Texas A&M AgriLife Research (AgriLife) is conducting a vegetable study in the Texas High Plains to see if vegetables might offer a water-savings alternative to some cereal grain production, according to AgriLife Today.
“Everybody knows we are generally water-short in the Texas High Plains and can no longer meet 100 percent of all crop water needs,” said Thomas Marek, AgriLife Research senior research engineer for irrigation water conservation and management in Amarillo.
Marek said production changes, preferably to higher valued crops such as certain types of vegetables, may be a partial solution to sustaining future profitability for Texas High Plains’ producers, particularly those within the northwestern area facing water shortages.
Study results have been promising so far, but additional assessments such as heat unit requirements and a market structure will need to be assessed to determine production aspects and water-use efficiency of various vegetables and long-term efficiency.