Water use and water use efficiency of sweet corn under different weather conditions and soil moisture regimes

Plant growth and development are influenced by weather conditions that also affect water use (WU) and water use efficiency (WUE) and ultimately, yield. The overall goal of this study was to determine the impact of weather and soil moisture conditions on WU and WUE of sweet corn (Zea mays L. var rugosa). An experiment consisting on three planting dates was conducted in 2006 at The University of Georgia, USA. A sweet corn genotype sh2 was planted on March 27 under irrigated and rainfed conditions and on April 10 and 25 under irrigated conditions only. Soil moisture was monitored using PR2 probes. Rainfall and irrigation were recorded with rain gauges installed in the experimental area while other weather variables were recorded with an automatic weather station located nearby. A water balance was used to obtain the crop's daily evapotranspiration (ETc). WUE was calculated as the ratio of fresh and dry matter ear yield and cumulative ETc. The potential soil moisture deficit (Dp) approach was used to determine the crop's moisture stress. Results were analyzed using a single degree freedom contrast, linear regression, and the least significant difference. WU and WUE of sweet corn were both markedly affected by the intra-seasonal weather variability and Dp. For both variables, significant (p < 0.05) differences were found between planting dates under irrigated conditions and between the irrigated and rainfed treatments. WU was as high as 268 mm for the April 10 planting date under irrigated conditions and as low as 122 mm for the March 27 planting date under rainfed conditions. The maximum soil moisture deficit was reached at the milky kernel stage and was as high as 343 mm for the March 27 planting date under rainfed conditions and as low as 260 mm for the April 10 planting date under irrigated conditions. Further work should focus on the impact of the intra-seasonal weather variability and soil moisture conditions during different crop stages to determine critical periods that affect yield.     

Prediction of soil moisture characteristics from mechanical analysis and bulk density data

Soil moisture characteristics can be established directly from the physical properties of soils such as mechanical analysis and bulk densities. Multiple regression equations were worked out by taking first fractions of sand (E₁), silt + clay (E' = E₂ + E₃) and bulk density (P), and second fractions of sand (E₁), silt (E₂), clay (E₃) and bulk density (P) as independent variables to predict the parameter b, the air-entry potential ψ_e and the saturation moisture content _s of the soil-moisture characteristics equation. Regression equations were tested for soils of different textural and structural compositions and showed good agreement between estimated and experimentally determined values.     

Effect of soil moisture regimes on the yield and water use of lentil (Lens culinaris Medic)

Summary The effect of soil moisture regimes on the grain and straw yield, consumptive water use (Cu) and its relation with evaporation from free water surface (Eo), water use efficiency and soil moisture extraction pattern of lentil was studied in a field experiment conducted at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during the fall-spring season of the crop years 1979–1980 and 1980–1981. The grain and straw yield, consumptive water use rate, Cu/Eo ratio and water use efficiency increased with an increase in irrigation frequency. Consumptive water use rate increased as the crop season advanced and reached its peak value during flowering and grain filling stage. The Cu/Eo ratio attained its minimum values 35 and 105 days after sowing at branching and grain filling stages. Depletion of soil moisture was most from the top 0–30 cm soil layer followed by 30–60 cm soil layer and was least from 90–120 cm soil layer. The pattern of soil moisture depletion was also influenced by soil moisture regime. During the vegetative and flowering stage the percent contribution from the top 0–30 cm soil layer decreased and that from the lower soil layers (30–60, 60–90, and 90–120 cm) increased with an increase in the soil moisture tension, however, the actual amount of moisture depleted from all the soil layers was always higher under low soil moisture tension regime than under high soil moisture tension regime. During the grain development stage the soil moisture treatment had no significant effect on the relative contribution from different soil layers under low and high soil moisture tension as the crop was irrigated at the same time under both these treatments. However, with no irrigation, the percent contribution from top soil layer continued to decrease, and from lower soil layers continued to increase, as the crop advanced from flowering stage to grain development stage.     

