Unproductive Areas in Fields: Time to Reconsider What You Do?

By Alison Fransoo, PAg, Agri-Environmental Specialist, North Battleford

November 2024

Are there areas in your fields that you seed annually hoping they will produce a crop? Soil salinity can be difficult to notice from one season to the next because of moisture conditions having so much influence. In wet years, there is sufficient leaching and dissolving of salts so saline areas are not as visible on the soil surface and some crop growth may occur. In dry years, increased evaporation dries out the soil and draws salts up to the soil surface, resulting in a noticeable white surface, which is salt. In dry years, producers become more concerned with salinity because salts become more visible and next to no crop growth occurs in the affected areas. You may have seen kochia or foxtail barley increase significantly in these areas during dry cycles because they characteristically have a high tolerance to salt.

Rather than continuing to invest money on inputs cropping these unproductive areas, it may be time to consider an alternative. Crop yields are affected by even a low level of salinity, for example, peas and lentils being most susceptible while barley is most tolerant of salinity. Foxtail barley and kochia have a much higher salt tolerance than all annual crops.

Perennial forages are an option to consider. They have the ability to establish and improve these areas over time. Selecting the right blend or species will be a key factor to your success, as well as patience since establishment will be dependent on the current environmental conditions. Establishing permanent cover on these areas would provide benefits including competing with weed issues, protecting the soil from erosion, combatting salinity and increasing production on the acres rather than an eye sore full of weeds.

Under the Resilient Agricultural Landscapes Program (RALP), funding is provided under the Seeding Tame Forage BMP (Beneficial Management Practice) to convert annually cropped acres to perennial forage production. An agri-environmental specialist can assist in selecting the most suitable forage blend or varieties for these areas that will grow and establish. For example, green wheatgrass and slender wheatgrass are saline tolerant, just to name a few.

For more details and eligibility requirements on the Seeding Tame Forage BMP, please visit our Resilient Agricultural Landscapes Program webpage, or contact the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377 to be connected with an agri-environmental specialist in your region.