Effects of irrigation strategies and soils on field grown potatoes: Root distribution

Root distribution of field grown potatoes (cv. Folva) was studied in 4.32 m² lysimeters and subjected to full (FI), deficit (DI), and partial root-zone drying (PRD) irrigation strategies. Drip irrigation was applied for all irrigations. Irrigations were run in three different soils: coarse sand, loamy sand, and sandy loam. Irrigation treatments started after tuber bulking and lasted until final harvest with PRD and DI receiving 65% of FI. Potatoes irrigated with water-saving irrigation techniques (PRD and DI) did not show statistically different dry root mass and root length density (RLD, cm root per cm³ soil) compared with root development in fully irrigated (FI) potatoes. Highest RLD existed in the top 30-40 cm of the ridge below which it decreased sharply. The RLD was distributed homogenously along the ridge and furrow but heterogeneously across the ridge and furrow with highest root density in the furrow. Most roots accumulated in the surface layers of coarse sand as compared to the other soil types. In the deep soil profile (30-70 cm) a higher root density was found in loamy sand compared with the sandy loam and coarse sand. Approximately twice the amounts of roots were found below the furrows compared with the corresponding layers below the ridges. The RLD values in the soil profile of the ridges and the furrows followed the Gerwitz and Page model: RLD = α × exp(−β × z). The highest value of surface root density (α) and rate of change in density (β) was found in coarse sand while the lowest values of α and β were found in the sandy loam and loamy sand. The model estimated the effective rooting depth in coarse sand and sandy loam quite well but did slightly overestimate it in the loamy sand. Statistical analysis showed that one α and β value can be used for each soil irrespective of the irrigation treatment. Thus, the effective rooting depths corresponding to root length densities of 0.1 and 0.25 cm cm⁻³ for sandy loam, loamy sand, and coarse sand soils were 99, 141, and 94 cm, and 80, 115, and 78 cm, respectively, calculated from top of the ridge. The findings of this study can be used in practice for efficient use of water and nutrients in the field.     

Effects of irrigation strategies and soils on field grown potatoes: Yield and water productivity

Yield and water productivity of potatoes grown in 4.32 m² lysimeters were measured in coarse sand, loamy sand, and sandy loam and imposed to full (FI), deficit (DI), and partial root-zone drying (PRD) irrigation strategies. PRD and DI as water-saving irrigation treatments received 65% of FI after tuber bulking and lasted for 6 weeks until final harvest. Analysis across the soil textures showed that fresh yields were not significant between the irrigation treatments. However, the same analysis across the irrigation treatments revealed that the effect of soil texture was significant on the fresh yield and loamy sand produced significantly higher fresh yield than the other two soils, probably because of higher leaf area index, higher photosynthesis rates, and “stay-green” effect late in the growing season. More analysis showed that there was a significant interaction between the irrigation treatments and soil textures that the highest fresh yield was obtained under FI in loamy sand. Furthermore, analysis across the soil textures showed that water productivities, WP (kg ha⁻¹ fresh tuber yield mm⁻¹ ET) were not significantly different between the irrigation treatments. However, across the irrigation treatments, the soil textures were significantly different. This showed that the interaction between irrigation treatments and soil textures was significant that the highest significant WP was obtained under DI in sandy loam. While PRD and DI treatments increased WP by, respectively, 11 and 5% in coarse sand and 28 and 36% in sandy loam relative to FI, they decreased WP in loamy sand by 15 and 13%. The reduced WP in loamy sand was due to nearly 28% fresh tuber yield loss in PRD and DI relative to FI even though ET was reduced by 9 and 11% in these irrigation treatments. This study showed that different soils will affect water-saving irrigation strategies that are worth knowing for suitable agricultural water management. So, under non-limited water resources conditions, loamy sand produces the highest yield under full irrigation but water-saving irrigations (PRD and DI) are not recommended due to considerable loss (28%) in yield. However, under restricted water resources, it is recommended to apply water-saving irrigations in sandy loam and coarse sand to achieve the highest water productivity.     

