Mechanisms of Subsurface Drip Irrigation-Mediated Suppression of Lettuce Drop Caused by Sclerotinia minor

ABSTRACT Subsurface drip irrigation and associated mandatory minimum tillage practices significantly reduced the incidence of lettuce drop (Sclerotinia minor) and the severity of corky root on lettuce compared with furrow irrigation and conventional tillage. Three possible mechanisms for the drip irrigation-mediated disease suppression were examined in this study: qualitative and quantitative differences in the soil microflora under furrow and subsurface drip irrigation; their antagonism and potential bio-control effects on S. minor; and the physical distribution of soil moisture and temperature relative to the two irrigation methods. To determine if the suppressive effects under subsurface drip irrigation were related to changes in soil microflora, soils were assayed for actinomycetes, bacteria, and fungi during the spring and fall seasons. The effects of the irrigation methods on microbial populations were nearly identical during both seasons. In the spring season, the total number of fungal colonies recovered on potato dextrose agar amended with rose Bengal generally was greater in soils under drip irrigation than under furrow irrigation, but no such differences were observed during the fall. Numbers of actinomycetes and bacteria were not significantly different between irrigation methods during either season. No interaction between sampling time and irrigation methods was observed for any of the microbial populations during both seasons. Thus, the significant effect of sampling time observed for actinomycete and bacterial populations during the spring was most likely not caused by the irrigation treatments. There were also no qualitative differences in the three groups of soil microflora between the irrigation treatments. Even though some fungal, actinomycete, and bacterial isolates suppressed mycelial growth of S. minor in in vitro assays, the isolates came from both subsurface drip- and furrow-irrigated soils. In in planta assays, selected isolates failed to reduce the incidence of drop in lettuce plants. The soil moisture under subsurface drip irrigation was significantly lower at all depths and distances from the bed center after an irrigation event than under furrow irrigation. The soil temperature, in contrast, was significantly higher at both 5 and 15 cm depths under drip irrigation than under furrow irrigation. The suppression of lettuce drop under subsurface drip irrigation compared with furrow irrigation is attributed to differential moisture and temperature effects rather than to changes in the soil microflora or their inhibitory effects on S. minor.     

Effects of Irrigation and Tillage on Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of Sclerotinia minor Sclerotia and Lettuce Drop Incidence

ABSTRACT The temporal and spatial dynamics of Sclerotinia minor sclerotia and the resulting incidence of lettuce drop were studied under furrow irrigation with conventional tillage and subsurface-drip irrigation with minimum tillage during 1993-95. Lettuce crops were grown each year during the spring and fall seasons. All plants were inoculated immediately after thinning in the spring of 1993. Grids of 24 contiguous quadrats (1 by 1 m(2)) were demarcated in the centers of each 150-m(2) plot. Lettuce drop incidence in each quadrat was evaluated each season prior to harvest. One soil sample (100 cm(3)) was collected from each quadrat at harvest and after tillage prior to planting of the next crop for both spring and fall crops and assayed for S. minor sclerotia using wet sieving. Lloyd's index of patchiness, the beta-binomial distribution, and variance of moving window averages were used to evaluate the spatial patterns of sclerotia and lettuce drop incidence under the two irrigation systems and associated tillage treatments. Disease incidence remained significantly higher under furrow irrigation than under subsurface-drip irrigation throughout the study period, and was significantly higher on fall crops than on spring crops. Under furrow irrigation, the number of sclerotia at the end of a crop season increased significantly over that at the beginning of the season, but no significant changes were detected over years. In contrast, the number of sclerotia within a single season did not increase significantly under subsurface drip irrigation, nor was year-to-year accumulation of sclerotia statistically significant. The degree of aggregation of sclerotia increased significantly during a cropping season under furrow irrigation, but not under subsurface drip irrigation. The conventional tillage after harvest under furrow irrigation decreased the degree of aggregation of sclerotia after each season, but the distribution pattern of sclerotia under subsurface-drip irrigation changed little by the associated minimum tillage. Spatial pattern analyses suggested that the aggregation of S. minor sclerotia occurred at a scale of no more than 1 m, and distribution of diseased lettuce plants was random at a scale larger than 1 m. The combination of fewer sclerotia produced by each crop and its unaltered distribution under subsurface drip irrigation and associated minimum tillage makes it a valuable cultural practice for lettuce drop management.     

