MN Fruit & Vegetable IPM News - Vol. 1, No. 2

Evapotranspiration (or ET) is the most commonly used measure of crop water use. With the advent of the World Wide Web, it is now easy to monitor ET over large areas of MN and WI. Although daily water use for most crops will not likely reach full potential for a few weeks, it is good to start planning now and to review resources available in MN and WI. Keeping track of daily crop water usage (ET) can greatly assist in optimizing irrigation frequency and overall water use.

For most crops in full canopy and flowering, its generally best to start irrigating when the soil water in the rooting zone has depleted 1/2 to 3/4 inches of water, depending on the crop’s rooting depth and the water holding capacity of the soil.

As in recent years, growers can follow recent ET potentials for different locations across the state by viewing the color-coded map available on the WWW at the following address (Click “WATER”): http://www.soils.wi sc.edu/wimnext/. An Excel spreadsheet is also available for downloading to each track of the daily ETs and associated irrigated field soil water balance.

These estimated daily ETs for a specific location within MN-WI (as well as MI, OH, IN) can be sent via email every morning if requested via the contact address located at the above web site.

Daily ET information for certain local locations in Minnesota may also be obtained from the following offices:

East Otter Tail SWCD office @ Perham (218) 346-4260 ext 3
Hubbard SWCD office @ Park Rapids (218) 732-1963
Sherburne SWCD office @ Big Lake 763-241-1170 ext 3
U of M - West Central ROC @ Morris (320) 589-1711

Regular in-field soil moisture checking and keeping track of a crop’s daily ET use can go a long way in helping you optimize the crop’s growth while reducing the potential for leaching of some crop inputs like nitrogen into the groundwater.

Information on how to use daily crop ET information is reviewed in University of Minnesota Extension Service’s Irrigation Scheduling bulletin #1322 that is fully viewable at http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/cropsystems/DC1322.html. Other information can be obtained from Jerry Wright, Extension Engineer, via email at jwright@umn.edu, or by calling at the West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris, MN at (320) 589-1711.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Co-Editors: Bill Hutchison, Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, hutch002@umn.edu
Jeanne Ciborowski, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Ag. Resources Division,jeanne.ciborowski@state.mn.us
Suzanne Wold-Burkness, Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, woldx018@umn.edu

The Newsletter is published weekly from May through August, cooperatively, by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the University of Minnesota (U of MN). Reports are posted on the U of MN and MDA web sites on Fridays. If you have suggestions and/or comments, please send your contributions by 4 p.m., Tuesday to Jeanne Ciborowski, 651-297-3217, jeanne.ciborowski@state.mn.us , MDA, 90 W. Plato Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55107-2094. You can access the Newsletter at the U of MN web site in htm. format at: www.vegedge.umn.edu/MNFruit&VegNews/mnindex.htm and at the MDA web site in pdf. format at: www.mda.state.mn.us/biocon/fruitreports/default.htm

Partial funding for this publication is provided through partnership agreements with the Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and the United States Department of Agriculture – Risk Management Agency (RMA) and the RMA Community Outreach and Assistance Partnership Program. These institutions are equal opportunity providers.

DISCLAIMER

References to products in this publication is not intended to be an endorsement to the exclusion of others which may have similar uses. Any person using products listed in this publication assumes full responsibility for their use in accordance with current manufacturer directions.

Last Revised May 14, 2004.
The University, including the Minnesota Extension Service, is an equal opportunity educator and employer. ©1999-2004 Minnesota Extension Service, University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Contact copyright@extension.umn.edu for information on reproduction or use of this material.