Influence of irrigation frequencies and phosphate fertilization on actual evapotranspiration rate, yield and water use pattern of rajmash (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

The hypothesis was tested, whether soil wetness and phosphorus status could regulate the evapotranspiration rate (ET_R), which is of special interest in the lower Gangetic Plain. Rajmash was grown during November-February of 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 on a sandy loam soil, and was irrigated when cumulative pan evaporation (CPE) attained the value of 33 mm (CPE₃₃); 44 mm (CPE₄₄) and 66 mm (CPE₆₆). Four levels of phosphate application were 0 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ (P₀); 30 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ (P₃₀); 60 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ (P₆₀) and 90 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ (P₉₀). Seed yield under CPE₃₃ was 1.37 Mg ha⁻¹ and reduced by 18% and 35%, respectively under CPE₄₄ and CPE₆₆. Continuous increasing trend in yield was recorded with an increase in phosphate level (PL). Irrespective of growth stages, similar trends were recorded for leaf area index (LAI). Maximum variation in LAI among the treatments was recorded at 60 days after sowing. On average, actual ET_R was 1.37 mm day⁻¹ under CPE₃₃ and declined by 13% and 16% under CPE₄₄ and CPE₆₆, respectively. Variation in ET_R under different PL was highest under CPE₃₃ and lowest under CPE₄₄. Except P₉₀, irrespective of PL, highest value of water use efficiency (WUE) was obtained under CPE₄₄. However, magnitude of net evapotranspiration efficiency (WUE_ET) and irrigation efficiency (WUE_I) attained the highest level under CPE₃₃ regime. All water use indices showed an increasing trend with the increase in phosphate level from 0 to 90 kg ha⁻¹. Impact of phosphorus on various parameters was pronounced under CPE₃₃.     

Role of irrigation and mulch on yield, evapotranspiration rate and water use pattern of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.)

Irrigation management strategy invites the quantification of crop response to irrigation frequencies. Conventionally, mulches increase the yield and water use efficiency (WUE) to a great extent by augmenting the water status in the root zone profile. A field study was carried out during the winter season (November-March) of 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 at the Central Research Farm of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya (Latitude 22°58′N, Longitude 88°31′E and altitude 9.75 m amsl), Gayeshpur, India, to evaluate the effect of irrigation frequencies and mulches on evapotranspiration rate from tomato crop field as well as leaf area index (LAI), fruit yield and WUE of the crop. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design where three irrigation treatments {rainfed (RF); CPE₅₀ and CPE₂₅ where irrigation was given at 50 and 25 mm of cumulative pan evaporation (CPE)} were kept in the main plots and the subplots contained four mulch managements {no mulch (NM), rice straw mulch (RSM), white polyethylene mulch (WPM) and black polyethylene mulch (BPM)}. Under CPE₂₅, tomato crop recorded significantly higher leaf area index (LAI) over CPE₅₀ and rainfed condition. LAI value under BPM was 9-30% more over other mulches. Maximum variation of LAI among different treatments was recorded at 60 days after transplanting (DAT). Fruit yield under CPE₂₅ was 39.4 Mg ha⁻¹; a reduction of 7 and 30% has been obtained under CPE₅₀ and RF condition. The use of mulch increased 23-57% yield in comparison to NM condition. Actual evapotranspiration rate (ET_R) was 1.82 mm day⁻¹ under CPE₂₅ and declined by 15 and 31% under CPE₅₀ and RF condition, respectively. The variation of ET_R among different mulches became more prominent under maximum water stressed (RF) condition, whereas the variation was negligible under CPE₂₅ frequency. Irrespective of mulching WUE was highest under moderately wet (CPE₅₀) soil environment. Among different mulches, BPM was responsible for attaining the highest WUE value (25.1 kg m⁻³), which declined by 22, 21 and 39% under WPM, RSM and NM, respectively.     