Analyses of Lettuce Drop Incidence and Population Structure of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and S. minor

ABSTRACT To understand the geographical distribution of lettuce drop incidence and the structure of Sclerotinia minor and S. sclerotiorum populations, commercial lettuce fields were surveyed in the Salinas, San Joaquin, and Santa Maria Valleys in California. Lettuce drop incidence, pathogen species, and mycelial compatibility groups (MCGs) were determined and analyzed using geostatistic and geographical information system tools. Lettuce drop incidence was lowest in the San Joaquin Valley, and not significantly different between the other two valleys. Semivariogram analysis revealed that lettuce drop incidence was not spatially correlated between different fields in the Salinas Valley, suggesting negligible field-to-field spread or influence of inoculum in one field on other fields. Lettuce drop incidence was significantly lower in fields with a surface drip system than in fields with furrow or sprinkler irrigation systems, suggesting that the surface drip system can be a potential management measure for reducing lettuce drop. In the San Joaquin Valley, S. sclerotiorum was the prevalent species, causing drop in 63.5% of the fields, whereas S. minor also was identified in 25.4% of the fields. In contrast, in the Salinas Valley, S. minor was the dominant species (76.1%) whereas S sclerotiorum only observed in only 13.6% fields, in which only a few plants were infected by S. sclerotiorum. In the Santa Maria Valley, both species frequently were identified, with S. minor being slightly more common. Although many MCGs were identified in S. minor, most of them consisted of only one or two isolates. In all, approximately 91.4% of the isolates belonged to four MCGs. Among them, MCG-1 was the most prevalent group in all three valleys, accounting for 49.8% of total isolates. It was distributed all over the surveyed areas, whereas other MCGs were distributed more or less locally. Populations of S. sclerotiorum exhibited greater diversity, with 89 isolates collected from the Salinas and San Joaquin Valleys belonging to 37 different MCGs. Among them, the most recurrent MCG-A contained 16 isolates, and 30 MCGs contained only 1 isolate each. Many MCGs occurred within only one or a part of the two valleys. Potential reasons for this abundant diversity are discussed.     

Impact of consumer-driven changes to crop production practices on lettuce drop caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and S. minor

Increasing demands for value-added salad products have triggered revolutionary changes in the production practices of vegetable salad crops in recent years. One of the pivotal changes is the adaptation of 2-m-wide beds for increased vegetable biomass per unit area. The move away from the traditional 1-m-wide raised beds in cool-season vegetable production and the associated irrigation practices potentially can have a major influence on diseases affecting cool-season vegetables. To assess the potential impacts of this shift on lettuce drop caused by Sclerotinia minor and S. sclerotiorum, the two bed widths and different irrigation frequencies within each were compared in two separate field experiments over four lettuce crops in 2 years. Treatments included 1- and 2-m bed widths with twice-weekly, weekly and biweekly drip irrigation serving as subplot treatments that were begun immediately following thinning. Incidence of lettuce drop was evaluated weekly thereafter until maturity. For S. sclerotiorum, 36 half-liter soil samples were also collected once each season and assayed for the number of sclerotia, and apothecia were counted weekly in a 10-m(2) area for each plot. Regardless of the species, the effects of bed width and irrigation frequency were both significant. Twice-weekly irrigation and 2-m bed width resulted in higher lettuce drop incidence than other treatments. For S. sclerotiorum, twice-weekly irrigation and 2-m bed width also significantly increased the number of apothecia per unit area and the accumulation of soilborne sclerotia over multiple cropping seasons. Results demonstrated that the 2-m bed width combined with the practiced frequency of irrigations can result in higher lettuce drop caused by S. minor and increased incidence of airborne infection by S. sclerotiorum in the Salinas Valley where, historically, it has not been a serious threat. Increased incidence of S. sclerotiorum infection in commercial lettuce fields in the Salinas Valley between 2001 and 2006 validates these experimental results. These relatively new crop production practices can alter the balance of the two Sclerotinia spp. that has long existed in California.     

