodities at the national level. This analysis provides an overview of Arizona’s seasonal role in supplying certain commodities nationally.
    • Yuma Soil Health Survey 2022: A Discussion on POX-C, PMN, and Soil Protein

      Sanyal, Debankur; Stackpole, Charles; Masson, Robert (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-08)
      Improving soil health is gaining significant attention as we are facing extreme climatic adversities along with water scarcity, especially in the desert Southwest. Healthy soils are more resilient to biotic and abiotic stresses. There are several soil health indicators that are recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), but to manage desert soils, we need to know how best to assess soil health in a desert ecosystem. Therefore, a pilot study was designed to identify soil health indicators that are contributing to ‘soil health’ in the desert ecosystems of Arizona.
    • Managing ratooned guayule in the Southwestern United States

      Elshikha, Diaa Eldin (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-08)
      In Arizona, sufficient water supply for agriculture has become a growing concern for farmers due to drought and the depletion of groundwater supply. Therefore, crops like guayule that provide economic value while consuming less water will be needed. Since guayule follows a perennial lifecycle, it can be cut and regrown multiple times after the initial harvest with a process called ratooning. In general, ratooned guayule requires less water than replanting as more water is needed at crop establishment to support seedlings than is needed to regrow mature plants. This can result in lower irrigation costs if an optimized irrigation regime is adopted. The following guide leverages data from several years of Arizona grown guayule and provides a specialized irrigation strategy in terms of irrigation amounts and timing to save water and optimize growth for ratooned guayule.
    • Evaluating Forage Cover Crop Mixes for the Desert Southwest

      Sanyal, Debankur; Stackpole, Charles; Megdal, Sharon B. (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-08)
      Cover crops are essential tools to improve soil health and productivity1. Traditionally, cover crops are used as ‘green manures’ where the cover crops are not harvested but incorporated into the ground to boost soil health and fertility. Therefore, it has become a common perception that cover crops are meant to be incorporated into the soil. In the desert Southwest, water scarcity forces the producers to utilize water more strategically, and green manure cover crops may not be an economically sustainable option for farmers in the desert.
    • Consumptive Water Use of Pecans in Southern Arizona

      Brown, Paul W.; Walworth, James L. (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-07)
      The production of pecans [Carya Illinoinensis (Wangeh.) K. Koch] in Arizona has increased substantially in recent years (Parsons, 2017; Murphree, 2020). A recent economic impact study indicates more than 30,000 acres of pecans are now established in Arizona, nearly double the acreage reported in 2013 (Duval et al., 2019). The majority of Arizona pecan orchards are located in Southern Arizona
    • Guayule Cultivation and Irrigation Methods for the Southwestern United States

      Elshikha, Diaa Eldin (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-03)
      As water becomes scarce in Arizona there is a desire by growers to grow crops that use less water. With hundreds of acres already planted across the state and the plan to scale to 10,000 acres over the course of three years, guayule has become a more water wise crop than traditional desert row crops like silage corn, alfalfa, and cotton. In this guide, cultivation and irrigation methods will be discussed to increase area under guayule across the state.
    • Using Drones for Management of Crops

      Elshikha, Diaa Eldin (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-02)
      A wide range of circumstances adversely affect crop growth and plant health. Crops are susceptible to disease (insects, fungus, etc.), improper levels of nutrients in the soil and availability of water, all of which impact a plant’s growth and yield.
    • Water Irrigation Efficiency Program

      Orr, Ethan; Masson, Robert; Brennan, Stephanie (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-02)
      Agriculture in the American Southwest provides the nation with high quality food, feed, and fiber. Blessed with hot summers, mild winters, and dry climates Arizona has become a center for growing specialty crops of unparalleled quality. In our current climate, one of the most limiting factors to crop production in Arizona is water availability, driving the desire for more conservative use on the farm. State funding has been allocated to assist commercial growers transitioning to more efficient wateruse practices. Reimbursement grants will be awarded up to $1,500 per acre to support infrastructure costs of farms transitioning away from flood irrigation to more efficient technologies, expected to provide a 20% or greater water savings. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension group is tasked with administering the reimbursement grants and will assist growers with understanding available options and development of best use practices.
    • Growing and Selling Seed in Arizona: An Overview of Policy and Regulations

