Spatial and temporal distributions of nitrogen and crop yield as affected by nonuniformity of sprinkler fertigation

Deep percolation and nitrate leaching are important considerations in the design of sprinkler systems. Field experiments were therefore conducted to investigate the influence of nonuniformity of sprinkler irrigation on deep percolation and spatial distributions of nitrogen and crop yield during the growing season of winter wheat at an experiment station in Beijing, China. Three experimental plots of a sandy clay loam soil in the 0–40 cm depth interval and a loamy clay soil below 40 cm were irrigated with a sprinkler irrigation system that had a seasonal averaged Christiansen irrigation uniformity coefficient (CU) varying from 72 to 84%. Except for the fertilizer applied before planting, fertilizer was applied with the sprinkler irrigation system. The corresponding seasonal averaged CU for fertigation varied from 71 to 85%. Daily observation of matrix water potentials in the root zone showed that little deep percolation occurred. Consequently, the effect of sprinkler uniformity on deep percolation was minor during the irrigation season for the soil tested. Intensive gravimetric soil core samplings were conducted several times during the irrigation season in a grid of 5 m × 5 m for each plot to determine the spatial and temporal variation of NH₄-N and NO₃-N contents. Soil NH₄-N and NO₃-N exhibited high spatial variability in depth and time during the irrigation season with CU values ranging from 23 to 97% and the coefficient of variation ranging from 0.04 to 1.06. A higher uniformity of sprinkler fertigation produced a more uniform distribution of NH₄-N, but the distribution of NO₃-N was not related to fertigation. Rather it was related to the spatial variability of NO₃-N before fertigation began. At harvest, the distribution of dry matter above ground, nitrogen uptake, and yield were measured and the results indicated that sprinkler fertigation uniformity had insignificant effects on the parameters mentioned above. Field experimental results obtained from this study suggest that sprinkler irrigation if properly managed can be used as an efficient and environment-friendly method of applying water and fertilizers.     

Computer evaluation of sprinkler irrigation uniformity

Summary A method for evaluating the water application rate (WAR) and uniformity coefficient (Cu) of overlapping irrigation sprinklers is given for realistic field conditions which includes wind drift of the sprinkler spray. The method requires as input — the geometry of the sprinkler arrangement, trajectories of water drops from the sprinkler nozzle as calculated by the equations of motion and the WAR distribution (discharge) profile of a single sprinkler experimentally observed under windless conditions. Wind direction with respect to the main sprinkler line is shown to have a small effect on Cu and is assumed to be parallel to the main line. Results show that the effect of wind drift of sprinkler spray on Cu can be neglected for wind velocities less than 1 ms^–1 (Fig. 8). Analysis of simulated discharge profiles (Table 1) shows that the maximum value of the uniformity coefficient was obtained with triangular sprinkler discharge profiles at low values of spacing, changing to trapezoidal profiles as the spacing increases (Figs. 8 and 9). The effect of nozzle pressure on WAR was evaluated for the pressure range between 294 and 490 kPa and an optimum layout of overlapping sprinklers, designed to minimize the effect of wind drift and nozzle pressure on the uniformity of WAR distribution, is presented.Notation C _D air drag coefficient of water drop - Cu uniformity coefficient - D diameter of water drop - d _k reference k-th water drop - incremental scanning distance at a certain size matrix - g acceleration of gravity - h _pm mean value of water application rate (mean value of WAR) - h (x, y) WAR at points P (x, y) - h _o (k, n) WAR at points P _o (k, n) - h _p (l, m) WAR at cross points of a certain size matrix covering the unit area for calculation of Cu - i row index number (see Fig. 3) - j column index number (see Fig. 3) - K Kàrmán's constant - k index number of water drop, d _k - L number of scanning points along main line - l index number of scanning point along main line - M number of scanning points along the line perpendicular to main line - m index number of scanning point along the line perpendicular to main line     

