The adoption of bed planting of wheat in the Yaqui Valley, Sonora, Mexico
1998
Aquino, P.
This report presents results of the analysis of data from a survey conducted during the fall-winter 1993/94 crop cycle in the Yaqui Valley of northwestern Mexico. It describes the agronomic characters of wheat producers and details the agronomic factors that influence wheat yield. weed control appears to be the most significant factor in the yield function. Weed infestation is reduced if wheat is planted on beds, a practice that Yaqui Valley farmers have been adopting in increasing numbers since 1980. Results of this study indicate that bed planting , compared to traditional methods of planting in corrugations or on the flat (melgas), permits better weed control and employs lower quantities of inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, seed, and water thus reducing production costs. Together, improve weed control and reduce input use lead to a significant difference in profits in favor of bed planting. Although the bed planting technology is used more frequently on clay soils, which is where the highest profits are achieved, it is also profitable on alluvial soils. The reduction in agrochemical use is beneficial to the environment, and soil and water conservation are improved by improving water management and reducing the volume of irrigation water. Among the possible limitations of the bed planting technology are the lack of machinery and proper tools to manage beds, and the additional time that bed planting requires. However, the advantages of bed planting suggest that more farmers are likely to adopt the technology, which means that farmers would benefit from more technical support from extension in disseminating information about the agronomic and economic advantages of the technology.
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