Short staple cotton under micro and level-basin irrigation methods

Summary Advanced irrigation methods and water management practices are needed for high yields with minimum water applications: A three-year study using recently introduced surface-micro and level-basin irrigation methods was conducted in central Arizona on a nonuniform sandy loam soil to determine optimum water placement and irrigation frequency. Several newer, short staple cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars and different row spacings were also evaluated. Precision micro and level-basin irrigation systems achieved maximum lint yields of more than 2,000 kg/ha and lint water use efficiencies in excess of 0.21 kg/m³. A single micro line per every two rows irrigated daily averaged about 25% more lint cotton than every furrow, level-basin treatment irrigated every two weeks. With a micro irrigation line per every three rows, yields were reduced by an average of 15% and as much as 33% compared with a micro line per every two rows. The cotton production on the narrow row (0.75 m) spacing with a 33% higher plant population outyielded the conventional row (1.0 m) spacing by about 15% in the third year. In addition, some of the newer cotton cultivars had a lower water requirement than the ones prevalent 10 years ago. In the future, cotton growers should be able to irrigate with less water by using improved irrigation systems and water management practices.Contribution of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Pacific West Area     

Leaching irrigated saline sandy to sandy loam apedal soils with water of a constant salinity

With the optimization of irrigation, more salts accumulate in the root zone of soils, due to less over-irrigation. On-farm irrigation management requires a certain amount of leaching to ensure sustainability. The objective is to quantify the pore volume of water required to efficiently leach excess salts from two saline soils, widely irrigated in central South Africa. A total of 30 lysimeters, 15 per soil type arranged in two parallel rows under a moveable rain shelter, were used. Five different salinity profiles per soil type, replicated three times, were leached using irrigation water with a 75 mS m⁻¹ electrical conductivity. During irrigation the residual more saline pore water was displaced from the top downward through the root zone. The mean salinity of the soil profiles approached an equilibrium concentration equal to that of the irrigation water after 0.9 pore volume of soil was displaced by drainage water. For the sandy soil 0.2 and for the sandy loam soil 0.3 pore volumes were required to efficiently remove 70% of the excess salts. The remainder of the water was needed to leach the remaining 20% of the excess salts. This, however, was not efficient in terms of the amount of water required.     

Effect of small irrigation amounts on the yield of wheat

Yields of dryland crops are governed by the moisture in the soil profile at seeding and by rainfall during the growing season. Occasionally limited amounts of water may also be available for irrigation. Field experiments were conducted over a period of 4 years on loamy sand and 3 years on sandy loam to study the effects of pre-seeding, post-seeding and split application of limited amounts of water on root growth, water use, dry matter accumulation and grain yield of wheat. This article reports the treatment effects on dry matter accumulation and grain yield.Early season water stress decreased the rate of dry matter accumulation. Grain yield responded significantly to irrigation 30 days after seeding irrespective of the amount of water, year and soil type. Yield with post-seeding irrigation averaged 3518 kg ha^?1 against 2317 kg ha^?1 for unirrigated control in loamy sand and 4440 kg ha^?1 against 3391 kg ha^?1 in sandy loam. The increase in yield was manifested by a significant increase in the number of effective tillers per m row length, number of grains per ear and thousand grain weight.     

Performance evaluation and calibration of soil water content and potential sensors for agricultural soils in eastern Colorado

This study evaluated the performance of three soil water content sensors (CS616/625, Campbell Scientific, Inc., Logan, UT; TDT, Acclima, Inc., Meridian, ID; 5TE, Decagon Devices, Inc., Pullman, WA) and a soil water potential sensor (Watermark 200SS, Irrometer Company, Inc., Riverside, CA) in laboratory and field conditions. Soil water content/potential values measured by the sensors were compared with corresponding volumetric water content (θ_v, m³ m⁻³) values derived from gravimetric samples, ranging approximately from the permanent wilting point (PWP) to field capacity (FC) volumetric water contents. Under laboratory and field conditions, the factory-based calibrations of θ_v did not consistently achieve the required accuracy for any sensor in the sandy clay loam, loamy sand, and clay loam soils of eastern Colorado. Salt (calcium chloride dihydrate) added to the soils in the laboratory caused the CS616, TDT, and 5TE sensors to experience errors in their volumetric water content readings with increased bulk soil electrical conductivity (EC; dS m⁻¹). Results from field tests in sandy clay loam and loamy sand soils indicated that a linear calibration (equations provided) for the TDT, CS616 and 5TE sensors (and a logarithmic calibration for the Watermark sensors) could reduce the errors of the factory calibration of θ_v to less than 0.02 ± 0.035 m³ m⁻³. Furthermore, the performance evaluation tests confirmed that each individual sensor needed a unique calibration equation for every soil type and location in the field. In addition, the calibrated van Genuchten (1980) equation was as accurate as the calibrated logarithmic equation and can be used to convert soil water potential (kPa) to volumetric soil water content (m³ m⁻³). Finally, analysis of the θ_v field data indicated that the CS616, 5TE and Watermark sensor readings were influenced by diurnal fluctuations in soil temperature, while the TDT was not influenced. Therefore, it is recommended that the soil temperature be considered in the calibration process of the CS616, 5TE, and Watermark sensors. Further research will be aimed towards determining the need of sensor calibration for every agricultural season.     