灌溉方法对温室栽培番茄产量及水分利用效率的影响

用温室小区栽培试验的方法,研究滴灌、渗灌、沟灌三种灌溉方法对番茄养分吸收、产量及水分利用效率的影响;结果表明,温室番茄栽培采用渗灌灌溉,在其它条件相同的情况下,1 m3灌溉用水生产出的番茄数量是沟灌的1.9倍、滴灌的1.2倍,滴灌则是沟灌的1.6倍;在番茄生长的整个生育期内,滴灌土壤水吸力平均值最大为24.20 k Pa,渗灌次之为23.11 k Pa,沟灌最小为22.01 k Pa;土壤温度表现出一定差异,但差异相对较小。沟灌处理番茄果实氮素含量高于滴灌和渗灌,而滴灌能够促进番茄的营养器官对氮素的吸收。渗灌和滴灌能有效地调控耕层土壤水分,有利于土壤养分供应,具有明显的节水、增产效果,是理想的设施番茄栽培灌溉模式。     

Effects of Irrigation and Verticillium dahliae on Cauliflower Root and Shoot Growth Dynamics

ABSTRACT Cauliflower root and plant growth and Verticillium wilt development were evaluated under different moisture regimes in the presence or absence of V. dahliae. Treatments included two main plots (V. dahliae-infested and fumigated), two subplots (furrow and subsurface drip irrigation), and three sub-subplots (deficit, moderate, and excessive regimes) that were arranged in a split-split-plot design in the field. Soil cores with roots were periodically sampled at 5 and 25 cm distance from plants. Total roots in each soil core were extracted with a hydropneumatic root elutriator, and root length from each sample was determined with a digital image analysis system. Incidence and severity of Verticillium wilt, plant height, number of leaves, and dry weights of leaves and roots were determined on 10 plants sampled at 7- to 10-day intervals 1 month after cauliflower transplanting and continued until harvest. To evaluate the effects of Verticillium wilt-induced stress on cauliflower plants, stomatal resistance was measured in upper healthy and lower (or diseased) leaves. Root length density at 5 and 25 cm from plant was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in subsurface drip than in furrow irrigation. Root length density was significantly higher in excessive irrigation regime than in the other regimes. Concomitantly, there was higher wilt incidence and severity in excessive and moderate regimes than deficit regime regardless of the irrigation method. Plant height was affected by irrigation methods and deficit regime. Neither the method of irrigation nor the quantity of water affected the other variables. Stomatal resistance in lower diseased leaves was significantly higher in infested than in fumigated plots but it was not in the upper healthy leaves. In this study, cauliflower yield was not affected by V. dahliae and irrigation method, but the deficit irrigation regime resulted in reduced yield even though it suppressed wilt in cauliflower. Thus, higher moisture levels resulted in higher root length density in V. dahliae-infested plots that in turn lead to greater incidence of Verticillium wilt and severity. The pathogen also affected physiological processes such as hydraulic conductance of cauliflower leaves, but not shoot growth or yield under these experimental conditions.     

Spatial analysis of lettuce downy mildew using geostatistics and geographic information systems

ABSTRACT The epidemiology of lettuce downy mildew has been investigated extensively in coastal California. However, the spatial patterns of the disease and the distance that Bremia lactucae spores can be transported have not been determined. During 1995 to 1998, we conducted several field- and valley-scale surveys to determine spatial patterns of this disease in the Salinas valley. Geostatistical analyses of the survey data at both scales showed that the influence range of downy mildew incidence at one location on incidence at other locations was between 80 and 3,000 m. A linear relationship was detected between semivariance and lag distance at the field scale, although no single statistical model could fit the semi-variograms at the valley scale. Spatial interpolation by the inverse distance weighting method with a power of 2 resulted in plausible estimates of incidence throughout the valley. Cluster analysis in geographic information systems on the interpolated disease incidence from different dates demonstrated that the Salinas valley could be divided into two areas, north and south of Salinas City, with high and low disease pressure, respectively. Seasonal and spatial trends along the valley suggested that the distinction between the downy mildew conducive and nonconducive areas might be determined by environmental factors.     