Water use of young ‘Fuji’ apple trees at three soil moisture regimes in drainage lysimeters

Studies were conducted during 4 months of each growing season in 1994 and 1995 to measure water use of young apple trees (Malus domestica Borkh. cv ‘Fuji’) growing under different soil moisture regimes in temperate climate conditions and to evaluate monthly crop coefficients of such conditions. To do so, double pot lysimeters under a transparent rain shield were designed and installed. The three soil moisture regimes in three replicates each were: (A) drip-irrigation at −50 kPa of soil matric potential (IR50); (B) drip-irrigation at −80 kPa of soil matric potential (IR80); and (C) constant shallow water table at 0.45 m below the soil surface (WT45). In each treatment, soil surface was maintained with or without turf grasses. Monthly water use was not different in drip-irrigated treatments (IR50 and IR80), but greatest in the WT45 treatment. Monthly crop coefficients increased linearly in time for drip-irrigated apple trees (r² values of 0.76^*** for IR50 and of 0.77^*** for IR80), while those obtained in the WT45 treatment fluctuated. Leaf water potential (LWP) of drip-irrigated trees was similar until 63 days after treatment (DAT), but the values for IR80 trees began to decline thereafter. The LWP of WT45 trees decreased from 48 DAT. Temporal variations in leaf water content (LWC) was similar to that of LWP, except for two abrupt decreases in IR80 trees. The LWC of WT45 trees began to decrease from 59 DAT, and this occurred 2 weeks after the reduction in LWP. Average shoot length of IR50 trees was greater than that of IR80 and WT45 trees. The results of this study provided water use and crop coefficients for apple trees in relation to soil moisture regimes under temperate climate.     

Simulation of soil moisture profiles for scheduling of irrigations

A mathematical model for simulating soil water content in the root zone was developed by taking into consideration soil physical properties, crop and climatic parameters. The governing differential equation for unsaturated flow of water in the soil was solved numerically using the Crank-Nicholson finite difference technique. The water uptake by plants was simulated by using two different sink functions. The model predictions were in good agreement with field data and thus it is possible to schedule irrigations.     

Macroscopic scale soil moisture dynamics model for a wheat crop

Summary A numerical soil moisture dynamics model was developed for; wheat crop using either observed or generated root length densities with root sink incorporating diminishing rate of water uptake by plant roots due to decreasing soil moisture in drying cycles and loss of absorptive power of roots due to ageing. The simulated soil moisture contents were overestimated by 6.0 and 9.6% on an overall basis by the model when observed and generated root length densities were used, respectively, in comparison to observed moisture contents. The model using generated root length densities simulated less water uptake in comparison with the model which utilized observed root length densities.     

A comparison of soil moisture sensors for space flight applications

Plants will be an important part of future long-term space missions. Automated plant growth systems require accurate and reliable methods of monitoring soil moisture levels. There are a number of different methods to accomplish this task. This study evaluated sensors using the capacitance method (ECH2O), the heat-pulse method (TMAS), and tensiometers, compared to soil water loss measured gravimetrically in a side-by-side test. The experiment monitored evaporative losses from substrate compartments filled with 1- to 2-mm baked calcinated clay media. The ECH2O data correlated well with the gravimetric measurements, but over a limited range of soil moisture. The averaged TMAS sensor data overstated soil moisture content levels. The tensiometer data appeared to track evaporative losses in the 0.5- to 2.5-kPa range of matric potential that corresponds to the water content needed to grow plants. This small range is characteristic of large particle media, and thus high-resolution tensiometers are required to distinguish changing moisture contents in this range.     

Combining remote sensing and in situ soil moisture data for the application and validation of a distributed water balance model (HIDROMORE)

An application of the FAO56 approach to calculate actual evapotranspiration (AET) and soil moisture is reported, implemented by means of the HIDROMORE computerized tool, which performs spatially distributed calculations of hydrological parameters at watershed scale. The paper describes the application and validation of the model over 1 year in an area located in the central sector of the Duero Basin (Spain), where there is a network of 23 stations for continuous measurement of soil moisture (REMEDHUS; Soil Moisture Measurement Stations Network) distributed over an area of around 1300 km². The application integrated a series of Landsat 7 ETM+ images of 2002, from which the NDVI series (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and the map of land covers/uses were derived. Validation consisted of the use of the REMEDHUS soil moisture series and their comparison with the series resulting from the application. Two simulations were performed, with soil parameters values at the surface (0-5 cm depth) and at the mean of the profile scale (0-100 cm depth). The behaviour of the simulated soil moisture was described by means of its correlation with the measured soil moisture (determination coefficient, R² = 0.67 for the surface values and 0.81 for the mean profile values), and the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), resulting in a range of it for the 23 stations between 0.010 and 0.061 cm³ cm⁻³. The application afforded an underestimation of the soil moisture content, which suggests the need for a redefinition of the limits of the plant available water used in the calculation. The results showed that HIDROMORE is an efficient tool for the characterization of hydrological parameters at global scale in the study zone. The combination of the FAO56 methodology and remote sensing techniques was efficient in the spatially distributed simulation of soil moisture.     