Irrigation, tillage and mulching effects on soybean yield and water productivity in relation to soil texture

Depleting groundwater resources in Indian Punjab call for diversifying from rice to crops with low evapo-transpiration needs and adopting water-saving technologies. Soybean offers a diversification option in coarse- to medium-textured soils. However, its productivity in these soils is constrained by high soil mechanical resistance and high soil temperature during early part of the growing season. These constraints can be alleviated through irrigation, deep tillage and straw mulching. This 3-years field study examines the individual and combined effects of irrigation, deep tillage, and straw mulching regimes on soybean yield and water productivity (WP) in relation to soil texture. Combinations of two irrigation regimes viz., full irrigation (I_f), and partial irrigation (I_p) in the main plot; two tillage regimes viz., conventional-till (CT)-soil stirring to 0.10 m depth, and deep tillage (DT)-chiseling down to 0.35 m depth followed by CT in the subplot; and two mulch rates viz., 0 (M₀) and 6 t ha⁻¹ (M) in the sub-subplot on two soils differing in available water capacity were evaluated.Seed yield was greater in the sandy loam than in the loamy sand reflecting the effects of available water capacity. Irrigation effects were greater on loamy sand (40%) than on sandy loam (5%) soil. Deep tillage benefits were also more on loamy sand (14%) compared to sandy loam (5%) soil. Yield gains with mulching were comparable on the two soils (19%). An evaluation of interaction effects showed that mulching response was slightly more in I_p (20%) than in I_f regimes (17%) in the sandy loam; while in the loamy sand, mulching gains were comparable (18-19%) in both irrigation regimes. Benefits of deep tillage in the loamy sand soil were more in I_p (20%) than in I_f regimes (17%). Deep tillage and straw mulching enhanced WP (ratio of seed yield/water use) from 1.39 to 1.97 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ in I_p regime, and from 1.87 to 2.33 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ in I_f regime in the loamy sand soil. These effects on WP were less in the sandy loam soil with greater available water capacity. Yield and WP gains are ascribed to deeper and denser rooting due to moderation of soil temperature and water conservation with straw mulching and tillage-induced reduction in soil mechanical resistance. Root mass in CTM₀, CTM, DTM₀ and DTM was 2.79, 5.88, 5.34 and 5.58 mg cm⁻² at pod-filling in the loamy sand soil. Comparable yield responses to deep tillage or mulching in the loamy sand soil suggest that either of the options, depending on their cost and availability considerations, can be employed for improving soybean yield and water productivity.     

Estimating in situ soil–water retention and field water capacity in two contrasting soil textures

A priori knowledge of the in situ soil field water capacity (FWC) and the soil-water retention curve for soils is important for the effective irrigation management and scheduling of many crops. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the in situ FWC using the soil-water retention curve developed from volumetric water content (θ), and water potential (ψ) data collected in the field by means of soil moisture sensors in two contrasting-textured soils. The two study soils were Lihen sandy loam and Savage clay loam. Six metal frames 117 cm × 117 cm × 30 cm high were inserted into the soil to a depth of 5–10 cm at approximately 40 m intervals on a 200 m transect. Two Time Domain Reflectrometry (TDR) sensors were installed in the center of the frame and two Watermark (WM) sensors were installed in the SW corner at 15 and 30 cm depths to continuously monitor soil θ and ψ, respectively. A neutron probe (NP) access tube was installed in the NE corner of each frame to measure soil θ used for TDR calibration. The upper 50–60 cm of soil inside each frame was saturated with intermittent application of approximately 18–20 cm of water. Frames were then covered with plastic tarps. The Campbell and Gardner equations best fit the soil–water retention curves for sandy loam and clay loam soils, respectively. Based on the relationship between soil ψ and elapsed time following cessation of infiltration, we calculated that the field capacity time (t _FWC) were reached at approximately 50 and 450 h, respectively, for sandy loam and clay loam soils. Soil-water retention curves showed that θ values at FWC (θ _FWC) were approximately 0.228 and 0.344 m³ m⁻³, respectively, for sandy loam and clay loam soils. The estimated θ _FWC values were within the range of the measured θ _FWC values from the NP and gravimetric methods. The TDR and WM sensors provided accurate in situ soil–water retention data from simultaneous soil θ and ψ measurements that can be used in soil-water processes, irrigation scheduling, modeling and chemical transport.     