Effects of Crop Rotation and Irrigation on Verticillium dahliae Microsclerotia in Soil and Wilt in Cauliflower

ABSTRACT Experiments were conducted in field plots to evaluate the effects of broccoli residue on population dynamics of Verticillium dahliae in soil and on Verticillium wilt development on cauliflower under furrow and subsurface-drip irrigation and three irrigation regimes in 1994 and 1995. Treatments were a factorial combination of three main plots (broccoli crop grown, harvested, and residue incorporated in V.dahliae-infested plots; no broccoli crop or residue in infested plots; and fumigated control plots), two subplots (furrow and subsurface-drip irrigation), and three sub-subplots (deficit, moderate, and excessive irrigation regimes) arranged in a split-split-plot design with three replications. Soil samples collected at various times were assayed for V. dahliae propagules using the modified Anderson sampler technique. Incidence and severity of Verticillium wilt on cauliflower were assessed at 7- to 10-day intervals beginning a month after cauliflower transplanting and continuing until harvest. Number of propagules in all broccoli plots declined significantly (P < 0.05) after residue incorporation and continued to decline throughout the cauliflower season. The overall reduction in the number of propagules after two broccoli crops was approximately 94%, in contrast to the fivefold increase in the number of propagules in infested main plots without broccoli after two cauliflower crops. Disease incidence and severity were both reduced approximately 50% (P < 0.05) in broccoli treatments compared with no broccoli treatments. Differences between furrow and subsurface-drip irrigation were not significant, but incidence and severity were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the deficit irrigation regime compared with the other two regimes. Abundance of microsclerotia of V. dahliae on cauliflower roots about 8 weeks after cauliflower harvest was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in treatments with broccoli compared with treatments without broccoli. Rotating broccoli with cauliflower and incorporating broccoli residues into the soils is a novel means of managing Verticillium wilt on cauliflower and perhaps on other susceptible crops. This practice would be successful regardless of the irrigation methods or regimes followed on the susceptible crops.     

Assessment of loss in yield due to sorghum downy mildew (Peronosclerospora sorghi) of maize in Nigerian guinea savanna

Abstract

The losses in yield due to sorghum downy mildew of maize induced by Peronoscleospora sorghi were assessed from 1982 to 1984 in the epidemic‐prone area of Nigeria. Plots of maize with different downy mildew incidences were obtained by planting seedlots containing different percentages of metalaxyl‐treated seeds. The losses in yield were directly proportional to the incidence of the disease. There was highly significant negative correlation between the incidence of downy mildew and grain yield.     

Effect of drip and furrow irrigation methods on<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bemisia tabaci</Emphasis> populations in cotton fields

Effects of drip and furrow irrigation and their application at three different levels, onBemisia tabaci populations, were studied during the 1999 and 2000 growing seasons in Aydın, Turkey, with the objective of attaining water rates of 100% (full), 66% (2/3) and 33% (1/3) during irrigation periods. All plots were irrigated during four different phenological periods,viz., blooming, boll setting, boll and 5–10% of boll open stage. The number of whitefly immatures was significantly greater in furrow-irrigated than in drip-irrigated plots in both 1999 and 2000 and there were significant differences found in the effect of the irrigation methods and their application levels as well. In all trials, the number of whitefly nymphs was the highest in the 33% (1/3) water supply with both drip and furrow methods. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Feb. 3, 2003.     

增氧灌溉对盆栽冬小麦生长及土壤通气性的影响

以冬小麦为供试作物，以普通地下滴灌为对照（CK），设置循环曝气（VAI）、双氧水（HP30、HP3K）三种增氧灌溉处理，系统监测土壤通气性、作物根系生长和养分吸收利用状况，研究土壤通气性与冬小麦生长的响应规律。结果表明，增氧灌溉可显著改善土壤通气性，与对照相比，灌溉后2 d内土壤通气性指标有显著改善，其中，VAI和HP30处理拔节期20 cm土层氧气扩散速率增大了43.99%和21.37%，VAI处理土壤呼吸增大了106.62%。增氧灌溉促进了作物根系生长，VAI处理0~10 cm土层根系总表面积和根长密度增加了44.18%和37.21%，HP30处理0~10 cm土层根长密度和根系总体积提高了21.13%和32.69%；增氧灌溉下作物的生理指标较对照有显著提高，其中，VAI、HP3K和HP30处理灌浆期光合速率提高了43.41%、26.37%和20.37%，VAI和HP30处理灌浆期气孔导度增大了23.53%和17.65%，蒸腾速率提高了11.61%和15.83%；同时，VAI处理和HP30处理产量提高了36.27%和23.37%，VAI处理水分利用效率增大了38.98%，均存在显著性差异。综上，增氧灌溉改善了作物根区的土壤通气性，促进了作物根系生长，提高了作物产量和水分利用效率，其中，VAI处理的改善效果最佳。     

Interactions between Coniothyrium minitans and Sclerotinia minor affect biocontrol efficacy of C. minitans

