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Crop Information
Wheat
Wheat is grown on about one-third of the irrigated crop area in Arizona, accounting for over 400,000 acres in 1976. Acreage and yield increased dramatically following the seed development of semi-dwarf, stiff strawed, high-yielding wheats. Spring wheats were introduced from the International Center for Wheat and Corn Improvement in Mexico and winter wheats from the Northwest.
Expansion of the wheat market for bread milling and livestock feed contributed to Arizona's rise as a wheat producing state in the late 1960's. Between 1972-74, an export market for hard re-milling wheat developed, and the semi-dwarf "desert" durum varieties became a major factor in Arizona's export market in 1975. Durum and milling varieties now account for most of the wheat acreage in Arizona.
Spring wheat varieties fit well into most crop rotations in Arizona's desert agriculture. But for maximum returns, preceding crops must be harvested early enough to permit proper seedbed preparation and timely planting. Usual planting time is mid- December through January, after which lower yields can be expected. However, wheat is planted in the Yuma area through February and into March. Because it is grown in the cooler seasons when evapo-transpiration rates are low, wheat is an efficient user of water and fertilizer.
Because wheat is one of the easier crops to grow and there is a large market, it is one of the most popular rotation crops in Yuma County. After produce is harvested in the fall and winter, wheat is planted to keep the ground in use. It is almost always better to grow a crop and keep the ground in use, rather than to leave it fallow for the next produce season. The seed varieties of durum wheat grow quite well in this area, due to the weather and the availability of water. There is over 45,000 acres of wheat grown annually, and the average yield will be approximately 3.5 tons per acre. This is the equivalent of approximately 115 bushels per acre. Some of the earlier plantings will approach 4.5 tons, or 150 bushels, per acre. Almost all of the wheat is harvested in June, which allows sufficient time to prepare the land once again for produce planting in the fall. Wheat stubble is generally disked back into the ground, or burned. Burning of the stubble is practiced for weed and pest control. Depending on the market, some stubble is baled as wheat straw for sale. Practically all of the wheat produced in this area is exported for pasta production.
| Ranch Budget - Wheat |
Est. Cost |
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| Land Cost** |
$100.00 |
| Water (2.5 acre feet) |
40.00 |
| Land Preparation (Tractor Work) |
115.00 |
| Seed (Est. 150# per acre) |
35.00 |
| Fertilizer |
50.00 |
| Chemicals |
20.00 |
| Irrigation |
15.00 |
| Harvest |
40.00 |
| Administration |
5.00 |
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| Total Cost (Per Acre) |
$420.00 |
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| Expected Yield |
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| 3.50 tons per acre |
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| Market |
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| $125.00 per ton |
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| Total Income (Per Acre) |
$437.50 |
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| Net Crop Income (Per Acre) |
$15.50 |
** The actual land cost is dependent upon the farmers economic position in the land, whether or not there is any debt to be serviced and/or if the land is owned or leased.
The actual cost of fertilizer and chemicals is dependent on the conditions of the field at the time of planting. The previous crop's ground nutrients may be sufficient to lower the fertilizer cost, and the herbicides and insecticides are determined by the current conditions each year.
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