Assessing whole-field sprinkler irrigation application uniformity

In order to assess whole-field sprinkler irrigation uniformity, an experiment was conducted to obtain water distribution profiles at 23 different pressures for each of five different sprinklers: Nelson R33, Nelson R33LP, Nelson R33 with road guard, Nelson R33LP with road guard, and Rainbird Mini Paw/LG-3. A mathematical model was developed to account for pressure variation throughout a fixed sprinkler system on a 10-ha field and to evaluate sprinkler irrigation uniformity for the whole field using interpolated water distribution profiles from the experimental data. The relationships between irrigation application uniformity and sprinkler pressure, sprinkler spacing, pressure variation, sprinkler type, and field topography were studied using the model. The results show that the coefficient of uniformity, CU, decreases rapidly when the pressure is below the low end of the manufacturer-recommended range; however, CU changes very little with pressure within the manufacturer-recommended range. The system application uniformity, CU_sys, is usually less when pressure variations at different locations in a field are considered, and a simple previously published equation to predict CU_sys is shown to closely approximate the CU from a more stringent calculation method. It was found that the impact of pressure variation (within the tested ranges) on application uniformity is less than that of the sprinkler spacing. Also, the effect of field topography on sprinkler application uniformity is relatively small for the cases tested herein.     

Effects of applied water and sprinkler irrigation uniformity on alfalfa growth and hay yield

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of applied water and sprinkler irrigation uniformity on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) growth and hay yield in a semi-arid region. Field experiments were carried out in 2006 in Varamin, Iran, on three plots of 25 m × 30 m. Each plot was subdivided into 25 subplots of 5 m × 6 m. Different irrigation depths and sprinkler water uniformities were obtained by various scenarios of sprinkler nozzle pressure. In each plot, applied water was measured at 250 points (125 points above and 125 points below canopy) and the soil water content of 40 cm deep below soil surface was monitored at 25 points, each in the center of a subplot, throughout the irrigation season. The results showed that sprinkler water and soil water content uniformity varied between 66-78 and 88-91%, respectively. The findings revealed that soil water content uniformity was around 20% higher than sprinkler water uniformity. The irrigation uniformity below the canopy was estimated to be 2.5% greater than above the canopy, and canopy-intercepted water could account for 11-15% of the total seasonal applied water. Evaluation showed that alfalfa leaf area index relies more heavily on farm water application uniformity than hay yield and crop height. The experimental results illustrated that water distribution in sprinkler irrigation systems has a direct effect on alfalfa growth, hay yield and water productivity such that the applied water reduction and the increased sprinkler water uniformity led to an increased alfalfa water productivity of 2.41 kg m⁻³.     

Assessing whole-field uniformity of stationary sprinkler irrigation systems

The procedure established in the literature for the evaluation of stationary sprinkler irrigation systems is limited in space and time since it is based on a sample of precipitation taken around one sprinkler during a given period of the whole irrigation event. This procedure also ignores what happens in the soil after water infiltrates. A model of the drop trajectory and of the water distribution pattern is formulated here for simulating precipitation from single sprinklers. The operating pressure determines sprinkler flow and maximum throw. Wind and evaporation distort the distribution patterns. The water distribution of individual sprinklers is overlapped to generate precipitation over the whole field and to calculate a coefficient of uniformity. Field effective uniformity is then calculated by averaging precipitation over the extension of plant roots or water redistribution within the soil profile. Application of the model has shown the impact of system management and design, field topography and wind on irrigation uniformity. Management factors such as lateral operation time or riser inclination may account for a large part of the field precipitation variations. A rough topography may also reduce uniformity significantly. Wind speed is important when it exceeds 1.8–2 m s^–1. The allowable maximum pressure loss of 20% fixed as a design criterion seems an overly strict limit when other factors may overcome pressure loss as sources of non-uniformity. The sources of non-uniformity have different scales of variation. Large-scale sources, such as lateral operation time or pressure loss, are not dampened by the crop or soil. Sources of smaller-scale variation, such as wind or inclination of the sprinkler riser, are better compensated by the crop and soil. The application of this kind of model to the design and management of sprinkler irrigation systems is discussed. Received: 9 May 1997     