Root growth, available soil water, and water-use efficiency of winter wheat under different irrigation regimes applied at different growth stages in North China

Field experiments were conducted at the Luancheng Agro-Ecosystem Experimental Station of the Chinese Academy of Sciences during the winter wheat growing seasons in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. Experiments involving winter wheat with 1, 2, and 3 irrigation applications at jointing, heading, or milking were conducted, and the total irrigation water supplied was maintained at 120 mm. The results indicated that irrigation during the later part of the winter wheat growing season and increase in irrigation frequency decreased the available soil water; this result was mainly due to the changes in the vertical distribution of root length density. In ≤30-cm-deep soil profiles, 3 times irrigation at jointing, heading, and milking increased the root length density, while in >30-cm-deep soil profiles, 1 time irrigation at jointing resulted in the highest root length density. With regard to evapotranspiration (ET), there was no significant (LSD, P < 0.05) difference between the regimes wherein irrigation was applied only once at jointing; 2 times at jointing and heading; and 3 times at jointing, heading, and milking. Compared with 1 and 3 times irrigation during the winter wheat growing season, 2 times irrigation increased grain yield and 2 times irrigation at jointing and heading produced the highest water-use efficiency (WUE). Combining the results obtained regarding grain yield and WUE, it can be concluded that irrigation at the jointing and heading stages results in high grain yield and WUE, which will offer a sound measurement for developing deficit irrigation regimes in North China.     

Evapotranspiration relationship with pan evaporation and evapotranspiration ratio of corn under different nitrogen levels and moisture regimes

In a field experiment with four moisture regimes and eight nitrogen levels, the ratios between evapotranspiration and pan evaporation ($\text{Et}\text{Eo}$) were low in the initial stages of crop growth and attained maximum values at 70–80% (20 and 40% available soil moisture depletion (ASMD)), 65% (60% ASMD) and 55% (80% ASMD) of the crop growth stage. Amongst nitrogen levels, the evapotranspiration ratio (ETR) was highest (3573) under no nitrogen and lowest (1312) with 180 kg N/ha. The 20% ASMD regime utilised less water (ETR= 1499 to produce a kilogram of grain than did the other moisture regimes. The lowest evapotranspiration ratio (914) was recorded with 20% ASMD and 180 kg N/ha in combination. The highest ETR (3954) was found with 60% ASMD and no nitrogen. An additive effect of nitrogen and moisture was found, in indicating that they can be substituted one for the other, when one of them becomes a constraint.     

Yield and nitrogen balance of broccoli at different soil moisture levels

The effect of watering up to approximately 100% of volumetric available soil water on total biomass, nitrogen (N) balance, and market yield of broccoli crops (Brassica oleracea L. convar. botrytis var. italica Plenck, cv. Emperor) was studied. The experiment was carried out in a microplot field installation on two soil types (alluvial loam and loessal loam) under spring and autumn cultivation and consisted of three soil water regimes: plants received 21 mm of water by irrigation until the soil moisture reached 75% of the available soil water (ASW), treatment 1; 42 mm after the soil moisture reached 55% ASW, treatment 2; and 63 mm after the soil moisture reached 35% ASW, treatment 3. The ASW of the three treatments was measured at a depth of 0.15 m. The total plant mass was significantly affected by the irrigation strategy on the loessal loam in spring and on the alluvial loam in autumn. The total mass and head mass were lowest when water was applied at 75% ASW in spring and autumn. Calculations of N-balances showed that N losses were large, i.e. more than 70 kg·ha^–1 in spring and 130 kg·ha^–1 in autumn on the alluvial loam in treatment 1, and were only slightly affected by the irrigation strategy on the loessal loam.Communicated by R. Evans     