Simulation of soil water dynamics under subsurface drip irrigation from line sources

A mathematical model which describes water flow under subsurface drip lines taking into account root water uptake, evaporation of soil water from the soil surface and hysteresis in the soil water characteristic curve θ(H) is presented. The model performance in simulating soil water dynamics was evaluated by comparing the predicted soil water content values with both those of Hydrus 2D model and those of an analytical solution for a buried single strip source. Soil water distribution patterns for three soils (loamy sand, silt, silty clay loam) and two discharge rates (2 and 4 l m⁻¹ h⁻¹) at four different times are presented. The numerical results showed that the soil wetting pattern mainly depends on soil hydraulic properties; that at a time equal to irrigation duration decreasing the discharge rate of the line sources but maintaining the applied irrigation depth, the vertical and horizontal components of the wetting front were increased; that at a time equal to the total simulation time the discharge rate has no effect on the actual transpiration and actual soil evaporation and a small effect on deep percolation. Also the numerical results showed that when the soil evaporation is neglected the soil water is more easily taken up by the plant roots.     

Compressibility of Some Trinidadian Soils as Affected by the Incorporation of Peat

The effect on compressibility of incorporating peat into four remoulded Trinidadian agricultural soils was investigated over a range of stresses from 0 to 1000 kPa using a compression machine. Air-dry peat was applied at four levels (0, 4, 8 and 12% by mass) to the soils (two sandy loams, clay loam and clay) and tested at three moisture contents close to the Proctor optimum moisture content of the soils. Compression curves (bulk density versus log applied stress) for each soil at the moisture levels tested were almost linear and parallel over the range of stresses from about 100 to 1000 kPa.Mean values of dry bulk density declined significantly at 0.001 level with increasing peat content from 1·23 to 0·87 Mg m^-3. Mean bulk density values increased significantly at 0·001 level with increasing applied stress and moisture content and declined with increasing clay content. Significant interaction effects were observed between soil type and peat content and between peat content and moisture content. Peat incorporation resulted in greater soil compression, but the increases were less evident in clay than in sandy loam soils. Soil compression refers to the decrease in soil volume with the application of external load. The compression index, C (slope of the dry bulk density versus log applied stress relationship), increased significantly at 0·05 level from 0·21 Mg/m³ in one sandy loam soil to 0·38 Mg/m³ in the clay soil. While the C value did not differ significantly with increasing peat content in the sandy loams and the clay loam, it decreased significantly at 0·01 level in the clay soil. An equation expressing C as a function of initial soil bulk density before compression and a strain parameter was developed in order to explain the variation of C in the soils tested. A method is described that can be adopted to quantify the effect of peat on soil compressibility.     

Irrigation and tillage effects on root development,water use and yield of wheat on coarse textured soils

