Functioning of mole drains in a clay soil

Observations of water-table fluctuation and drainflow are reported from a field experiment on a heavy clay soil with replicated “mole-drained” and undrained plots. Results from rainfall events indicated that in both treatments the dominant water movement was through the topsoil which in the drained plots was directly linked to the mole channels probably by fissures.     

Response of cotton to different soil water deficits on clay soils

Summary Cotton was grown under sprinkler irrigation on a silty clay soil at Keiser, Arkansas, for the 1987, 1988 and 1989 growing seasons. Irrigation treatments consisted of maximum soil water deficits (SWD) of 25, 50 and 75 mm and a nonirrigated control. While the irrigated treatments were significantly different from the control for plant height and total seedcotton yield, significant differences among the three irrigated treatments were only observed for plant height. Yields were significantly lower in 1989 than in the other two years of the study, due in part to later planting. The 3-year averages for total seedcotton yield were 3280 and 2870 kg ha^–1 for irrigated and nonirrigated, respectively, for an average increase corresponding to irrigation of 416 kg ha^–1 or 14.5% of the nonirrigated yield. The maximum increase was observed in 1988 as 602 kg ha^–1 or 20.6% of the nonirrigated yield for that year. The 75 mm allowable SWD was the most efficient treatment and resulted in a 3-year average of 3.85 kg ha^–1 additional seedcotton (above the nonirrigated) harvested for each 1 mm of irrigation applied. Maintaining the SWD below a 75 mm maximum required an average of four irrigations and 110 mm of irrigation water per year.     

Drainage models to predict soil water regimes in drained soils: a UK perspective

Drainage is an intervention in the natural hydrology of the soil to alter the duration of adverse (waterlogged) soil conditions. The effects of drainage can be investigated by models that predict the position of the water table at a site in the presence of drainage. An inter-related series of models, which include the van Schilfgaarde non-steady state model, that have been used in the UK for the evaluation of drainage design options, are described. A simplified form of the van Schilfgaarde equation is presented, equivalent to a standard time series model, allowing both the efficient implementation of the model, and the inverse use of the model to derive performance parameters from observational data using statistical methods. A sensitivity analysis is used to investigate the relative importance of the two soil parameters, drainable porosity and soil hydraulic conductivity, on the performance of the model. This shows a far greater effect due to the variation of hydraulic conductivity.The use of a similar model to predict water tables in non-homogeneous soils has also been explored, including the investigation of a two-phase model to describe water movement in soils which are dominated by macropores. More useful, however, is the prediction of water table fluctuations in soils in which the soil hydraulic conductivity is a continuous function of soil depth, using the drainage theory of Youngs (1965). Solutions are presented for the logarithm of the hydraulic conductivity varying linearly with depth. The improvement in model performance is however gained at the expense of an additional parameter that describes the variation of hydraulic conductivity with depth. Some methods for deriving this parameter are discussed. Results from the use of this model are compared with those derived from the simple uniform conductivity model, showing superior performance.Lastly, the issue of soil lateral heterogeneity and the replicability of measurements is discussed. A detailed study of the variation of water table levels from a replicated drainage experiment indicates that in a practical situation very real limits exist on the accurate measurement of water tables, and that these present limits on our ability to verify models.     

Effect of tillage and water table control on evapotranspiration,surface runoff,tile drainage and soil water content under maize on a clay loam soil

Two tillage and two water table control treatments under continuous maize cropping were evaluated over a 3-year period (1992–1994) for their effects on evapotranspiration, surface runoff (SR), tile drainage (TD) and soil water content in the root-zone on a clay loam soil in southern Ontario. The tillage treatments included soil saver (SS, reduced tillage) and moldboard plow (MP, conventional tillage). The water table control treatments included controlled drainage-subirrigation (CDS) and regular tile drainage (DR). There was no significant difference (P<0.05) in evapotranspiration estimates between the SS and MP tillage treatments. The SS tillage increased SR compared with MP tillage during the non-cropping periods in 1993 and 1994, but not in 1992. Relative to MP, the SS tillage increased soil profile water content during the cropping period but decreased soil profile water content during the non-cropping period in 1992. The CDS treatment produced significantly higher (P<0.05) evapotranspiration and soil water content than the drainage treatment during the dry 1993 and 1994 years, but not during the wet 1992 year. The CDS treatment also had significantly lower (P<0.05) TD and higher SR than the drainage treatment. For all the treatments, over 65% of SR and TD occurred in the 5 month non-cropping period from November to March. Of the total annual water input (precipitation and/or subirrigation) to the field site, 8% was partitioned to SR, 30% was partitioned to TD, 55% was removed by crop and soil evapotranspiration and 7% was accounted for by changes in soil profile water content.     