Different indices to characterize water use pattern of irrigated cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) in a hot sub-humid climate of India

Frequency and depth of irrigation play crucial role in crop yield and use efficiency of water resource. To test this hypothesis a field study was carried out in November to January of 2001-2002 to 2003-2004 on a sandy loam (Aeric haplaquept) for quantifying the frequency and depth of irrigation on growth, curd yield (CY) and water use pattern of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis). Four irrigation frequencies depending on the attainment of cumulative pan evaporation (CPE) values of: 25 (CPE₂₅), 31(CPE₃₁), 38 (CPE₃₈) and 45 (CPE₄₅) mm were placed in main-plots, with three depth of irrigation (IW) of 35 (IW₃₅), 30 (IW₃₀) and 25 (IW₂₅) mm in sub-plots. Water use efficiency (WUE), net evapotranspiration efficiency (WUE_ET) and irrigation water use efficiency (WUE_I) were computed. Marginal water use efficiency (MWUE) and elasticity of water productivity (EWP) were calculated using the relationship between CY and seasonal actual evapotranspiration (SET). A continuous increasing trend in growth parameters, yield and WUE_I was recorded with the increase in SET from CPE₄₅-IW₂₅ to CPE₃₁-IW₃₀. However with further increase in SET the same decreased up to CPE₂₅-IW₃₅ regime. Highest WUE and WUE_ET obtained under CPE₃₈-IW₃₅ regime where SET value was 5% lower than the status of SET under CPE₃₁-IW₃₀. This study confirmed that critical levels of SET needed to obtain maximum curd yield or WUE, could be obtained more precisely from the knowledge of MWUE and EWP.     

A preliminary study on scheduling irrigation with can evaporimeters

Irrigation scheduling was carried out for wheat and maize grown in a semi-arid region, using cumulative pan evaporation (CPE). Scheduling of 60 mm depth of irrigation when CPE was 60 mm ($\text{IW}\text{CPE}\text{= 1.00}$) was found to be optimum for wheat, while 60 mm depth of irrigation when CPE was 50 mm ($\text{IW}\text{CPE}\text{= 1.20}$) was found to be optimum for maize. Cumulative evaporation from 1 l ‘Cans’ (CCE), exposed above these crops, was recorded simultaneously. The ratios $\text{CCE}\text{CPE}$ were found to increase with the advance of the season. The ratios were higher over maize than over wheat.The CCE during the different stages of crop growth varied from 60.6 to 69.0 mm in wheat and from 51.5 to 94.0 mm in maize.     

Soil water dynamics and water use efficiency in spring maize (Zea mays L.) fields subjected to different water management practices on the Loess Plateau, China

Soil water supply is the main limiting factor to crop production across the Loess Plateau, China. A 2-year field experiment was conducted at the Changwu agro-ecosystem research station to evaluate various water management practices for achieving favorable grain yield (GY) with high water use efficiency (WUE) of spring maize (Zea mays L.). Four practices were examined: a rain-fed (RF) system as the control; supplementary irrigation (SI); film mulching (FM); and straw mulching (SM) (in 2008 only). The soil profile water storage (W) and the crop evapotranspiration (ET) levels were studied during the maize growing season, and the GY as well as the WUE were also compared. The results showed that mean soil water storage in the top 200 cm of the profile was significantly (P < 0.05) increased in the SI (380 mm in 2007, 411 mm in 2008) and SM (414 mm in 2008) compared to the FM (361 mm in 2007, 381 mm in 2008) and RF (360 mm in 2007, 384 mm in 2008) treatments. The soil water content was lower at the end of growing season than before planting in the 60-140 cm part of the profile in both the RF and FM treatments. Cumulative ET and average crop coefficiency (K_c) throughout the whole maize growing season were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the SI (ET, 501 mm in 2007, 431 mm in 2008; K_c, 1.0 in 2007, 0.9 in 2008) treatment than in the other treatments. Both FM and SI significantly improved the GY. The WUE were increased significantly (23-25%; P < 0.05) under the FM treatment. It was concluded that both SI and FM are beneficial for improving the yield of spring maize on the Loess Plateau. However, FM is preferable because of the shortage of available water in the area.     

