Buffelgrass, kleingross, "Catalina" lovegrass, "Cochise" lovegrass, bottlebrush, and sideoats grama grass were seeded on retired farmland in the Avra Valley west of Tucson in 1986 and again in 1987. Each grass species was seeded in plots that received no irrigation, or two establishment irrigations or four establishment irrigations. For both year's tests, buffelgrass had a significantly higher percent cover than the other grasses at three months after planting. In the evaluation of the 1986 test in October 1987, buffelgrass, kleingrass, Cochise lovegrass, and Catalina lovegrass had increased their presence in the irrigated plots from one year before and appeared promising for the revegetaion of retired farmland. Plots that did not receive establishment irrigations did not have significantly higher cover ratings than plots with no cover at all. The one exception to this was buffelgrass in the first evaluation of the 1986 test.

In July 1987, an experiment was initiated to evaluate the effects of water harvesting and establishment irrigations on the establishment and persistence of buffelgrass, kleingrass, and sideoats grama grass on retired farmland A density evaluation in November 1987 revealed a significant increase in percent cover of the grasses due to establishment irrigations. No significant differences were detected among water harvesting treatments or flat- disked controls. Evaluations will continue to measure any long-term effects from these treatments.

Fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) was seeded in 80 -inch wide water harvesting microcatchments on retired farmland west of Tucson. Eight months after planting the plots that had received one establishment irrigation and weeding had significantly more cover than the unirrigated and unweeded treatments. The percent cover of the uninigated /weeded and irrigated /unweeded treatments was not significantly different. Uninigated and unweeded plots had virtually no cover of saltbush. It appears that establishing saltbush in microcatchments of this size is not feasible without either an establishment irrigation or weed control.

DeKalb 656 and a new Northrup King hybrid, NK 7759, were the leading hybrids in both yields and adjusted gross income per acre. However, yields were lower than anticipated. The top yield was 8161 pounds per acre, providing an adjusted gross income of $480.30 per acre.

No description available.

A greenhouse experiment was conducted at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, to study the effects of sewage sludge loading rates on the vegetative growth, yield, and heavy metal contents of wheat grain and straw. Vegetative growth, grain and straw yields were similar whether wheat was fertilized with the recommended rate of inorganic N (112 kg/ha) or equivalent amounts of plant-available N from sewage sludge. Sewage sludge loading rates higher than three times the recommended plant- available N level delayed maturity and decreased wheat stands in the seedling stage; however, grain and straw yields were similar for all sewage sludge loading rates. Concentrations of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn) in wheat grain and straw and in the soil following each harvest were low and similar for all fertilizer treatments.

Eleven corn hybrids were grown for silage in Greenlee county in 1988. Excellent yields were recorded; the top hybrid, Northrup King's S 8505, produced nearly 40 tons per acre at 70% moisture. Laboratory analyses were run on samples from each hybrid; these analyses, plus calculations of crude protein and energy per acre were made.

Two pinto bean variety trials were grown in Greenlee and southern Graham counties. UI 114, the most commonly grown variety in both areas, was out yielded in both locations by other varieties. In Greenlee county, Luna, a New Mexico variety, surpassed UI 114 by approximately 100 pounds per acre. In Graham county, Olathe, a Colorado variety, out yielded UI 114 by more than 250 pounds per acre. At $40 per hundredweight, the latter difference translates into more than $100 per acre.

No description available.

In July of 1986 and 1987, we seeded bufelgrass, kleingrass, 'Catalina' lovegrass, "Cochise" lovegrass, bottlebrush, and sideoats grama grass on retired farmland in the Avra Valley west of Tucson. We seeded these grasses under three irrigation regimes: no establishment irrigation, two establishment irrigations, and four establishment irrigations. Establishment irrigations significantly increased the forage production of the grasses in the first two years of the 1986 planting and in the first year of the 1987 planting. Buffelgrass, kleingrass, and the lovegrasses appear to be promising species for vegetative cover on retired farmland.