Distribution of water and salt in soil under trickle and pot irrigation regimes

An ellipitical clay pot was buried vertically in the centre of a lysimeter as a means of supplying water to the soil. The distribution of water and salt in the soil emerging from the pot source was compared with that under trickle irrigation. Five hundred milliequivalents of calcium chloride was applied to the soil by both methods. Calcium chloride was subsequently leached by applying 50 l of tap water. The soil solution was sampled periodically using suction cups. Soil samples were also taken for measurements of water content and chloride ion concentration. Water applied at the rate of 130 ml/h by the pot moved the salt to a radial distance of 41.5 cm in 390 h, but applying water by trickle at the rate of one l/h moved the salt 42 cm in 52.5 h. For an equal amount of water applied, salt moved deeper in the profile at the lower application rate. More salt spreading was observed from the trickle source with higher application rate. After 72 h of redistribution, the wetted volumes were approximately equal for trickle and pot irrigation regimes.     

Application of time-domain reflectometry (TDR) soil moisture miniprobe for the determination of unsaturated soil water characteristics from undisturbed soil cores

Summary Construction and operating characteristics of a TDR soil moisture miniprobe, that can be inserted through the wall of a metal cylinder, are shown. A laboratory stand for monitoring unsaturated water flow in undisturbed soil cores, involving a set of TDR miniprobes in combination with a set of minitensiometers, is described. This stand was used for frequent readings of instantaneous profiles of moisture and matric potential during transition from saturated to air dry state, in order to compute the unsaturated soil water characteristics. Some methodical aspects of the applied data processing algorithm are outlined.     

不同耕作方式对土壤理化性状及作物生长的影响

土壤深松技术是具有改善农田土壤结构、提高土壤蓄水保墒能力、增加作物产量的一种土壤耕作新技术。为了确定该技术对土壤理化性状及作物生长的影响程度,在新疆焉耆县大田开展常规翻耕和深松耕作方式的对比试验。试验结果表明,深松处理同常规翻耕处理相比,增加了土壤耕层的蓄水,减少了土壤容重,改善了土壤肥力和土壤盐碱度,提前了作物生育期,增加了作物产量。     

Effects of elevated CO2 concentration on growth and water use efficiency of winter wheat under two soil water regimes

Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Kenong9204) was grown in open top chambers with either ambient or elevated CO₂ concentrations (358 ± 19 μmol mol⁻¹ or 712 ± 22 μmol mol⁻¹, respectively) in well-watered or drought conditions. Although elevated CO₂ did not significantly affect the height of the plants at harvest, it significantly increased the aboveground biomass by 10.1% and the root/shoot ratio by 16.0%. Elevated CO₂ also significantly increased the grain yield (GY) by 6.7% when well-watered and by 10.4% when drought stressed. Specifically, in the well-watered condition, this increase was due to a greater number of ears (8.7% more) and kernels (8.6). In the drought condition, it was only due to a greater number of spikes (17.1% more). In addition, elevated CO₂ also significantly increased the water use efficiency (WUE) of the plants by 9.9% when well-watered and by 13.8% under drought conditions, even though the evapotranspiration (ET) of the plants did not change significantly. Elevated CO₂ also significantly increased the root length in the top half of the soil profile by 35.4% when well-watered and by 44.7% under drought conditions. Finally, elevated CO₂ significantly increased the root water uptake by 52.9% when well-watered and by 10.1% under drought conditions. These results suggest that (1) future increases in atmospheric CO₂ concentration may have a significant effect on wheat production in arid and semiarid areas where wheat cultivation requires upland cropping or deficit irrigation; (2) wheat cultivars can be developed to have more tillers and kernels through selective breeding and field management; and (3) fertilizer and water management in topsoil will become increasingly important as atmospheric CO₂ concentration rises.     