Coniothyrium minitans, marketed as Contans, has become a standard management tool against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in a variety of crops, including winter lettuce. However, it has been ineffective against lettuce drop caused by S. minor. The interactions between C. minitans and S minor were investigated to determine the most susceptible stage in culture to attack by C. minitans, and to determine its consistency on S minor isolates belonging to four major mycelial compatibility groups (MCGs). Four isolates of S. minor MCG 1 and 5 each from MCGs 2 and 3 and one from MCG 4 were treated in culture at purely mycelial, a few immature sclerotial, and fully mature sclerotial phases with a conidial suspension of C. minitans. Sclerotia from all treatments were harvested after 4 weeks, air dried, weighed, and plated on potato dextrose agar for recovery of C. minitans. S. minor formed the fewest sclerotia in plates that received C. minitans at the mycelial stage; C. minitans was recovered from nearly all sclerotia from this treatment and sclerotial mortality was total. However, the response of MCGs was inconsistent and variable. Field experiments to determine the efficacy of C. minitans relative to the registered fungicide, Endura, on lettuce drop incidence and soil inoculum dynamics were conducted from 2006 to 2009. All Contans treatments had significantly lower numbers of sclerotia than Endura and unsprayed control treatments, and drop incidence was as low as in Endura-treated plots (P > 0.05). Although the lower levels of lettuce drop in Contans treatments were correlated with significantly lower levels of sclerotia, the lower levels of lettuce drop, despite the presence of higher inoculum in the Endura treatment, was attributable to the prevention of infection by S. minor. A useful approach to sustained lettuce drop management is to employ Contans to lower the number of sclerotia in soil and to apply Endura to prevent S. minor infection within a cropping season.     

First report of Rhizomonas sp. causing corky root of lettuce in Europe

Typical symptoms of corky root were observed on iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) in the Netherlands and England, on prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola L.) in Spain, and on sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus L.) in Greece. Slow-growing bacteria with similar colonies as strains ofRhizomonas suberifaciens or otherRhizomonas species were isolated from soil surrounding plants with corky root symptoms using lettuce seedlings as bait. Crude lysate from all strains was tested for DNA homology with DNA fromR. suberifaciens strain CA1 (R. sub. CA1) andRhizomonas sp. strain WI4 (R. sp. WI4). Strains that had homology values higher than that ofR. sp. WI4 orR. sub. CA1 were tested for pathogenicity on 1-wk-old lettuce seedlings, cv. Salinas, Two strains from the Netherlands induced typical symptoms of corky root on lettuce. These strains tested negative with monoclonal antibody MAb-Rs1 specific forRhizomonas suberifaciens in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). They had low DNA homology withR. sub. CA1 (4–9%) and low to moderate DNA homology withR. sp. WI4 (4–17%). Some nonpathogenic strains had moderate to high levels of DNA homology withR. sub. CA1 orR. sp. WI4 (19–84%). All strains had fatty acid profiles similar to those ofRhizomonas species. This is the first report ofRhizomonas sp. causing corky root of lettuce in Europe.     

Comparative survival of Sclerotia of Sclerotinia minor and S. sclerotiorum

Survival of sclerotia of Sclerotinia minor and S. sclerotiorum was compared in irrigated fields during the summer in two major lettuce production areas in California. More than 50% sclerotia of S. sclerotiorum compared with 4 and 35% of S. minor remained viable after 24 weeks of burial at 15 and 5 cm depths, respectively, in the San Joaquin Valley while >80% of sclerotia survived in the Salinas Valley for both species. The results explain in part the lower infections from S. minor in the San Joaquin Valley. To identify factors that contribute to the rapid decline in the viability of sclerotia, the effects of soil moisture, temperature, and oxygen levels were studied in laboratory. More than 90% of sclerotia of both species survived for at least 3 months in sterilized dry soils at temperatures between 15 and 40 degrees C. Soil moisture did not affect survival at 15 and 25 degrees C. At 35 degrees C, however, survival rates were significantly lower at high (-0.3 to -0.01 MPa) water potential than at low (<-1.0 MPa) water potential. Incubation under ultralow oxygen concentration (0.01%) significantly reduced survival of sclerotia in nonautoclaved moist soils at 25 degrees C, with less than 2% sclerotia surviving over 4 weeks compared with about 45% sclerotia surviving at the ambient oxygen level (21%). The combination of high temperature, high soil moisture, and reduced oxygen in irrigated fields contribute to the lower survival of both Sclerotinia species and the responses of the two species to these conditions shape their relative geographical distribution.     