The role of adapted farming in the solution of drainage problems on basin clay soils

Adequate control of excess water in fine textured, low permeable soils often requires an uneconomical, highly intensive drainage system. Solutions to this problem can be found by using a less intensive drainage system that removes only part of the excess water, complemented by adaptations in farming practices. Two cases are presented to illustrate this principle. The usefulness of soil moisture regime studies in the planning of such solutions is also demonstrated.     

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.     

基于一款防孩童坠楼系统的研究探讨

防孩童坠楼系统是一款安装在窗户上用于检测孩童是否有坠楼风险的装置,它是基于正三角形现象,以STC12C5A60S2单片机为主控中心,以红外避障模块和警报器为执行系统,对窗户周围的信息进行采集,进而判断是否孩童有坠楼的危险.同时利用正三角形现象对装置进行改进,系统可以对孩童靠近窗户与成人靠近窗户进行甄别,以防止发生误报的可能.     

The influence of different Acacia senegal agroforestry systems on soil water and crop yields in clay soils of the Blue Nile region,Sudan

The purpose of this study was to test the hypotheses that (1) the tree Acacia senegal competes for water with associated agricultural crops, and the soil water content would vary spatially with tree density and type of management; (2) the microclimate created by trees would favourably affect the soil water content and improve the growth of associated agricultural crops. Trees were grown at 5 m × 5 m or 10 m × 10 m spacing alone or in mixture with sorghum or sesame. Soil water content was measured using a neutron probe at three depths, 0–25, 25–50 and 50–75 cm; and at different stages of crop development (early, mid, and late). Crop growth and yield and the overall system performance were investigated over a 4-year period (1999–2002). Results showed no significant variation in the soil water content under different agroforestry systems. Intercropping also resulted in a higher land equivalent ratio. No significant variation was found between yields of sorghum and sesame when these crops were grown with or without trees. The averages crop yields were1.54 and 1.54 t ha⁻¹ for sorghum; and 0.36 and 0.42 t ha⁻¹for sesame in intercropping and pure cultivation, respectively. This suggests that at an early stage of agroforestry system management, A. senegal has no detrimental effect on agricultural crop yield. However, the pattern of resource capture by trees and crops can change as the system matures. There was little competition between trees and crops for water suggesting that in A. senegal agroforestry systems with 4-year-old trees the clay soil has enough water to support the crop growth over a whole growing season up to maturation and harvest.     

Calculating the quality of drainage water from non-homogeneous soil profiles with an extension to an unsaturated-saturated groundwater quality model including bypass flow

Based on the mass balance equation, a pseudo-analytical solution for the chemical concentration in drainage water from a soil profile is given. The effects of linear adsorption, decomposition and plant water uptake as well as the water content and layer thickness may be specified separately for each layer. The phenomenon of bypass flow can also be taken into account. From the obtained relationship between the concentration of solute in the drainage water leaving the soil profile and the time, a coupling between the unsaturated and the saturated zone can be achieved as was described earlier. This leads to breakthrough curves of the solute leaving the combined system of unsaturated and saturated zones. Time-dependent input concentrations can easily be incorporated through the systems approach. The computer programs (written for an HP41CV pocket calculator), describing the quality of drainage water from non-homogeneous profiles and the breakthrough of a solute leaving the combined system, are given as an appendix.     

Response of sugarbeets to irrigation frequency and cutoff on a clay loam soil

Summary Sugarbeets (Beta vulgaris L.) on a Panoche clay loam soil were subjected to 3 different irrigation frequencies and 3 irrigation cutoff dates prior to harvest to determine the effects on evapotranspiration, growth, and sucrose yield. Lengthening the irrigation interval from 1 to 3 weeks reduced evapotranspiration without a significant decline in sucrose production. Increased irrigation cutoff from 3 to 7 weeks prior to harvest significantly increased sucrose percentage within the root and resulted in similar total sucrose yields. Lengthening the irrigation interval only slightly reduced both fresh vegetative biomass and leaf area index (significant differences occurred only at one plant sampling date). The combination of less frequent irrigation and an early cutoff date increased the amount of soil water extracted by sugarbeets. The water use of sugarbeets can be reduced without a significant decline in sucrose production through optimizing irrigation frequency to about 14 to 20 days on this soil and cutting off irrigations about 40 to 45 days before harvest, provided irrigations replenish soil water depletions.Contribution from USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Water Management Res. Laboratory, 2021 S. Peach Avenue, Fresno, CA 93747, USA     

农艺师对提高农民物质文明的实践探讨

在社会经济快速发展的过程中,对农民的文化水平提出了更高的要求.所以,必须提高对农民文化的加强管理,使之能够相互顺应、相协调物质文化的发展水平.农艺师的出现属于新兴的职业,其出现有助于推进建设社会主义,进而建设出物质文明的社会主义,以此来保障物质的持续发展.     