Effects of deficit irrigation on the yield and yield components of drip irrigated cotton in a mediterranean environment

A field study on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L., cv.) was carried out from 2005 to 2008 in the Çukurova Region, Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey. Treatments were designated as I₁₀₀ full irrigation; DI₇₀, DI₅₀ and DI₀₀ which received 70, 50, and 0% of the irrigation water amount applied in the I₁₀₀ treatment. The irrigation water amount to be applied to the plots was calculated using cumulative pan evaporation that occurred during the irrigation intervals. The effect of water deficit or water stress on crop yield and some plant growth parameters such as yield response, water use efficiencies, dry matter yield (DM), leaf area index (LAI) as well as on lint quality components was evaluated. The average seasonal evapotranspiration ranged from 287 ± 15 (DI₀₀) to 584 ± 80 mm (I₁₀₀). Deficit irrigation significantly affected crop yield and all yield components considered in this study. The average seed cotton yield varied from 1369 ± 197 (DI₀₀) to 3397 ± 508 kg ha⁻¹ (I₁₀₀). The average water use efficiency (WUE_ET) ranged from 6.0 ± 1.6 (I₁₀₀) to 4.8 ± 0.9 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ (DI₀₀), while average irrigation water use efficiency (WUE_I) was between 9.4 ± 3.0 (I₁₀₀) and 14.4 ± 4.8 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ (DI₅₀). Deficit irrigation increased the harvest index (HI) values from 0.26 ± 0.054 (I₁₀₀) to 0.32 ± 0.052 kg kg⁻¹ (DI₅₀). Yield response factor (Ky) was determined to be 0.98 based on four-year average. Leaf area index (LAI) and dry matter yields (DM) increased with increasing water use. This study demonstrated that the full irrigated treatment (I₁₀₀) should be used for semiarid conditions with no water shortage. However, DI₇₀ treatment needs to be considered as a viable alternative for the development of reduced irrigation strategies in semiarid regions where irrigation water supplies are limited.     

Supplemental irrigation effect on canola yield components under semiarid climatic conditions

With the availability of irrigation water, supplemental irrigation in winter-grown crops, such as lentil, wheat, and barley, has been intensely practiced to prevent crop yield losses due to the incidence of intermittent drought stress. In the crop growing seasons of 2006-2007 and 2008-2009, a study was conducted to determine the effect of supplemental irrigations on Canola (Brassica napus L. cv. Elvis F1) under the semiarid climatic conditions of the Harran plain, Sanliurfa, Turkey. A sprinkler irrigation system was used to irrigate the study plots. The irrigation treatments included 0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.0 (full irrigation) of Class-A pan evaporation amounts. The full irrigation treatment during both years consisted of 250 and 225 mm, respectively. In turn, crop water use values during the same years and treatments were 462 and 449 mm. In general, plant height and 1000 seed weight ranged from 140 to 165 cm and from 2.5 to 3.3 g, respectively, and these variables significantly differed among irrigation treatments (p < 0.05). Crop yield and above ground biomass measurements were affected by irrigation treatments and varied from 1094 to 3943 kg ha⁻¹ and from 6746 to 18,311 kg ha⁻¹, respectively (p < 0.05). Similarly, harvest index values were affected (p < 0.05) and ranged from 0.16 to 0.23 on average. The water use efficiency obtained in the different treatments indicated a strong positive relationship between crop yield and irrigation. Overall, our results indicate that supplemental irrigation substantially increased canola yield; however, for an optimum yield, full irrigation is suggested.     

