The Nicola Valley, in the dry interior of British Columbia, is an important cattle ranching area. Alfalfa and grass hay are grown to provide winter feed for the cattle, but due to the low annual precipitation (9.5 ins. at Merritt) and high rate of evapotranspiration, irrigation is necessary. Of the licenced water supply, 95 percent is licensed to agricultural use. In this study, which is of the reconnaissance type, current irrigation practices within the area are described, and on the basis of available data and some field measurements, a method is developed from which irrigation and drainage requirements are determined for several typical locations. Seasonal evapotranspiration was estimated from readings obtained from an Ogopogo carborundum block evaporimeter, and for Merritt, Douglas Lake, and Quilchena, seasonal requirements were found to be 26, 19, and 24 acre ins./acre respectively. The leaching or drainage requirement was found to be low in the Nicola Valley. A local maximum value of 8.3 percent was found, but drainage water not exceeding one percent of consumptive use was estimated for an average season. It was considered advisable to add gypsum to irrigation waters in certain cases to prevent sodium alkali soils from developing; the more usual tests indicating sodium hazard gave unsatisfactory results. The concept of efficiency of water use requires some careful definition: it is pointed out that present definitions of water efficiency can be misleading. Conveyance efficiencies were found to be highly variable with seepage values of 8 percent to 96 percent per mile; efficiency of distribution of irrigation water within a field was taken from comparative data. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

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No description available.

Thesis (MTech (Agriculture))--Cape Technikon, 1998. / The drymatter - and animal production of nine lucerne cultivars were evaluated under dryland conditions with SA Mutton Merino sheep at Outeniqua Experimental Farm (George). The nine lucerne cultivars that were chosen for this experiment, were already evaluated in cutting trials for their drymatter production. They consist of one winterdormant cultivar (Alfagraze), two semi-winterdormant cultivars (WL 320 and Meteor), five intermediate-winterdormant cultivars (SA Standard, Standard Tygerhoek, Aurora, Diamond and WL Southern Special) and one winteractive cultivar (Cuf 101). The mild climate of this area resulted mainly in a difference in drymatter production between the most winterdormant cultivar (Alfagraze) and winteractive cultivar (Cuf 101). The only difference in the rate of production of winterdormant types appear in winter and spring. The production rate of the winterdormant and semi-winterdormant cultivars was lower in the winter than that of the intermediate winterdormant (WL Southern Special) and the winteractive cultivar (Cuf 101). The drymatter production of the semi-winterdormant cultivar (WL 320) was higher than that of the winteractive cultivar (Cuf 101) in spring. There is a seasonal difference in the drymatter production of lucerne cultivars from the same winterdormancy class. Some of the more winterdormant cultivars also achieve a comparable and even higher dry matter production than that of the more winteractive cultivars. This tendancy is prominant between the semi-winterdormant cultivars (WL 320 and Meteor). WL 320 has a higher dry matter production than Meteor. It also has a higher or equal production rate, dependant on the seasons, than the winteractive cultivar (Cuf 101). A similar tendancy appears in the intermediatewinterdormant cultivar (WL Southern Special). The seasonal drymatter production and production rate of this cultivar are the same as that of Cuf 101. The appearance of annual grasses and weeds had a seasonal influence on the availability of dry matter and animal production. The grass production increases over the years resulting in up to 20% increase of the green matter during winter and spring. The grazing capacity of the winterdormant cultivar (Alfagraze) has increased during this seasonal grass production. The lucerne cultivar with the highest drymatter production rate and the highest seasonal dry matter production, also had the highest grazing capacity. The yearly and seasonal grazing capacity of WL 320, Aurora, WL Southern Special and Cuf 101 was generally higher than most of the other cultivars. This was also the most important reason for the high live mass increase with these cultivars.

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Call number: LD2668 .T4 1985 M378 / Master of Science

The study of readily measurable agronomic traits which may estimate total dry matter production and the determination of their relationships with quality characteristics needs more emphasis in alfalfa breeding. The main objective of this study was the selection of specific stem weight (SSW) and its relationship to other agronomic and nutritive traits. A secondary study was on agronomic and nutritive traits and their relationship with one another. Means, standard deviations, analyses of variance, and correlations were obtained on 98 Mesa-Sirsa alfalfa clones for SSW, plant height, yield, leaf-stem ratio, stem acid detergent fiber (ADF), leaf ADF, stem acid detergent lignin (ADL), and leaf ADL. The means of SSW (70-47 mg/5 cm), plant height (58-48 cm), yield (52-23 g), leaf-stem ratio (2.1-1.0), stem ADF (45-42%), and stem ADL (10.1-9.1%) varied from one harvest to another depending on the temperature. Significant differences were observed among alfalfa clones on June 1980 for SSW, plant height, yield, leaf-stem ratio, stem ADF, stem ADL, and leaf ADL. Range values were as follows: SSW (92-53 mg/5 cm), plant height (70-41 cm), yield (82-22 g), leaf-stem ratio (1.6-0.6), stem ADF (50-36%) stem ADL (13-8%), leaf ADF (18-13%), and leaf ADL (5-3%). A low correlation was reported between stem ADF and SSW (0.34) and also was observed between stem ADF and leaf ADF (0.46). The SSW probably would be more effective in increasing total dry matter production in dense stands. The coarseness of the stem was not related with high fiber. High leaf ADF could be useful in selecting for leaf cells which are more resistant to rupture and would gradually release soluble protein in the rumen; thus, the incidence of bloat probably would be reduced. A low stem ADF would make the stem more digestible; therefore, intake of the stem fraction may be greater. With more coarse material in the rumen, salivary secretion might be stimulated. The SSW and stem ADF could be used to select individual genotypes which could increase growth and development and at the same time improve forage quality, since SSW and stem ADF are not related.

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