NH023-0012
Circular Buffer Strips of Native Perennial Grasses to Improve Ecosystem Resilience of Center Pivot Irrigated Agriculture

Friday, 11 December 2020
Poster
Sangamesh Angadi, New Mexico State University Main Campus, Las Cruces, NM, United States, Rajan Ghimire, New Mexico State University, Agricultural Science Center, Clovis, NM, United States, Paramveer Singh, New Mexico State University Main Campus, Plant and Environmental Sciences, Las Cruces, NM, United States, Prasanna Gowda, USDA-ARS, El Reno, United States, Gary W. Marek, USDA ARS, Conservation and Production Research Laboratory, Bushland, TX, United States, John Idowu, New Mexico State University Main Campus, Extension Plant Science, Las Cruces, NM, United States and Umesh M.R., University of Agricultural Sciences at Raichur, Agronomy, Raichur, India
Abstract:
Irrigated agriculture in the Great Plains is facing multiple challenges including declining Ogallala aquifer, increasing climate extremes, loss of natural resources, decreasing soil health and declining biodiversity. Reducing irrigation well outputs in the region are creating partial pivots, where only part of the pivot is irrigated. An innovative research project of rearranging unirrigated part of the pivot into circular buffer strips of native perennial grasses alternating with crop strips to improve many ecosystem services including water cycle was initiated at Agricultural Research Center at Clovis. A mixture of seven tall growing cool and warm season grasses were planted in circular buffer strips in 2016. Grain corn was planted in strips alternating with grass strips during 2017 and 2018 to compare with corn planted in traditional way in adjacent pivot. The objective of this landscape level study is to assess temporal and spatial distribution of benefits from single and multiple buffers. Preliminary data indicates improvements in crop microclimate with buffers. They also conserved more water after a heavy rainfall event. The most significant observation was combine harvested corn yield, which integrates all benefits of circular buffer system in 8 row strips (6 m). In 2017, it showed 24% seed yield increase in the outer most 6 m and 9% in the inside strips. During 2018, all 12 strips extending 72 m from edge showed benefit of CBS. Preliminary data is also showing benefits to soil health, C and N sequestration, microbial diversity and greenhouse gas emissions, beneficial insect dynamics. The project will assess long-term benefits of the system, which are expected to be agronomic, environmental, economic and quality of life and develop quantitative relationships or models for easy adoption in newer area. With extensive use of center pivot irrigation and RTK-GPS systems in the region, the system can be easily adopted over entire Great Plains and also in other parts of the world. This unique concept will improve sustainability and resiliency of irrigated agriculture in the region.
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