济南市土屋峪小流域水土保持生态治理工程分析

小流域治理是生态环境建设的重要组成部分,既有利于水利资源和环境保护体系,又有利于土壤和耕作保护体系,进而促进生态环境向良性循环转化.本文以济南市土屋峪小流域水土保持生态治理工程为实例,介绍了项目区水土流失现状、总体规划和具体治理措施,包括梯田工程、人工林、堰坝工程等设计及施工技术,可为以后类似治理工程提供必要的技术参考.     

The effect of degradation of phalaris + white clover pasture on soil water regimes of a Brown Chromosol on the Northern Tablelands of NSW,Australia

The soil water regimes of a Brown Chromosol in response to drying and wetting are reported under three pastures types that were grazed all year long. The study was conducted at the Big Ridge 2 site near Armidale, on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales (NSW) between 1994 and 1998. The three pasture types were degraded pasture (dominated by annual species), a phalaris dominant pasture, and an improved pasture containing phalaris + white clover. This study was conducted to assess the hydrological implications of losing perennial pasture species from the high rainfall (summer dominant) zone of south-eastern Australia. Pasture active rooting depth, water use and extraction during drying periods, and the ability of the soil profile to store water during wet periods were evaluated for each pasture type.Pasture active rooting depth, which affects water use, varied with season and water availability. During a typical autumn drying period between 1 and 22 March 1996, the phalaris + white clover pasture with an active rooting depth down to 100 cm used 46 ± 3.9 mm of water, with 16% of this extracted from the 55–130 cm zone. In the same period, the degraded and the phalaris pasture with active rooting depths of ≤60 cm used 30.7 ± 5.2 and 23.6 ± 7.9 mm of water, respectively, all from the surface 0–55 cm zone. However, under extreme drought conditions such as those in spring and early summer 1997 and autumn 1998, no differences in water use were detected between pastures.Pasture water use during dry periods affects the amount of water that can be stored in the soil profile and the potential amount of water loss during subsequent wet periods. In any wet period, the increase in soil water storage was greater in the 0–55 cm depth than in the 55–130 cm zone. For example, between 24 January and 14 February 1997 with total rainfall of 203 mm, water storage in the 0–55 cm zone was increased by 104.4 ± 6.7 mm under the phalaris + white clover pasture compared with 86.4 ± 4.3 and 84.4 ± 3.3 mm for the degraded and the phalaris pastures, respectively. The water storage increase in the 55–130 cm zone was not different between pastures (<12 mm).It was concluded that without appropriate grazing management and the presence of the legume component, the phalaris based pasture became unstable and failed to persist. The decline in the phalaris pasture caused invasion of annual species and weeds resulting in low water use, similar to that of the degraded pasture. In contrast, the combination of white clover and phalaris pasture showed a greater potential to maintain the phalaris component and a greater total biomass, and so was able to extract more water and from deeper parts of the soil profile. The vigorous phalaris + white clover pasture has greater potential to store more water than the degraded pasture and the phalaris pasture without legumes in the summer dominant rainfall area of temperate Australia. Therefore, maintaining pasture in good condition should be the main objective for sustainability of a grazing system in this region.     

冻融过程对FDR测量土壤体积含水量的影响

为研究冻融过程对FDR测量土壤体积含水量的影响,采用基于FDR技术的土壤水分传感器TDR-3,通过室内温度实验箱控制环境温度范围为-20～20 ℃,对冻融过程中黏性土样体积含水量进行了测试分析．结果表明:采用FDR测量黏性土样体积含水量,在土样未进行冻融前,温度在0 ℃以上时,FDR的测量值随温度呈线性变化,随着温度的升高而增大,随着温度的降低而减小;黏性土样冻融过程中,在冻结过程中,FDR的测量值随着温度的降低逐渐减小;在融化过程中,随着温度的升高,FDR的测量值逐渐增大;相同温度条件下,黏性土冻结过程中FDR的测量值明显大于黏性土融化过程中FDR的测量值,0℃时两者差值最大,该差值受土壤初始体积含水量和冻融温度的影响．研究成果对于提高FDR测量冻融过程中土壤体积含水量的可靠性具有重要意义．     

The impact of controlled tidal exchange on drainage water quality in acid sulphate soil backswamps

