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Information is lacking on the relative performance of small‐grain forage types grown for hay or silage on the High Plains of New Mexico and West Texas. Tests were conducted from 2004 to 2008 at Clovis, NM, to determine long‐term potential of common varieties and blends of species [wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), triticale (xTriticosecale), and oats (Avena sativa L.)] in an irrigated production system. Eleven entries were tested in at least 3 years, including exceptionally wet (2005) and dry (2006) years. In any given year, all crops yielded greater than 2.5 tons of DM, and entry mean annual yields ranged from 4.0 to 5.3 ton DM/acre over the study period. Triticale or blends containing triticale yielded more wet forage than wheat alone. In general, nutritive value of wheat was greater than that of triticale and blends. One triticale entry exhibited similar DM yields and forage quality as those of the wheats. Under irrigation, small grains have the potential to produce acceptable yields of nutritious forage in between summer crops for feeding operations in the region. While wheat may yield less tonnage, it gives greater market flexibility and may better fit into double cropping systems because of its earlier maturity than triticale.

Decline in soil organic carbon (SOC) and the associated impacts on crop production under conventional farming raises concerns on how alternative management practices increase SOC sequestration and improve agricultural sustainability. This study aimed to understand SOC mineralization kinetics with different cover crop (CC) residue amendments. Soil samples were collected from a fallow and three CC (pea, oat, and canola) plots. Soil samples from the CC plots were manipulated with zero, five, and 10 Mg ha −1 of the respective CC residues. All soil samples were incubated for eight weeks, SOC mineralization was monitored, and the first order kinetic and parabolic equation models were fitted to the observed data for estimating labile SOC (C 0 ), and the decomposition rate constant (k). Subsequent comparisons of fitted model parameters were based on the first order kinetic model. The C 0 varied with the residue amount while k varied with CC type. C 0 was 591-858% greater with 10 Mg ha −1 and 289-456% greater with five Mg ha −1 residue additions while k was 122-297% greater with 10 Mg ha −1 and 94-240% greater with five Mg ha −1 residue additions when compared to the fallow treatment. The CC residue stimulated cumulative carbon mineralization (C min ) irrespective of CC type, suggesting that cover cropping has potential to improve SOC cycling in agroecosystems.

ABSTRACTe limitations of the conventional visual rating system used to assess turfgrass quality include its subjective nature and the need for properly trained observers who can discern di erences among treatments or turfgrass varieties. e objective of our study was to investigate if digital image analysis (DIA) and spectral re ectance [normalized di erence vegetative index (NDVI)] can be used to evaluate turfgrass varieties. Trials were established at New Mexico State University and visual quality ratings, digital images, and NDVI were collected monthly on three warm-season and three cool-season variety trials and on one cool-season and one warm-season mixed species trial. Correlations among quality, NDVI, dark green color index (DGCI) and percent green cover (PCov) were computed. Multiple regression was used to determine if combining NDVI and DIA improved the association between visual turfgrass quality and other variables. uality was most strongly associated with NDVI (R 2 ranging from 0.37 to 0.65) for most datasets. Additionally, multiple linear regressions identi ed NDVI as the variable a ecting a higher change in R 2 when entered to the model than either DGCI or PCov. Visual quality had a weaker association with sampling date than did NDVI or DGCI, which indicates that NDVI may track quality changes more reliably over time. However, a stronger association between variety and visual quality than between variety and NDVI or DGCI indicates that a visual assessment detects varietal di erences better. erefore, it is questionable whether visual assessments can be replaced by NDVI or DIA to characterize the aesthetic appeal of turfgrasses accurately.

We surveyed homeowners with residential landscapes in Las Cruces, N.M., to determine design features participants valued in their landscapes, their attitudes toward the landscape use of desert plants and opinions on factors that would encourage respondents to reduce landscape water use. We also determined whether the willingness to use desert plants in their landscapes related to the length of residency in the southwestern United States. At least 98% of respondents landscaped to enhance the appearance of their home and increase their property value. About half (50.6%) of the participants strongly agreed or agreed that the main reason to landscape was to display their landscape preferences. Many participants indicated they would use desert plants to landscape their front yard (80.3%) and back yard (56.3%), but relatively lower percentages of participants actually had desert landscapes in their front yard and back yard. Regardless of their property value, respondents were more likely to use desert plants in their backyard the shorter their stay in the desert. Data revealed that participants rank water shortages as the factor that would most likely cause them to reduce the amount of water they applied to their landscapes. We conclude that homeowners report willingness to use desert plants but desert-type landscapes are not a widespread feature of managed residential landscapes. Furthermore, water shortages and the length of time respondents spent in a desert environment would most likely influence water use in their landscapes.