Evaporation and canopy conductance of citrus orchards

Evaporation of citrus orchards has been widely studied, but differences in methodologies and management conditions have led to conflicting results, mainly due to differences in ground cover and soil evaporation. In this work the contribution of transpiration and soil evaporation has been studied in a drip-irrigated, clean cultivated mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) orchard on a sandy soil in Southern Spain. Evapotranspiration (ET) was measured using eddy covariance while soil evaporation was determined with microlysimeters, during August 2000 and May 2001. Average ET was 2.6 mm day⁻¹ in August and 2.1 mm day⁻¹ in May. The crop coefficient (K_c) was 0.44 and 0.43 in 2000 and 2001, respectively. The coefficient of transpiration (K_p) was 0.30 in 2000 and 0.25 in 2001. The daily bulk canopy conductance (g_c) ranged from 1.2 to 2.2 (average 1.8) mm s⁻¹ in 2000 and from 1.2 to 2.7 (average 1.9) mm s⁻¹ in 2001. A model of daily canopy conductance as a function of intercepted radiation was derived and applied to calculate the transpiration of orchards with different values of ground cover (GC). The ratio of transpiration over reference ET of mandarin orchards is linearly related to ground cover (K_p = 0.7 GC). Calculated crop coefficients agree with values suggested by FAO for mature orchards (around 0.65) but are substantially lower than FAO values for young plantations.     

Sprinkler irrigation scheduling of winter wheat in the North China Plain using a 20 cm standard pan

Based on evaporation from a 20 cm diameter pan placed above the crop canopy, sprinkler irrigation scheduling of winter wheat was studied in the North China Plain (NCP) in the 2001–2004 winter wheat seasons. Results showed that pan evaporation (E _pan,C) was closely related to actual evapotranspiration (ET) measured using weighing lysimeters. The combined pan–crop coefficient (K _c,pan), the ratio of ET to E _pan,C, was closely related to leaf area index (LAI ) and plant height. Data from the 2002–2003 season were used to establish the relationships between K _c,pan and LAI (method A) or plant height (method B), and used to determine the crop coefficient (method C). ET computed by the three methods was compared with measured ET using lysimeters in the 2001–2002 and 2003–2004 seasons. Mean relative error of estimated daily ET by the three methods ranged from 20 to 30%, and the relative error in cumulative ET in the experimental periods ranged from 1 to 19%. Among the three methods, results from methods A and B were not significantly different from each other (P > 0.01), and were closer to the lysimeter data than results from method C (P < 0.001). Method B, being easier to measure, was recommended for ET estimation in NCP.     

Using the dual approach of FAO-56 for partitioning ET into soil and plant components for olive orchards in a semi-arid region

The main goal of this research was to evaluate the potential of the dual approach of FAO-56 for estimating actual crop evapotranspiration (AET) and its components (crop transpiration and soil evaporation) of an olive (Olea europaea L.) orchard in the semi-arid region of Tensift-basin (central of Morocco). Two years (2003 and 2004) of continuous measurements of AET with the eddy-covariance technique were used to test the performance of the model. The results showed that, by using the local values of basal crop coefficients, the approach simulates reasonably well AET over two growing seasons. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) between measured and simulated AET values during 2003 and 2004 were respectively about 0.54 and 0.71 mm per day. The basal crop coefficient (K_cb) value obtained for the olive orchard was similar in both seasons with an average of 0.54. This value was lower than that suggested by the FAO-56 (0.62). Similarly, the single approach of FAO-56 has been tested in the previous work (Er-Raki et al., 2008) over the same study site and it has been shown that this approach also simulates correctly AET when using the local crop coefficient and under no stress conditions.Since the dual approach predicts separately soil evaporation and plant transpiration, an attempt was made to compare the simulated components of AET with measurements obtained through a combination of eddy covariance and scaled-up sap flow measurements. The results showed that the model gives an acceptable estimate of plant transpiration and soil evaporation. The associated RMSE of plant transpiration and soil evaporation were 0.59 and 0.73 mm per day, respectively.Additionally, the irrigation efficiency was investigated by comparing the irrigation scheduling design used by the farmer to those recommended by the FAO model. It was found that although the amount of irrigation applied by the farmer (800 mm) during the growing season of olives was twice that recommended one by the FAO model (411 mm), the vegetation suffered from water stress during the summer. Such behaviour can be explained by inadequate distribution of irrigation. Consequently, the FAO model can be considered as a potentially useful tool for planning irrigation schedules on an operational basis.     