Summary Rapid drying of surface layers of coarse-textured soils early in the growth season increases soil strength and restricts root growth. This constraint on root growth may be countered by deep tillage and/or early irrigation. We investigated tillage and irrigation effects on root growth, water use, dry matter and grain yield of wheat on loamy sand and sandy loam soils for three years. Treatments included all combinations of two tillage systems i) conventional tillage (CT) — stirring the soil to 10 cm depth, ii) deep tillage (DT) — subsoiling with a single-tine chisel down to 35–40 cm, 40 cm apart followed by CT; and four irrigation regimes, i) I₀ — no post-seeding irrigation, ii) I₁ — 50 mm irrigation 30 days after seeding (DAS), iii) I₂ — 50 mm irrigation 30 DAS and subsequent irrigations of 75 mm each when net evaporation from USWB class A open pan (PAN-E) since previous irrigation accumulated to 82 mm, and iv) I₃ — same as in I² but irrigation applied when PAN-E accumulated to 62 mm. The crop of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. HD 2329) was fertilized with 20kg P, 10kg K and 5kg Zn ha^–1 at seeding. The rate of nitrogen fertilization was 60 kg ha^–1 in the unirrigated and 120 kg ha^–1 in the irrigated treatments. Tillage decreased soil strength and so did the early post-seeding irrigation. Both deep tillage and early irrigation shortened the time needed for the root system to reach a specified depth. Subsequent wetting through rain/irrigation reduced the rate of root penetration down the profile and also negated deep tillage effects on rooting depth. However, tillage/irrigation increased root length density in the rooted profile even in a wet year. Better rooting resulted in greater profile water depletion, more favourable plant water status and higher dry matter and grain yields. In a dry year, the wheat in the DT plots used 46 mm more water, remained 3.3 °C cooler at grain-fill and yielded 68% more grain than in CT when unirrigated and grown in the loamy sand. Early irrigation also increased profile water depletion, more so in CT than DT. Averaged over three years, grain yield in DT was 12 and 9% higher than in CT on loamy sand and sandy loam, respectively. Benefits of DT decreased with increase in rainfall and irrigation. Irrigation significantly increased grain yield on both soils, but the response was greatly influenced by soil type, tillage system and year. The study shows that soil related constraints on root growth may be alleviated through deep tillage and/or early irrigation.     

Elevation and infiltration in a level basin. I. Characterizing variability

Spatial characterization of soil physical properties could improve the estimation of surface irrigation performance. The aim of this research was to characterize the spatial and time variability of a set of irrigation-related soil properties. The small-scale experimental level-basin (729 m²) was located on an alluvial loam soil. A corn crop was established in the basin and irrigated five times during the season. A detailed survey of the soil properties (generally using a 3 × 3 m network) was performed. Classic statistical and geostatistical tools were used to characterize the variables and their interactions. Semivariograms were validated for the studied variables, except for the clay fraction, the saturated hydraulic conductivity and the infiltration parameters. The resulting geostatistical range was often in the interval of 6–10 m. For the three surveys of soil surface elevation the range was smaller, about 4 m. No correlation was found between saturated hydraulic conductivity and the other soil physical properties. Soil surface elevation showed a high correlation between surveys. After the first irrigation, the standard deviation of elevation increased from an initial 9.6 mm to 20.8 mm. The soil physical parameters were used to map the soil water management allowable depletion. In a companion paper these results are used to explain the spatial variability of corn yield and soil water recharge due to irrigation. Received: 24 February 1998     

Transpirational response to water availability for winter wheat as affected by soil textures

Soil texture and evaporative demand have been reported to be the main factors which influence the transpirational response to soil water deficits. However, experimental evidences are not enough. The objective of this study was to investigate the transpirational response to soil water availability in soils of different textures under different evaporative demand levels. The three main soils of the Loess Plateau of China (loamy clay, clay loam and sandy loam) were selected and six constant soil water treatments were applied for winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown in pots. In order to reduce the influence of environmental conditions and plant factors, a normalized daily transpiration rate was used to develop the relationships with volumetric soil water content and soil water suction. Results showed that, under various levels of evaporative demand, a linear-plateau function with a critical value could be used to describe the dynamic change of the normalized transpiration rate with soil drying. Soil texture significantly influenced both the critical and the slope values of the linear-plateau equations, however, evaporative demand significantly affected the critical values of volumetric soil water content and soil suction for the loamy clay and clay loam only. Therefore, for saving water, different strategies are needed for these three soils.     

