Durum growers were surveyed in cooperation with the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service to determine production practices and their effects on yield and protein in the 2006 growing season. The survey was conducted in three regions: West (Yuma and La Paz counties), Central (Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima counties), and East (Cochise and Graham counties). Most of the durum in Arizona is grown in these three regions. We obtained responses from 83 out of an estimated 166 durum growers (50%) representing 46,331 out of 79,000 acres (59%). Durum was grown following cotton (41%), vegetables (27%), lettuce (16%), or other crops. The major varieties were Orita (30%), Kronos (25%), Ocotillo (16%), and Sky (11%). Herbicide was applied on 64% of the acreage. Flood irrigation systems accounted for 69% of the acreage, followed by furrow (17%). The crop was irrigated 6-7 times on average. The predominant soil texture was a sandy clay loam (36%), followed by sandy loam (35%) and clay loam (12%). The average planting date (germination irrigation applied) was December 21 in the Central region, January 4 in the West region and February 7 in the East region. The seed was planted at an average rate of 165 lbs/acre. Phosphorus was applied to only a third of the acreage, but when it was applied, the rate averaged 71 lbs P2O5/acre. Nitrogen rate averaged 224 lbs N/acre. Increased yield was associated with amendment application in the West region; certain varieties, amendment application, seeding rate between 120 and 159 lbs/acre, and nitrogen rate over 200 lbs N/acre in the Central region; and a seeding rate between 140 and 159 lbs/acre in the East region. Increased grain protein was associated with a previous crop of lettuce, lack of phosphorus application, and irrigation number in the West region; and a seeding rate of 140 to 159 lbs/acre and lack of phosphorus application in the East region. This survey documents associations, not cause-and-effect relationships, among durum production practices, yield, and protein.

Durum growers were surveyed in cooperation with the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service to determine production practices and their effects on yield and protein in the 2006 growing season. The survey was conducted in two regions: West (Yuma and La Paz counties) and Central (Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima counties). These two regions represent about 95% of the durum acreage. We obtained responses from 85 out of an estimated 170 durum growers (50%) representing 40,580 out of 70,000 acres (58%). Durum was grown following vegetables (42%), cotton (41%), lettuce (12%), or other crops. The predominant soil texture was a sandy clay loam (47%), followed by sandy loam (30%) and clay loam (16%). Herbicide was applied on 52% of the acreage. The major varieties were Kronos (26%), Ocotillo (20%), Alamo (16%), and Orita (16%). Flood irrigation systems accounted for 87% of the acreage, followed by furrow (11%). The crop was typically irrigated 6 times. The average planting date (irrigation applied) was December 27 in the Central region and January 4 in the West region. The seed was planted at an average rate of 160 lbs/acre. Phosphorus was applied to only a quarter of the acreage, but when it was applied, the rate averaged 65 lbs P2O5/acre. Nitrogen rate averaged 224 lbs N/acre. Increased yield was associated with previous crops other than cotton in the West region, certain varieties, lack of herbicide application, planting in January in the West region and November or December in the Central region, a seeding rate between 100 and 160 lbs N per acre, and an N rate between 200 and 300 lbs N per acre. Increased grain protein was associated with a previous crop of vegetables or lettuce in the West region, lack of herbicide application in the Central region, manure application, clay loam or sandy clay loam soil, December planting in the West region, lack of phosphorus application, and fewer irrigations. This survey documents associations, not cause-and-effect relationships, among durum production practices, yield, and protein.

Durum growers were surveyed in cooperation with the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service to determine production practices and their effects on yield and protein in the 2004 growing season. The survey was conducted in two regions: West (Yuma and La Paz counties) and Central (Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima counties). These two regions represent about 96% of the durum acreage. We obtained responses from 91 out of an estimated 195 durum growers (47%) representing about 38,000 out of 95,500 acres (40%). Durum was grown following cotton (48%), vegetables (43%), or other crops. The predominant soil texture was a sandy loam (36%), followed by clay loam (26%) and sandy clay loam (26%). Herbicide was applied on 67% of the acreage. The major varieties were Kronos (20%), WestBred 881 (18%), Kofa (14%), and Duraking (11%). Border flood irrigation accounted for 77% of the acreage, followed by furrow (11%), and level basin (10%). The crop was typically irrigated 6 to 7 times. The average planting date (irrigation applied) was December 19 in the Central region and January 7 in the West region. The seed was planted at an average rate of 163 lbs/acre. Phosphorus was applied to only a third of the acreage, but when it was applied, the rate averaged 67 lbs P2O5/acre. Nitrogen rate averaged 210 lbs N/acre. Grain yield tended to be higher following crops other than cotton grown on clay loam to sandy clay loam soils. Increased yield was associated with early planting, certain varieties, high N rate, and irrigation frequency. Higher protein content was associated with previous crops other than cotton, border irrigation, early planting, and N rate. This survey documents associations, not cause-and-effect relationships, among durum production practices, yield, and protein.

Durum growers were surveyed in cooperation with the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service to determine production practices and their effects on yield and protein in the 2005 growing season. The survey was conducted in two regions: West (Yuma and La Paz counties) and Central (Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima counties). These two regions represent about 95% of the durum acreage. We obtained responses from 97 out of an estimated 195 durum growers (50%) representing 42,920 out of 75,400 acres (57%). Durum was grown following cotton (38%), lettuce (24%), vegetables (21%), or other crops. The predominant soil texture was a sandy loam (42%), followed by sandy clay loam (31%) and clay loam (21%). Herbicide was applied on 57% of the acreage. The major varieties were Kronos (21%), Alamo (16%), and Orita (16%). Level basin irrigation accounted for 52% of the acreage, followed by border flood (36%), and furrow (12%). The crop was typically irrigated 6 to 7 times. The average planting date (irrigation applied) was December 28 in the Central region and January 14 in the West region. The seed was planted at an average rate of 167 lbs/acre. Phosphorus was applied to only a third of the acreage, but when it was applied, the rate averaged 71 lbs P2O5/acre. Nitrogen rate averaged 213 lbs N/acre. Increased yield was associated with previous crops other than cotton, certain varieties, level basin irrigation, early planting in the Central region, a seeding rate between 140 and 160 lbs N per acre, N rate between 100 and 200 lbs N per acre, and an irrigation number of less than six in the West and seven in the Central Region. Grain protein was associated with varieties. This survey documents associations, not cause-and-effect relationships, among durum production practices, yield, and protein.