Water requirements of barley on Canadian prairies

The water requirements of barley on the Canadian prairies typically range from 380 to 450 mm (15–18 inches) of water per growing season under optimal, well-fertilized, and well-managed conditions.topcropmanager+2

Growth Stage and Peak Needs

• Barley’s water use peaks at heading and grain filling, with daily requirements reaching 7–8 mm per day during this period.mbcropalliance+2

• Early stages (emergence to tillering) require less water, but maintaining moisture above 60% in the upper 50 cm root zone is critical for even germination and early development.agriculture.alberta+1

Soil Moisture and Rooting

• Roots reach an effective extraction depth of about 100 cm at maximum development, but over 70% of seasonal water is drawn from the top 50 cm.agriculture.alberta

• Barley is very sensitive to drought during tillering and heading, when adequate moisture is essential for yield and kernel development.albertagrains+1

Irrigation and Scheduling Strategy

• Barley requires light, frequent irrigations—typically 15–30 mm per event—to maintain optimal soil moisture, especially in drier prairie regions.mbcropalliance+1

• Start irrigating when available soil moisture declines to about 65% in the upper root zone, and never allow it to fall below 60%.open.alberta+1

• The last irrigation is usually timed at the soft dough stage, after which the crop can use soil moisture to reach maturity.agriculture.alberta

Yield and Water Relationship

• Barley yields about 7–9 bushels per acre for every inch (25 mm) of available soil water, which is slightly higher than wheat.topcropmanager+2

• Excess water (waterlogging) can actually reduce yield, making correct scheduling just as important as total water applied.cdnsciencepub+1

Barley’s moderate seasonal water needs, strong sensitivity to both drought and waterlogging, and peak water demand around heading all underscore the importance of active moisture management throughout the prairie barley season.albertagrains+3

1. https://www.topcropmanager.com/understand-crop-water-use-to-guide-management-4937/
2. https://mbcropalliance.ca/directory/production-resources/wheat-and-barley-crop-water-use/
3. https://www1.agriculture.alberta.ca/$Department/deptdocs.nsf/ba3468a2a8681f69872569d60073fde1/ba7f963b104d0f2a8725786c005e8216/$FILE/114_561-1.pdf
4. https://www.albertagrains.com/the-growing-point/articles-library/crop-issues-of-2023
5. https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/9a017865-5692-464d-92ac-93b5d50558db/resource/c0d20e0c-9f14-4f6d-8144-b8a6bc3452ba/download/5485851-2011-agri-facts-crop-water-use-requirements-revised-100-561-1-2011-11.pdf
6. https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/cjps-2018-0108
7. https://www.grainscanada.gc.ca/en/grain-research/grain-harvest-export-quality/barley/2024/summary-conditions-production.html
8. https://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/ba3468a2a8681f69872569d60073fde1/3a7df4515e8f5129872575060064c315/$FILE/114_540-2.pdf
9. https://www.albertagrains.com/the-growing-point/articles-library/seeding-wheat-and-barley-into-dry-soils
10. https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2024/aac-aafc/A59-94-2024-eng.pdf