Windbreak Effects on Soil Water and Wheat Yield

Abstract

ABSTRACT WINDBREAKS, although beneficial for wind erosion control, compete with crops for space and soil water. Soil profile water content, measured along perpendicular transects adjacent to single-row windbreaks of tamarisk, Siberian elm, Russian-olive, honeysuckle, and Siberian peashrub near Colby, Kansas (1978-1982), was significantly different with distance in 6 of 15 sampling dates. Soil water data from several sampling dates suggested that tamarisk is the highest water user and Siberian peashrub the lowest among species (honeysuckle omitted). Half the windbreak lengths were root pruned in April 1980, and winter wheat yields in the 1/2 to 2H (H = windbreak height) root-pruned zone were 1.6 times those in the same unpruned zone (1982). Assuming 13 cents/kg for wheat, that difference would equal about $205 more per km of pruned windbreak length..