Low soil temperature reducing the yield of drip irrigated rice in arid area by influencing anther development and pollination

Drip irrigation can produce high rice yields with significant water savings; therefore, it is widely used in arid area water-scarce northern China. However, high-frequency irrigation of drip irrigation with low temperature well water leads to low root zone temperature and significantly reduce the rice yield compared to normal temperature water irrigated rice, for example, reservoir water. The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of low soil temperature on the yield reduction of drip irrigated rice in the spike differentiation stage. The experiment set the soil temperatures at 18°C, 24°C and 30°C under two irrigation methods(flood and drip irrigation), respectively. The results showed that, at the 30°C soil temperature, drip irrigation increased total root length by 53% but reduced root water conductivity by 9% compared with flood irrigation. Drip irrigation also increased leaf abscisic acid and proline concentrations by 13% and 5%, respectively. These results indicated that drip irrigated rice was under mild water stress. In the 18°C soil temperature, drip irrigation reduced hydraulic conductivity by 58%, leaf water potential by 40% and leaf net photosynthesis by 25% compared with flood irrigation. The starch concentration in male gametes was also 30% less in the drip irrigation treatment than in the flood irrigation treatment at soil temperature 18°C. Therefore, the main reason for the yield reduction of drip irrigated rice was that the low temperature aggravates the physiological drought of rice and leads to the decrease of starch content in male gametes and low pollination fertilization rate. Low temperature aggravates physiological water deficit in drip irrigated rice and leads to lower starch content in male gametes and low pollination fertilization rate, which is the main reason for the reduced yield of drip irrigated rice. Overall, the results indicated that the low soil temperatures aggravated the water stress that rice was under in the drip irrigated environment, causing declines both in the starch content of male gametes and in pollination rate. Low temperature will ultimately affect the rice yield under drip irrigation.     

盐碱棉田地表-地下接力式滴灌下水盐分布及棉花生长特征

地表-地下接力滴灌是集膜下滴灌和地下滴灌优点于一体的新型节水控盐技术,但目前针对该技术应用效果的研究尚少。针对如何对地表-地下接力式滴灌中的地表滴灌和地下滴灌进行水量分配效果最优这一问题,设置100%地表滴灌(W1)、75%地表滴灌+25%地下滴灌(W2)、50%地表滴灌+50%地下滴灌(W3)、25%地表滴灌+75%地下滴灌(W4)、100%地下滴灌(W5)共计5个处理,比较了不同水量分配下的地表-地下接力式滴灌与单一地表滴灌、单一地下滴灌对盐碱棉田土壤水盐分布和棉花产量的影响。结果表明：(1)W3处理根区土壤含水量分布最均匀,干燥区域面积最小。(2)W4处理窄行区域淋洗范围最大,脱盐效果最显著。(3)W3处理棉花吐絮期总干物质量和籽棉产量最大,分别为112.66 g和9 147 kg·hm^-2;吐絮期总干物质量比W1和W5处理分别提高11.3%和19.1%,籽棉产量比W1和W5处理分别提高14.1%和11.9%。地表-地下接力式滴灌处理下土壤含水量得以显著改善,在对土壤盐分进行淋洗的过程中表现出接力效应,淋洗面积和淋洗效果均有所增大。相比于单一地表滴灌和单一地...     

籽瓜滴灌制度与效益研究

本试验使用滴头流量2.3升/小时,滴头间距0.5米的以色列滴灌设备,研究了籽瓜在民勤沙区种植的灌溉制度及以传统的沟灌作对照的投入和产出。试验结果:灌溉定额全年为218.8米~3/亩;一次性灌水定额为7.4米~3/亩;滴灌间期是;5月份根据土壤墒情灌足底水,6、7、8月份分别为3.9天、2.2天和4.1天;每次灌溉时间3.6小时;较沟灌节约用水62.8%;节省劳力37.7%;减少投入2.8%,增加产值32.8%。经济效益和节水效益显著。     