Evapotranspiration and responses to irrigation of broccoli

In cold, semi-arid areas, the options for crop diversification are limited by climate and by the water supply available. Growing irrigated crops outside the main season is not easy, because of climatic and market constraints. We carried out an experiment in Albacete, Central Spain, to measure the water use (evapotranspiration, ET) of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck) planted in late summer and harvested at the end of fall. A weighing lysimeter was used to measure the seasonal ET under sprinkler irrigation. Consumptive use reached 359 mm for a period of 109 days after transplanting. The crop coefficient (K_c) for broccoli was obtained and compared to the standard recommendations for normal planting dates. Dual crop coefficient computations of the lysimeter ET data indicated that evaporation represented 31% of seasonal ET. An analysis of the variation in daily K_c values at a time of full cover suggested that the use of a grass lysimeter as a reference ET (ET_o) was superior to using the ASCE Penman-Monteith (ASCE PM) equation at hourly time steps, which in turn caused less variability in K_c than when using the FAO-56 Penman-Monteith (FAO-56 PM) equation at daily time steps for the ET_o calculation. An additional experiment aimed at evaluating the yield response to applied irrigation water by the drip method (seven treatments, from 59 to 108% of ET_c) generated a production function that gave maximum yields of near 12 t ha⁻¹ at an irrigation level of 345 mm, and a water use efficiency of 3.37 kg m⁻³. It is concluded that growing broccoli in the fall season is a viable alternative for crop diversification, as the lower yields obtained here may be more than compensated for by the higher produce prices in autumn, at a time of the year where irrigation water demand for other crops is very low.     

Simulation of transpiration, drainage, N uptake, nitrate leaching, and N uptake concentration in tomato grown in open substrate

Free-drainage or “open” substrate system used for vegetable production in greenhouses is associated with appreciable NO₃⁻ leaching losses and drainage volumes. Simulation models of crop N uptake, N leaching, water use and drainage of crops in these systems will be useful for crop and water resource management, and environmental assessment. This work (i) modified the TOMGRO model to simulate N uptake for tomato grown in greenhouses in SE Spain, (ii) modified the PrHo model to simulate transpiration of tomato grown in substrate and (iii) developed an aggregated model combining TOMGRO and PrHo to calculate N uptake concentrations and drainage NO₃⁻ concentration. The component models simulate NO₃⁻-N leached by subtracting simulated N uptake from measured applied N, and drainage by subtracting simulated transpiration from measured irrigation. Three tomato crops grown sequentially in free-draining rock wool in a plastic greenhouse were used for calibration and validation. Measured daily transpiration was determined by the water balance method from daily measurements of irrigation and drainage. Measured N uptake was determined by N balance, using data of volumes and of concentrations of NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺ in applied nutrient solution and drainage. Accuracy of the two modified component models and aggregated model was assessed by comparing simulated to measured values using linear regression analysis, comparison of slope and intercept values of regression equations, and root mean squared error (RMSE) values. For the three crops, the modified TOMGRO provided accurate simulations of cumulative crop N uptake, (RMSE = 6.4, 1.9 and 2.6% of total N uptake) and NO₃⁻-N leached (RMSE = 11.0, 10.3, and 6.1% of total NO₃⁻-N leached). The modified PrHo provided accurate simulation of cumulative transpiration (RMSE = 4.3, 1.7 and 2.4% of total transpiration) and cumulative drainage (RMSE = 13.8, 6.9, 7.4% of total drainage). For the four cumulative parameters, slopes and intercepts of the linear regressions were mostly not statistically significant (P < 0.05) from one and zero, respectively, and coefficient of determination (r²) values were 0.96-0.98. Simulated values of total drainage volumes for the three crops were +21, +1 and −13% of measured total drainage volumes. The aggregated TOMGRO-PrHo model generally provided accurate simulation of crop N uptake concentration after 30-40 days of transplanting, with an average RMSE of approximately 2 mmol L⁻¹. Simulated values of average NO₃⁻ concentration in drainage, obtained with the aggregated model, were −7, +18 and +31% of measured values.     