Infiltration and runoff as affected by pitting,mulching and sprinkler irrigation

Summary Changes in infiltration and runoff caused by pitting and mulching under sprinkler irrigation were studied on two soil types. Pitting or diking was done with an implement called a dammer-diker. Five soil treatments were applied: shallow and deep dammer-diker, shallow dammer-diker with mulch, bare, and a mulched soil, combined with two water application rates. Total water infiltration and runoff varied during the experiment. Runoff decreased with area of water storage provided by the pits and the less water was applied. Mulch treatments also reduced runoff. Surface water storage decreased during the season. Changes in soil physical properties due to pitting were more important in controlling runoff than surface water storage.The effective saturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil progressively decreased through the season for all soil treatments and water application rates.A model was developed to simulate the effect of pits on runoff. On a silt loam soil, simulated percent runoff and accumulated runoff over time for the bare and pitted treatments agreed closely to measured values. The agreement of simulated to measured runoff for a silty clay loam soil was not as good probably because of cracking which the simulation model did not take into account.     

Quality and maximum profit of industrial tomato as affected by distribution uniformity of drip irrigation system

The tomato industry reformed its system of payment by weight of tomato, introducing a corrective system based on percent level of fruit dry matter produced. Such a decision implies significant changes in the management of irrigation systems, with a need to emphasize the technological quality of the marketable product. Three levels of distribution uniformity of the irrigation system are analysed, and related production functions of crop yield and percent of dry matter are presented as well as their use on the optimisation of dry matter, expected revenues and seasonal applied water. Results are critically influenced by the distribution uniformity. They demonstrate the inter-relationship between crop production, percent fruit dry matter and irrigation management, and the importance of considering non-uniformity in the economic analysis of industrial tomato production. Decreases in uniformity lead to a reduction in dry matter production per unit land. Decreases in dry matter are also observed with increasing levels of seasonally applied water, with the optimal level always lower than the required for maximum yield. Such interaction suggests a continuous and inverse relationship between profit and water applied. However, due to the corrective system of payment, by levels of percent of dry matter produced, for some uniformity, the expected revenue follows the yield-water production function instead of the dry matter function. This fact introduces disturbances in the optimal water applied inducing higher than expected levels of water applied for profit maximisation. The simulated data also show that incentives to switch to new systems or management practices able to raise the distribution uniformity result more from profit losses than increases in water price.     

Nitrate leaching and soil nitrate content as affected by irrigation uniformity in a carrot field

High value crops such as carrot planted in coarse soils of the Southern San Joaquin Valley in California are prime candidates for nitrate leaching through irrigation nonuniformity. A 2-year study was carried out to explore the impact of irrigation uniformity on nitrate leaching. Irrigation uniformity was measured using catchcans. Soil nitrate (NO₃-N) and ammonium (NH₄-N) contents were measured from soil sampled at different depths and times during two growing seasons. Nitrate leaching was determined using ion-exchange resin bags at 1-m depth sampled three times during each season. Although, soil NO₃-N as well as seasonal irrigation was significantly higher along the lateral irrigation pipe than between the sprinklers, nitrate leaching was not significantly higher. As expected, soil nitrate content decreased as percolation increased for both years. Nitrate leaching, as estimated by anion-exchange resin bags, was positively correlated to soil NO₃-N content but was not correlated to irrigation depth, irrigation uniformity, or deep percolation. Field variation in saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_s), soil organic matter (OM), and soil water retention at field capacity had limited effect on NO₃-N and NH₄-N distributions in the profile and on nitrate leaching. The results of this experiment suggest that irrigation nonuniformity has less impact on nitrate movement than suggested by earlier studies.     

