Water Use Efficiency and Soil Moisture Dynamics in Some Dryland Crops.

Soil moisture availability is one of the major crop production constraint in the semi-arid temperate region. Information on water use efficiency (WUE) for various crops and soil moisture dynamics (SMD) will help in making decision to minimize risks associated with dry-spell. We evaluated WUE and SMD in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var durum), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and field pea (Pisum sativum L.). We monitor soil moisture changes weekly to a depth of 0.80 m using sensor through pre-installed access tubes under rain-feed conditions. At physiological maturity, each crops were harvested and grain yield data recorded. WUE was calculated for each crop considering grain yield, precipitation received during the growing season and changes in soil moisture before planting and at harvest to a depth of 0.80 m. This paper will present and discuss WUE of these crops and SMD during the crop growing season in North Eastern Montana, USA.