Water use of spring wheat to raise water productivity

In semi-arid environments with a shortage of water resources and a risk of overexplotation of water supplies, spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a crop that can reduce water use and increase water productivity, because it takes advantage of spring rainfall and is harvested before the evaporative demands of summer. We carried out an experiment in 2003 at “Las Tiesas” farm, located between Barrax and Albacete (Central Spain), to improve accuracy in the estimation of wheat evapotranspiration (ETc) by using a weighing lysimeter. The measured seasonal ETc averages (5.63 mm day⁻¹) measured in the lysimeter was 417 mm compared to the calculated ETc values (5.31 mm day⁻¹) calculated with the standard FAO methodology of 393 mm. The evapotranspiration crop coefficient (Kc) derived from lysimetric measurements was Kc-mid: 1.20 and Kc-end: 0.15. The daily lysimeter Kc values were fit to the evolution linearly related to the green cover fraction (fc), which follows the crop development pattern. Seasonal soil evaporation was estimated as 135 mm and the basal crop coefficient approach was calculated in this study, Kcb which separates crop transpiration from soil evaporation (evaporation coefficient, Ke) was calculated and related to the green cover fraction (fc) and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) obtained by field radiometry in case of wheat. The results obtained by this research will permit the reduction of water use and improvement of water productivity for wheat, which is of vital importance in areas of limited water resources.     

Determination of growth-stage-specific crop coefficients (KC) of maize and sorghum

A ratio of crop evapotranspiration (ET_C) to reference evapotranspiration (ET_O) determines a crop coefficient (K_C) value, which is related to specific crop phenological development to improve transferability of the K_C values. Development of K_C can assist in predicting crop irrigation needs using meteorological data from weather stations. The objective of the research was conducted to determine growth-stage-specific K_C and crop water use for maize (Zea Mays) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) at Texas AgriLife Research field in Uvalde, TX, USA from 2002 to 2008. Seven lysimeters, weighing about 14 Mg, consisted of undisturbed 1.5 m × 2.0 m × 2.2 m deep soil monoliths. Six lysimeters were located in the center of a 1-ha field beneath a linear-move sprinkler system equipped with low energy precision application (LEPA). A seventh lysimeter was established to measure reference grass ET_O. Crop water requirements, K_C determination, and comparison to existing FAO K_C values were determined over a 3-year period for both maize and sorghum. Accumulated seasonal crop water use ranged between 441 and 641 mm for maize and between 491 and 533 mm for sorghum. The K_C values determined during the growing seasons varied from 0.2 to 1.2 for maize and 0.2 to 1.0 for sorghum. Some of the values corresponded and some did not correspond to those from FAO-56 and from the Texas High Plains and elsewhere in other states. We assume that the development of regionally based and growth-stage-specific K_C helps in irrigation management and provides precise water applications for this region.     

Responses of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) evapotranspiration and yield to sprinkler irrigation regimes

The North China Plain (NCP) is one of the main productive regions for winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and summer maize (Zea mays L.) in China. However, water-saving irrigation technologies (WSITs), such as sprinkler irrigation technology and improved surface irrigation technology, and water management practices, such as irrigation scheduling have been adopted to improve field-level water use efficiency especially in winter wheat growing season, due to the water scarcity and continuous increase of water in industry and domestic life in the NCP. As one of the WSITs, sprinkler irrigation has been increasingly used in the NCP during the past 20 years. In this paper, a three-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the responses of volumetric soil water content (SWC), winter wheat yield, evapotranspiration (ET), water use efficiency (WUE) and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) to sprinkler irrigation regimes based on the evaporation from an uncovered, 20-cm diameter pan located 0-5 cm above the crop canopy in order to develop an appropriate sprinkler irrigation scheduling for winter wheat in the NCP. Results indicated that the temporal variations in SWC for irrigation treatments in the 0-60-cm soil layer were considerably larger than what occurred at deeper depths, whereas temporal variations in SWC for non-irrigation treatments were large throughout the 0-120-cm soil layer. Crop leaf area index, dry biomass, 1000-grains weight and yield were negatively affected by water stress for those treatments with irrigation depth less than 0.50E, where E is the net evaporation (which includes rainfall) from the 20-cm diameter pan. While irrigation with a depth over 1.0E also had negative effect on 1000-grains weight and yield. The seasonal ET of winter wheat was in a range of 206-499 mm during the three years experiments. Relatively high yield, WUE and IWUE were found for the irrigation depth of 0.63E. Therefore, for winter wheat in the NCP the recommended amount of irrigation to apply for each event is the total 0.63E that occurred after the previous irrigation provided total E is in a range of 30-40 mm.     