Field evaluation of crop yield as affected by nonuniformity of sprinkler-applied water and fertilizers

The determination of target uniformity for sprinkler irrigation system should consider the impacts of nonuniformity of water and fertilizers on crop yield. Field experiments were therefore conducted in north China plains to address the impacts of nonuniformly applied water and fertilizers on winter wheat yield. Irrigation water and fertilizers were applied through a solid set sprinkler system. Three experimental plots were used with seasonal Christiansen uniformity coefficients (arithmetic mean of individual CUs) ranging from 62 to 82%. Each plot was divided into $\text{3}\text{m}\text{×3}\text{m}$ grids. Sprinkler water depth and concentration of fertilizer solution for each grid was measured both below and above the canopy for each individual irrigation event. The spatial distribution of soil moisture for each experimental plot was also measured periodically to determine irrigation times and amounts. On harvest, grain yield and total nitrogen content of plant stems were measured for each grid. The experimental results showed that the uniformity of fertilizer applied increased with sprinkler water uniformity. The distributions of both fertilizers and water applied through sprinkler system can be represented by a normal distribution function. Field experiments also demonstrated that the uniformity of sprinkler-applied water and fertilizers has insignificant effect on winter wheat yield for the studied uniformity range. The current standard for sprinkler uniformity (for example, the target CU is equal to or higher than 75% in China) is high enough for obtaining a reasonable crop yield in dry sub-humid regions.     

地面灌水技术优化组合节水高产机理研究

对不同地面灌水技术进行优化组合应用,根据全年作物连作的需水特点实施调亏灌溉使土壤水分消长过程在节水高产调控范围内,提高了水分效应,小麦和棉花水分生产效率达１．５３ｋｇ／ｍ３和０．４１ｋｇ／ｍ３的较高水平。同时还对其节水高产机理进行了探讨,为节水高产的地面灌水技术优化组合应用提供了科学依据。     

基于正交试验法下对喷灌均匀性影响因子的综合分析

为了优化轻小型平移式喷灌机组灌溉施肥工况,在喷灌工作压力为0.25 MPa,比例吸肥泵进出口压力为0.22 MPa情况下,设计正交试验以研究施肥浓度、喷头车行走速度和喷灌高度3个因素对轻小型平移式喷灌机组水肥一体化性能的影响;对试验结果进行极差分析和方差分析,获得三因素的最佳水平组合并对比三因素影响因子大小.试验结果表明：影响轻小型平移式喷灌机组肥液浓度均匀度(CU₁)及肥液浓度分布均匀度(DU₁)的主要影响因素是喷灌高度,而施肥浓度和行走速度对其影响较小,显著性均大于0.05.影响肥液质量均匀度(CU₂)最主要因素是喷头车行走速度,其次是喷灌高度,而施肥浓度对其影响不具有统计学意义.施肥浓度、喷灌高度和行走速度对肥液质量分布均匀度(DU₂)影响因子显著性均大于0.05.最优施肥技术水平组合为A1B2C2,即施肥浓度为0.4 g/L,喷灌高度为1.2 m,行走速度为30 m/h.     

Chloride accumulation and partitioning in Barley as affected by differential root and foliar salt absorption under saline sprinkler irrigation