局部控制地下浸润灌溉对叶用莴苣生长及水分利用效率的影响

通过两年的盆栽试验,对比研究了局部控制地下浸润灌溉和地表滴灌对作物根区土壤水分动态及叶用莴苣的光合速率、蒸腾速率、水分利用效率、产量和品质的影响。结果表明,局部控制地下浸润灌溉的蒸发量明显小于地表滴灌处理,莴苣产量高于地表滴灌处理;水分利用效率是局部控制地下浸润灌溉处理最高,达到了42.42 kg/m3,地表滴灌仅为15.14 kg/m3;各处理光合速率和蒸腾速率日变化均呈"双峰"曲线,且呈处理1>处理2>处理3>处理4的趋势;局部控制地下浸润灌溉处理的根冠比较高,最大值达0.187,而地表滴灌处理的根冠比仅为0.071;局部控制地下浸润灌溉中莴苣的Vc含量达到了14.62 mg/100g,而地表滴灌处理仅为12.82mg/100g。说明局部控制地下浸润灌溉能有效改善莴苣的光合产物分配,调整根冠比关系,提高莴苣的水分利用效率,使作物产量与品质得到统一。     

Efficiency of Subsurface Drip Irrigation for Potato Production Under Different Dry Stress Conditions

Efficient water delivery systems such as drip irrigation can contribute towards increasing crop yield potential, improving crop water and fertilizer use efficiency. However, critical management considerations such as subsurface drip irrigation are necessary to attain improved irrigation efficiencies and production benefits particularly under arid regions. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of two irrigation methods, surface and subsurface drip irrigation combined with four irrigation levels, 100, 80, 60 and 40% of crop evapotranspiration on yield and yield components of potato grown on sandy soil. The field experiments were conducted in the years 2008 and 2009. In terms of soil water availability to plants, subsurface drip provided more favorable growth conditions for plant growth and maintained higher soil water content at the root zone, which resulted in a significant higher potato yield compared to surface drip irrigation. The difference between the two irrigation methods on yield components was concentrated on the mean tuber weight per plant, while no significant difference was found on the tuber number per plant. Reducing the amounts of applied water significantly decreased total potato yield and its components. Under subsurface drip irrigation, reducing amounts of applied water to 80% ETc gave comparable yield and yield components to surface drip at full irrigation supply, indicating that 20% irrigation water can be saved without affecting the potato yield. At all irrigation levels, subsurface drip recorded higher water use efficiency (WUE) over surface drip. Maximum value was observed at 40% ETc. Fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) was also higher under subsurface drip and reduced significantly under both irrigation methods with increasing water deficit. These results suggested that subsurface drip offers the potential of better water management with respect to saving and distribution of water in the root zone and to obtain maximum yield accompanied by highest water and FUE.     

Nutrient uptake and yield of tomato under various methods of fertilizer application and levels of fertigation in arid lands

With rising concern about current irrigation and fertilizer NPK management, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of sources and methods of fertilizer application on nutrient distribution, uptake, recovery and fruit yield of tomato grown in a sandy soil. Equal amounts of NPK were applied in solid form or through fertigation at levels of 0%, 50%, 75% and 100% with the remainder 100%, 50% and 25% applied as solid fertilizers to the soil. Available NO₃ ^?-N and K were confined to the root zone of tomato in 75% and 100% NPK fertigation levels, while they moved beyond the root zone when they applied in two equal splits as solid fertilizers with drip (0% fertigation) and furrow irrigation. The mobility of P was greater in the root zone following its application through fertigation compared to a solid application as super phosphate. Drip irrigation showed significantly higher absolute growth rate (AGR), total dry weight (TDW) and leaf area index (LAI) of tomato over furrow irrigation. Moreover, tomato plants were able to utilize applied nutrients more efficiently in fertigation system than with conventional solid fertilizer application. Highest AGR, TDW and LAI were recorded when nutrients were applied to 100% by drip fertigation. The fruit yield of tomato was higher with drip irrigation (58.62 t ha^?1) than with furrow irrigation, (47.37 t ha^?1). Maximum fruit yield was recorded with 100% NPK fertigation (74.87 t ha^?1) and was associated with a higher number of fruits per plant and a bigger fruit size than the solid applied fertilizers under both drip and furrow irrigation. On average, tomato accumulated more NPK across the fertigation levels than with drip and furrow irrigation. Similarly, the more controlled application of nutrients in fertigation treatments improved NPK recovery and fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) and resulted in lesser leaching of NO₃ ^?-N and K to deeper soil layers.