Effect of irrigation management on yield and water use efficiency of timothy hay in southern Alberta

Timothy hay production for export markets has recently expanded on the Canadian prairies. Irrigation management information for timothy production is limited; therefore, irrigation practices to achieve optimum dry matter (DM) yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of timothy hay were investigated from 2005 to 2007 near Bow Island and Picture Butte, Alberta. Treatments were defined by managing irrigation using 0.25-m, 0.50-m, 0.75-m, and 1.00-m root zone depths with an allowable moisture depletion of 50% of available soil moisture. The 0.25-m root zone treatment resulted in greater first-cut timothy DM yield than the 1.00-m root zone treatment at Bow Island. The 0.50-m root zone treatment resulted in greater first-cut timothy DM yield than the 0.25-m root zone treatment at Picture Butte. Treatment effect on the second-cut DM yield was not significant. Water use for the first-cut crop was significantly greater for the 0.25-m root zone treatment at Bow Island and for the 0.50-m root zone treatment at Picture B...