Barley is a crop that has been classified as tolerant to soil salinity, but under sprinkler irrigation with saline water it can readily absorb salts through its leaves and develop injury. Experiments using a triple-line-source sprinkler system were conducted on barley between 1989 and 1991 to determine: (1) the specific effects of foliage wetting on the mass of different shoot components; (2) the relative contribution of root and foliar absorption processes to foliar Cl accumulation; and (3) the extent by which these processes affect Cl partitioning in the shoot at the end of the season. Some plants were covered with plastic during the irrigation process to prevent foliar wetting while others remained uncovered. Salinity affected the partitioning of dry matter in the shoots regardless of whether plants were covered during the irrigation process. The organs associated with reproduction, e.g., heads and peduncles, comprised a larger fraction of the total shoot biomass under high salinity than under low salinity, indicating that plants under salinity stress were able to redistribute their dry matter to favor reproductive growth. The Cl concentration of the young leaves sampled from uncovered plants was linearly related (i.e., r ²>0.71) to the Cl concentration of the irrigation water. Equivalent leaves from covered plants also contained a substantial amount of Cl but concentrations were weakly correlated (i.e., r ²<-0.41) with the concentration of Cl in the irrigation water. At low salinity, there were no differences in leaf Cl concentrations between covered and uncovered treatments. In young leaves, differences between these treatments progressively increased with increasing salinity, indicating that the relative contribution of Cl in the leaf from foliar absorbed salts increased with increasing Cl in the irrigation water. Only in the youngest leaves sampled at the end of the season from plants grown at high salinity was the Cl concentration in uncovered plants (foliar plus root-absorbed Cl) found to be more than twice that in covered plants (only root-absorbed Cl) indicating that most of the Cl in young leaves originated from foliar absorption. In addition, only in the youngest leaves (e.g., flag leaves) was the slope of the relationship between leaf-Cl concentration and Cl concentration of the sprinkling water of uncovered plants more than twice that of covered plants, also indicating that foliar-Cl absorption was more substantial than root-Cl absorption. At high salinity, the difference in leaf Cl concentration between covered and uncovered plants was maximum in the youngest leaf (flag leaf), but differences became progressively smaller with increasing leaf age until ultimately concentrations of chloride in leaves older than the flag leaf-2 were highest in covered plants. In older tissue, it was difficult to distinguish which process, foliar or root absorption, was most responsible for leaf-Cl accumulation. These processes may not be entirely independent of one another and much of the Cl in the oldest leaves of uncovered plants could have been derived from foliar sources during the first month of sprinkling, reaching maximal levels, and thereby restricting root-absorbed Cl. Furthermore, since these leaves at the end of the season are more injured and drier than those from covered plants, late-season sprinkler irrigations may have been responsible for leaching some of the Cl out of these necrotic leaves.     

太阳能喷灌系统供给能源与水力性能关系

为了解决太阳能喷灌系统应用中无法对喷头水力性能进行有效预测的问题,以光照强度为影响因素,太阳能喷灌系统泵出口流量、泵出口压力、喷洒射程、水量分布及系统灌溉均匀性系数为评价指标,通过在夏季典型天气25~36℃下的系统水力性能试验,寻找不同光照强度下系统喷洒水力性能的变化规律,获得系统最佳工作状态下所需光照强度.试验结果表明:随着光照强度的增大,系统流量及泵出口压力均增大,泵的流量和压力随光照强度的变化规律基本符合指数分布规律.当光照强度大于900.0 W/m²时,系统流量、泵出口压力、射程及水量分布基本保持不变.获得了平均光照强度与均匀性系数函数关系,当光照强度大于900.0 W/m²时,系统喷灌均匀系数大于88%.当光照强度为200.0~600.0 W/m²时,系统喷灌均匀系数为76%~82%.太阳能喷灌系统在光照强度大于200.0 W/m²时可正常工作.该研究为改善太阳能喷灌系统水力性能,促进太阳能喷灌系统在实际工程中的推广应用提供了参考.     

出口可调式变量喷头喷灌均匀性

以喷洒域形状和水量分布均匀性为指标研究变量喷头的喷灌均匀性,分析了影响PY2系列喷头射程和水量分布的关键因素,得知改变单一参数的变量喷头喷灌均匀性较差.为提高变量喷头的灌溉均匀性,设计了出口可调式的变喷洒域喷头,使用流量调节机构改变喷头工作压力,使用出口调节机构改变喷头出口面积,通过出口面积和喷头工作压力的同步调节实现均匀喷洒.测试了出口可调式变量喷头的水力性能,对比了圆形喷嘴变量喷头和出口可调式变量喷头水量分布,出口可调式变量喷头不同射程处喷灌强度相近,喷洒性能优于圆形喷嘴变量喷头.计算了变量喷头的方形喷洒域系数和不同间距下的组合灌溉均匀性,结果显示BPY20变量喷头的方形喷洒域系数为97.8%,最佳组合间距为1.66,组合灌溉均匀性为75.4%;BPY30变量喷头的方形喷洒域系数为91.5%,最佳组合间距为1.69,组合灌溉均匀性为77.2%.     