Distribution of rainfall and soil moisture content in the soil profile under citrus tree canopy and at the dripline

The plant canopy intercepts rain and thus can alter the distribution of water under the canopy as compared to that along the dripline. The effects of a citrus (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) tree (25-year-old, Valencia orange) canopy on the distribution of rainfall and soil moisture content within the soil profile either along the dripline (D) or under the canopy near the trunk (inner side; I), and midway between I and Dripline (M) were evaluated, on the east and west sides of trees planted along north-south rows. Results of eleven storm events in 1995 (mean of east and west sides) revealed that the amounts of precipitation at the D, M, and I positions were 97–140, 47–94, and 52–79% of the incident rainfall, respectively. Thus, canopy interception of incident rainfall was quite appreciable. The soil moisture content was greater along the dripline compared to that at the M and I positions, particularly in the deeper (≥60 cm) soil profile. The water flux was significantly greater at the dripline than under the canopy indicating a greater leaching potential of soil-applied fertilizers and other chemicals when placed along the dripline. A substantial reduction in the rainfall and water flux under the canopy as a result of canopy interception suggests that application of fertilizer and chemicals under the canopy could minimize leaching losses. Received: 10 November 1997     

Long-term growth and yield responses of olive trees to different irrigation regimes

The aim of this work was to evaluate long-term effects of different irrigation regimes on mature olive trees growing under field conditions. A 9-year experiment was carried out. Three irrigation treatments were applied: no irrigation, water application considering soil water content (short irrigation), or irrigation without considering soil water reserves and applying a 20% of extra water as a leaching fraction (long irrigation). Leaf water content, leaf area, vegetative growth, yield and fruit characteristics (fruit size, pulp:stone ratio and oil content) were determined yearly. Results showed that growth parameters did not show significant differences as a consequence of applied water. Yield was increased in irrigated trees compared to non-irrigated ones, but little differences between short and long irrigation were observed, only when accumulated yield from 1998 to 2006 was considered. Irrigation did not cause significant differences in fruit size or pulp:stone ratio either. Irrigation regimes similar to those applied in this experiment, under environmental conditions with relatively high mean annual precipitation, does not increase growth, yield or fruit characteristics when compared to rain-fed treatment, and consequently, the installation of a irrigation system could be not financially profitable.     

Comparing soil moisture under trickle irrigation modeled as a point and line source

The validity of the assumption that an irrigation event from point sources can be approximated as an infinite line source is investigated in this article. This is accomplished by comparing soil water dynamics under line and point sources. Two existing mathematical models which simulate point and line drip irrigation were used. The models consider root water uptake, evaporation of soil water from the soil surface and incorporate hysteresis in the soil water characteristic curve. The comparison was made for two soil types (loamy sand and silt).The results showed that the treatment of a point source as a line source underestimates the water content values for both the soil types. This difference decreases when the depth of comparison increases. For soil depths greater than 30 cm and for time greater than irrigation duration the two models gave very close results. For the same emitter spacing and for the horizontal direction perpendicular to the drip line on the emitter spot, when the distance from the point and the line sources increases the difference of water content values increases. On the contrary, in the direction parallel to the drip line when the distance from the emitter increases (the distance from the line source remains the same) the difference of water content decreases. Lastly, differences are greater in the case of coarse grained soil than in fine grained soil.     

A model for simulation of potato growth on the plant community level

A model for the main processes in potato growth is developed and used for the simulation of crop production under different meteorological conditions. The main control factors considered in the model are irrigation, fertilization and timing of harvest. The model is constructed on the level of the plant community. The time interval for the simulation of general dynamic processes is one day. To describe some important physiological processes during a day, the simulation is performed by subroutines with hourly time steps.     

Modelling of root ABA synthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration and potato production under water saving irrigation regimes

Application of water saving irrigation strategies in agriculture has become increasingly important. Both modelling and experimental work are needed to gain more insights into the biological and physical mechanisms in the soil-plant system, which regulates water flow in the system and plays a central role in reducing crop transpiration. This paper presented a mechanistic model (Daisy) developed based on data obtained in the SAFIR project on measured leaf gas exchange and soil water dynamics in irrigated potato crops grown in a semi-field environment subjected to different irrigation regimes. Experimental data was compared to simulated results from the new enhanced Daisy model which include modelling 2D soil water flow, abscisic acid (ABA) signalling and its effect on stomatal conductance and hence on transpiration and assimilation, and finally crop yield. The results demonstrated that the enhanced Daisy model is capable of simulating the mechanisms underlying the water saving effects of the partial root-zone drying (PRD) irrigation as compared with the conventional full irrigation (FI). However the simulated effect on both crop yield and water use in this particular experiment was negligible indicating more experimental studies are necessary in order to improve on the model.