Water management for guayule rubber production

Bucks, D.A.; Nakayama, F.S.; French, O.F.

Water management for guayule rubber production

1984

Bucks, D.A. | Nakayama, F.S. | French, O.F.

Guayule used water for the first two years in response to soil water availability and environmental demands at Mesa, Arizona. Evapotranspiration determinations for three cultivars from May 1981 through December 1982, averaged 3000, 2410, 2040, 1720, 1470, and 1520 mm (118, 95, 80, 68, 58, and 60 in.) in decreasing order of water applications for six irrigation treatments. Plant canopy temperatures as measured by an infrared thermometer showed a progressive increase in stress behavior as irrigation water applications decreased. Plant temperatures as high as 8°C (14°F) above air temperatures were recorded during the summer months on the dry treatment without plant death; whereas, plant temperatures on the wet treatment were seldom more than 1°C (1.8 °F) above air temperature. Rubber yields were significantly higher on the wetter than drier treatments because of the greater biomass on the wetter treatments. Although guayule can withstand long periods of drought, optimum production will not be achieved in a short period without using an extremely wet irrigation schedule.

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