Evaluation of crop water stress index for LEPA irrigated corn

This study was designed to evaluate the crop water stress index (CWSI) for low-energy precision application (LEPA) irrigated corn (Zea mays L.) grown on slowly-permeable Pullman clay loam soil (fine, mixed, Torrertic Paleustoll) during the 1992 growing season at Bushland, Tex. The effects of six different irrigation levels (100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, 20%, and 0% replenishment of soil water depleted from the 1.5-m soil profile depth) on corn yields and the resulting CWSI were investigated. Irrigations were applied in 25 mm increments to maintain the soil water in the 100% treatment within 60–80% of the “plant extractable soil water” using LEPA technology, which wets alternate furrows only. The 1992 growing season was slightly wetter than normal. Thus, irrigation water use was less than normal, but the corn dry matter and grain yield were still significantly increased by irrigation. The yield, water use, and water use efficiency of fully irrigated corn were 1.246 kg/m², 786 mm, and 1.34 kg/m³, respectively. CWSI was calculated from measurements of infrared canopy temperatures, ambient air temperatures, and vapor pressure deficit values for the six irrigation levels. A “non-water-stressed baseline” equation for corn was developed using the diurnal infrared canopy temperature measurements as T _c–T _a = 1.06–2.56 VPD, where T _c was the canopy temperature (°C), Ta was the air temperature (°C) and VPD was the vapor pressure deficit (kPa). Trends in CWSI values were consistent with the soil water contents induced by the deficit irrigations. Both the dry matter and grain yields decreased with increased soil water deficit. Minimal yield reductions were observed at a threshold CWSI value of 0.33 or less for corn. The CWSI was useful for evaluating crop water stress in corn and should be a valuable tool to assist irrigation decision making together with soil water measurements and/or evapotranspiration models. Received: 19 May 1998     

Prediction of leaching fraction from soil properties,irrigation water and rainfall

Summary Fine textured soils (> 40% clay) form a major proportion of irrigated soils in northeastern Australia. More than half these soils are irrigated with groundwater, some of which has high salinity (electrical conductivity > 2.9 mS cm^–1). A simple prediction of salt leaching was sought to aid in land management decisions.An empirical model of leaching fraction is presented based on rainfall and easily measured soil properties related to hydraulic conductivity. The model is based on data from 766 soils. To account for the complexity of interactions between soil properties, the data was stratified into groups based on clay content and mineralogy (expressed here as CEC/clay ratio). This allowed simple linear regressions using ESP and rainfall to be developed to predict leaching fraction.When applied to irrigated soils, a salinity correction term (EC_{rain+irrigation}/EC_rain) was used to account for the flocculation effects of the increased salinity of irrigation waters. The model gave good predictions of leaching fraction for two irrigation regions with widely differing soil properties (Fig. 4).     

Distribution of grapevine roots and salt under drip and full-ground cover microjet irrigation systems

We describe the three dimensional variation in root length density (L_v) within a quarter of the planting area of Colombard grapevines on Ramsey rootstock grown under drip and full-cover microjet irrigation. Under drip irrigation roots were concentrated under the vine row, whereas under microjet irrigation roots were evenly spread across the planting area. The maximum L_v were 1.2 and 0.6 cm/cm³ and the estimated total root lengths per vine were 32 and 26 km for drip and microjet irrigated vines, respectively. Under drip irrigation, 56% of the variation in L_v could be accounted for as a function of depth and radial distance into the row, and under microjet, 45% of the variation in L_v could be accounted for as a function of depth. Twenty five per cent of the vine roots were in soil with an air filled porosity at field capacity of 6% or less. Based on the variation of root length per unit area (L_a) across a quarter of the planting area and between vines, we concluded that selection of a location at which the L_a would be representative of that in the entire irrigation unit is feasible in microjet irrigated vines but not in those irrigated with drip. The absence of a location representative of L_a confounds the scheduling of drip irrigation based solely on measurements of soil moisture.     