      Thompson, Anita B. (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-02)
      Insight into the seed industry in Arizona can be confusing for new seed farmers and companies entering the business of seed production. Seeds can be grown in Arizona for fruit and vegetable production, forage for livestock, food or non-food products, and land restoration purposes. The Seed Trade Association of Arizona (STAA) stated “Arizona produces millions of dollars’ worth of seed that is distributed throughout the world.” Unfortunately, there is no readily available data as to the impact the Arizona seed industry has on state and local economies and how much seed is grown in the state specifically for consumer use.
    • Enterprise Budgets: Silage Corn, Flood Irrigated, Southern Arizona

      Evancho, Blase; Ollerton, Paco; Teegerstorm, Trent; Seavert, Clark (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-02)
      This enterprise budget estimates the typical economic costs and returns to grow silage corn using flood irrigation in southern Arizona. It should be used as a guide to estimate actual costs and returns and is not representative of any farm. The assumptions used in constructing this budget are discussed below. Assistance provided by area producers and agribusinesses is much appreciated.
    • Enterprise Budgets: Durum Wheat, Following Cotton, Flood Irrigated, Southern Arizona

      Evancho, Blase; Ollerton, Paco; Teegerstorm, Trent; Seavert, Clark (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-02)
      This enterprise budget estimates the typical economic costs and returns to grow durum wheat after a cotton crop using flood irrigation in southern Arizona. It should be used as a guide to estimate actual costs and returns and is not representative of any farm. The assumptions used in constructing this budget are discussed below. Assistance provided by area producers and agribusinesses is much appreciated.
    • Enterprise Budgets: Spring Barley, Following Cotton, Flood Irrigated, Southern Arizona

      Evancho, Blase; Ollerton, Paco; Teegerstorm, Trent; Seavert, Clark (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-02)
      This enterprise budget estimates the typical economic costs and returns to grow spring barley after a cotton crop using flood irrigation in southern Arizona. It should be used as a guide to estimate actual costs and returns and is not representative of any farm. The assumptions used in constructing this budget are discussed below. Assistance provided by area producers and agribusinesses is much appreciated.
    • Enterprise Budgets: Guayule, Flood Irrigated, Southern Arizona

      Teegerstrom, Trent; Seavert, Clark; Gutierrez, Paul; Summers, Hailey; Sproul, Evan; Evancho, Blase; Ollerton, Paco (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-02)
      This series of enterprise budgets estimate the typical economic costs and returns to establish, grow, and harvest guayule over a six-year period, using flood irrigation in southern Arizona. It should be used as a guide to estimate actual costs and returns and is not representative of any farm. The assumptions used in constructing these budgets are discussed below. Assistance provided by area producers and agribusinesses is much appreciated.
    • Enterprise Budgets: Alfalfa Hay Production, Flood Irrigated, Southern Arizona

      Evancho, Blase; Ollerton, Paco; Teegerstorm, Trent; Seavert, Clark (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-02)
      This enterprise budget estimates the typical economic costs and returns to grow alfalfa hay using flood irrigation in southern Arizona. It should be used as a guide to estimate actual costs and returns and is not representative of any farm. The assumptions used in constructing this budget are discussed below. Assistance provided by area producers and agribusinesses is much appreciated.
    • Enterprise Budgets: Cotton, Flood Irrigated, Southern Arizona

      Evancho, Blase; Ollerton, Paco; Teegerstorm, Trent; Seavert, Clark (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-02)
      This enterprise budget estimates the typical economic costs and returns to grow cotton using flood irrigation in southern Arizona. It should be used as a guide to estimate actual costs and returns and is not representative of any farm. The assumptions used in constructing this budget are discussed below. Assistance provided by area producers and agribusinesses is much appreciated.
    • Enterprise Budgets: Fallow, Southern Arizona

      Evancho, Blase; Ollerton, Paco; Teegerstorm, Trent; Seavert, Clark (College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2023-02)
      This enterprise budget estimates the typical economic costs to maintain land in fallow in southern Arizona. It should be used as a guide to estimate actual costs and is not representative of any farm. The assumptions used in constructing this budget are discussed below. Assistance provided by area producers and agribusinesses is much appreciated.