Factors affecting the economic benefits of sprinkler uniformity and their implications for irrigation water use

Adoption of more uniform sprinkler systems involves a trade off between increased capital expenditure on equipment and the benefits associated with reduced water application when application is uniform. An empirical analysis of the economics of lettuce production, grown using sprinkler systems under the windy conditions of the Swan Coastal plain in Western Australia is presented, where the yield response to water exhibits eventual declining marginal productivity. A range of sprinkler designs that have been field-tested for performance were examined. The optimal per-crop water application for the least efficient system was up to double the application rate of the most efficient system. However, the economic analysis demonstrates that there are clear incentives for adopting more water-efficient systems despite the higher capital cost, because of the yield depressing effect of over-watering. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates substantially poorer incentives for improving irrigation efficiency when yield relationships follow a Mitscherlich functional form.

喷灌自动化技术研究与示范

本文主要介绍了喷灌自动化技术研究与示范项目的来源、研究内容、电路结构及监控软件设计，对该系统的主要功能和特点也做了详尽分析，最后指出本项目已通过专家鉴定，具有良好的推广应用价值。     

Corn yield responses under crop evapotranspiration-based irrigation management

Improving irrigation water management is becoming important to produce a profitable crop in South Texas as the water supplies shrink. This study was conducted to investigate grain yield responses of corn (Zea mays) under irrigation management based on crop evapotranspiration (ET_C) as well as a possibility to monitor plant water deficiencies using some of physiological and environmental factors. Three commercial corn cultivars were grown in a center-pivot-irrigated field with low energy precision application (LEPA) at Texas AgriLife Research Center in Uvalde, TX from 2002 to 2004. The field was treated with conventional and reduced tillage practices and irrigation regimes of 100%, 75%, and 50% ET_C. Grain yield was increased as irrigation increased. There were significant differences between 100% and 50% ET_C in volumetric water content (θ), leaf relative water content (RWC), and canopy temperature (T_C). It is considered that irrigation management of corn at 75% ET_C is feasible with 10% reduction of grain yield and with increased water use efficiency (WUE). The greatest WUE (1.6 g m⁻² mm⁻¹) achieved at 456 mm of water input while grain yield plateaued at less than 600 mm. The result demonstrates that ET_C-based irrigation can be one of the efficient water delivery schemes. The results also demonstrate that grain yield reduction of corn is qualitatively describable using the variables of RWC and T_C. Therefore, it appears that water status can be monitored with measurement of the variables, promising future development of real-time irrigation scheduling.     

滚移式喷灌机压力对喷灌均匀性影响

为解决喷灌机械的喷灌均匀性差、移动不方便等问题,研制一种操控简单、适应性强的大型滚移式喷灌机,对其水量分布均匀系数和喷灌强度进行试验.试验采用单因素多重比较设计方法,选取距进水端距离分别为40,150,260 m处为测试处,喷灌压力分别为0.20,0.25,0.30,0.35,0.40 MPa,并运用Design-expert软件进行分析,研究各喷灌压力在各测试处对水量分布均匀系数和喷灌强度的影响.结果表明,各测试处的压力对水量分布均匀系数的影响均为显著性差异,且随喷灌压力上升,水量分布均匀系数升高.对喷灌强度的影响呈正相关性,但喷灌压力高于0.30 MPa时影响不显著.喷灌压力在0.40 MPa时,水量分布均匀系数平均可达88.75%,喷灌强度为12.3 mm/h,各处的水量分布均匀系数和喷灌强度能够保持均匀一致,并能够稳定作业,达到最优状态,完全满足大型滚移式喷灌机的性能要求.该项研究对于促进滚移式喷灌机推广和应用具有重要意义,为其深入研究提供了参考依据.