Dynamics and modeling of soil water under subsurface drip irrigated onion

Subsurface drip irrigation provides water to the plants around the root zone while maintaining a dry soil surface. A problem associated with the subsurface drip irrigation is the formation of cavity at the soil surface above the water emission points. This can be resolved through matching dripper flow rates to the soil hydraulic properties. Such a matching can be obtained either by the field experiments supplemented by modeling. Simulation model (Hydrus-2D) was used and tested in onion crop (Allium cepa L.) irrigated through subsurface drip system during 2002-2003, 2003-2004 and 2004-2005. Onion was transplanted at a plant to plant and row to row spacing of 10 cm × 15 cm with 3 irrigation levels and 6 depths of placement of drip lateral. The specific objective of this study was to assess the effect of depth of placement of drip laterals on crop yield and application of Hydrus-2D model for the simulation of soil water. In sandy loam soils, it was observed that operating pressures of up to 1.0 kg cm⁻² did not lead to the formation of cavity above the subsurface dripper having drippers of 2.0 l h⁻¹ discharge at depths up to 30 cm. Wetted soil area of 60 cm wide and up to a depth of 30 cm had more than 18% soil water content, which was conducive for good growth of crop resulting in higher onion yields when drip laterals were placed either on soil surface or placed up to depths of 15 cm. In deeper placement of drip lateral (20 and 30 cm below surface), adequate soil water was found at 30, 45 and 60 cm soil depth. Maximum drainage occurred when drip lateral was placed at 30 cm depth. Maximum onion yield was recorded at 10 cm depth of drip lateral (25.7 t ha⁻¹). The application of Hydrus-2D confirmed the movement of soil water at 20 and 30 cm depth of placement of drip laterals. The model performance in simulating soil water was evaluated by comparing the measured and predicted values using three parameters namely, AE, RMSE and model efficiency. Distribution of soil water under field experiment and by model simulation at different growth stages agreed closely and the differences were statistically insignificant. The use of Hydrus-2D enabled corroborating the conclusions derived from the field experimentation made on soil water distribution at different depths of placement of drip laterals. This model helped in designing the subsurface drip system for efficient use of water with minimum drainage.     

Subsurface drip irrigation of corn in the United States Mid-South

Although rainfall in the United States Mid-South is sufficient to produce corn (Zea mays L.) without irrigation in most years, timely irrigation has been shown to increase yields. The recent interest in ethanol fuels is expected to lead to increases in US corn production, and subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) is one possible way to increase application efficiency and thereby reduce water use. The objective of this study was to determine the response of SDI-irrigated corn produced in the US Mid-South. Field studies were conducted at the University of Arkansas Northeast Research and Extension Center at Keiser during the 2002-2004 growing seasons. The soil was mixed, with areas of fine sandy loam, loamy sand, and silty clay. SDI tubing was placed under every row at a depth of approximately 30 cm. Three irrigation levels were compared, with irrigation replacing 100% and 60% of estimated daily water use and no irrigations. The split plot treatment was hybrid, with three hybrids of different relative maturities. Although the 3-year means indicated significantly lower yields for a nonirrigated treatment, no significant differences were observed among the treatments in 2003 or 2004. A large difference was observed in 2002, the year with the least rainfall during the study period, but no difference was detected between the two irrigated treatments in any year. The treatment with the lower water application had the higher irrigation water use efficiency. Although the results of this study suggested that replacing 60% of the estimated daily evapotranspiration with SDI is sufficient for maximum corn yields, additional observations will be needed to determine whether corn production with SDI is feasible in the region and to develop recommendations for farmers choosing to adopt the method. Improved weather forecasting and crop coefficient functions developed specifically for the region should also contribute to more efficient irrigation management.     

不同灌溉方法对盐渍土壤中水、盐、热分布的影响

通过温室盐渍土壤中的种植试验,对常规灌溉、固定灌溉、交替灌溉3种灌水方式下水分、盐分、温度的变化情况进行了研究。结果表明,交替灌溉水分利用效率优于常规灌溉和固定灌溉;相同时间内交替灌溉的干燥沟升温幅度大于湿润沟,随着土壤深度的增加温度呈逐渐减小的趋势;常规灌溉土壤返盐最多,固定灌溉返盐最少。土壤水溶性盐、Cl-、Na+在土壤表层积聚现象明显。     

Salt movement,leaching efficiency,and leaching requirement

To study the salt movement in a soil profile, experiments were conducted on sandy loam and silty clay loam in tanks. The chloride concentration and electrical conductivity of the soil water were found from soil water samplers and salinity sensors. The standard deviation of the chloride concentration at each depth was small at the beginning of the percolation process when the soil was uniformly non-saline or highly saline; it increased strongly during the process and returned to its original value at the end. This points to a very heterogeneous water and salt movement through the soil profile. The chloride concentration, when increasing or decreasing rapidly, shows a large scattering. The effective mixing length in the tank experiments appears to be much greater than in laboratory soil columns. It varies between 10 and 15 cm in sandy loam and between 15 and 30 cm in silty clay loam. Irrigation water and soil moisture do not mix completely. An increasing part of the irrigation water moves through the soil without contributing to the leaching process. The results of the tank experiments agree with those of field experiments on similar soils. The consequences for the calculation of the leaching requirement in practice are discussed.