Periodic opening of one-way tidal floodgates was undertaken on two coastal flood mitigation drains to promote exchange with estuarine water and improve drain water quality. The drains were located in areas with acid sulphate soils and their drainage water frequently had high acidity and low dissolved oxygen (DO). Tidal exchange via floodgate opening generally raised drain water pH levels through dilution and/or neutralisation of acidity. Increases in DO and moderation of extreme diurnal DO fluctuations were also observed. The magnitude and stability of the improved physico-chemical conditions was highly dependant on the volume and quality of tidal ingress water. Relatively rapid reversion (hours to days) in drain water pH and DO was observed once floodgates were closed again. The rate of reversion following floodgate closure was strongly related to outflow volumes, antecedent drain water quality conditions and groundwater levels. Floodgate opening caused changes in longitudinal drain water gradients and has potential to slow net drainage rates during non-flood periods. However, complex site specific interactions between drain water and adjacent groundwater can also occur. At one location, a 4-day floodgate opening event caused recharge of adjacent acid groundwater during the opening phase, raising the potentiometric groundwater level above local low tide minima. This was followed by tidally modulated draw down of acid groundwater and enhanced acid export in the period immediately following floodgate closure. There are also practical considerations, which limit the efficacy of floodgate opening as an acid management strategy. The low elevation (close to mean sea level) of some acid sulphate soil backswamps, combined with seasonal migration of the estuarine salt wedge, means there is considerable potential for saline overtopping of what is currently agricultural land. This constrains the magnitude and duration of controlled tidal exchange. Also, it is during wet periods that acid drainage outflow to the estuary is greatest. At such times the salinity and acid buffering capacity of estuarine water is often low, thus reducing the capacity of tidal exchange waters to neutralise acidity.     

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.     

基于"节水增粮行动"项目区水资源平衡分析

苏家屯区2015年"节水增粮行动"项目区灌溉方式为管灌,共需新建水源36处.本文通过对项目区水量平衡计算分析,得出项目区蓄水量满足灌溉要求的结论.     

Rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium capitatum × P. radens) growth and essential oil yield response to different soil water depletion regimes

Effective irrigation management in arid and semi-arid regions, like South Africa, could increase crop yield and thereby improve productivity of scarce fresh water resources. Experiments were conducted at the Hatfield Experimental Farm of the University of Pretoria, South Africa, from 2004 to 2006, to investigate the effect of soil water depletion regimes on rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium capitatum × P. radens cv. Rose) essential oil yield, essential oil composition and water-use efficiency in an open field and a rain shelter. Four maximum allowable soil water depletion levels (MAD), 20, 40, 60 and 80% of the plant available soil water (ASW) in the top 0.8 m root zone, were applied as treatments. Plant roots extracted most soil water from the top 0.4 m soil layer. Increasing the soil water depletion level to 60% and higher resulted in a significant reduction in herbage mass and essential oil yield. Water stress apparently increased the essential oil concentration (percentage oil on fresh herbage mass basis), but its contribution to total essential oil yield (kg/ha oil) was limited. Irrigation treatments did not affect essential oil composition. An increase in maximum allowable depletion level generally resulted in a decrease in leaf area and an increase in leaf to stem fresh mass ratio. Up to 28% of irrigation water could be saved by increasing maximum allowable depletion level of ASW from 20 to 40%, without a significant reduction in essential oil yield.     

Influence of subsurface drainage on crop production and soil quality in a low-lying acid sulphate soil

Kuttanad, the low-lying tract in Kerala State of south-west India, is a place where drainage problems have caused the agricultural production to remain low. The problem is more severe in the acid sulphate soils of Kuttanad. Besides the problems inherent to acid sulphate soils, the area also experiences problems of flooding, lack of fresh water and intrusion of saline water from the Arabian Sea. A subsurface drainage system consisting of 10 cm diameter clay tiles, each of 60 cm length, was installed at a depth of 1 m with two different spacings of 15 and 30 m for evaluating its influence in improving soil quality and crop production. Many of the critical crop growth parameters in the subsurface drained area, particularly the grain yield and 100 grain weight, were significantly superior to that of the ill-drained areas. Drain spacings up to 30 m was found to significantly improve the productivity of the area. The overall increase in rice yield due to subsurface drainage was 1.36 t/ha. It was also found that subsurface drainage could remove the chemical heterogeneity of soil which is the root cause for patchy crop growth and uneven ripening of rice crop in the area. Acidity in the subsurface drained area was always lower throughout the cropping season. The salinity in the soil could be controlled considerably by subsurface drainage. The iron transformations were not serious enough to cause concern for rice cultivation when subsurface drainage was adopted. Accumulation of sulphates in insoluble form occurred during drainage due to the oxidation of pyrite. Subsurface drainage was also very efficient in leaching sodium, calcium and magnesium. Chloride content in soil decreased drastically during drainage.