Changes in evapotranspiration over irrigated winter wheat and maize in North China Plain over three decades

Evapotranspiration (ET) is an important component of the water cycle at field, regional and global scales. This study used measured data from a 30-year irrigation experiment (1979-2009) in the North China Plain (NCP) on winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and summer maize (Zea mays L.) to analyze the impacts of climatic factors and crop yield on ET. The results showed that grass reference evapotranspiration (ET_o, calculated by FAO Penmen-Monteith method) was relatively constant from 1979 to 2009. However, the actual seasonal ET of winter wheat and maize under well-watered condition gradually increased from the 1980s to the 2000s. The mean seasonal ET was 401.4 mm, 417.3 mm and 458.6 mm for winter wheat, and 375.7 mm, 381.1 mm and 396.2 mm for maize in 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, respectively. The crop coefficient (K_c) was not constant and changed with the yield of the crops. The seasonal average K_c of winter wheat was 0.75 in the 1980s, 0.81 in the 1990s and 0.85 in the 2000s, and the corresponding average grain yield (GY) was 4790 kg ha⁻¹, 5501 kg ha⁻¹ and 6685 kg ha⁻¹. The average K_c of maize was 0.88 in the 1980s, 0.88 in the 1990s and 0.94 in the 2000s, with a GY of 5054 kg ha⁻¹, 7041 kg ha⁻¹ and 7874 kg ha⁻¹, respectively, for the three decades. The increase in ET was not in proportion to the increase in GY, resulting improved water use efficiency (WUE). The increase in ET was possibly related to the increase in leaf stomatal conductance with renewing in cultivars. The less increase in water use with more increase in grain production could be partly attributed to the significant increase in harvest index. The results showed that with new cultivars and improved management practices it was possible to further increase grain production without much increase in water use.     

Yield and quality response of drip irrigated broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) under different irrigation regimes, nitrogen applications and cultivation periods

The experiment aimed at evaluating the yield and quality response of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) to applied irrigation water and nitrogen by drip irrigation method during the spring and autumn cultivation periods of 2007. Irrigation water was applied based on a ratio of Class A pan evaporation (k_cp = 0.50, 0.75, 1.00 and 1.25) with 7 days interval. Also, the effect of four nitrogen levels (0 kg ha⁻¹, 150 kg ha⁻¹, 200 kg ha⁻¹ and 250 kg ha⁻¹) was compared with each treatment. The seasonal evapotranspiration in the treatments varied from 233 mm to 328 mm during the spring period and from 276 mm to 344 mm during the autumn period. The highest broccoli yield was obtained in the spring period as 11.02 t ha⁻¹ and in the autumn period as 4.55 t ha⁻¹. In general, there were statistical differences along nitrogen does with respect to yield and yield components while there were no statistically significant differences in the yield and yield components among irrigation regimes. Both yield and yield parameters in the spring period were found to be higher than that of the autumn period due to the low temperature and high rainy days in autumn. Irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) ranged from 3.78 kg m⁻³ to 14.61 kg m⁻³ during the spring period and from 1.89 kg m⁻³ to 5.93 kg m⁻³ during the autumn period. On the other hand, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) changed as 37.32-73.13% and 13.08-22.46% for spring and autumn season, respectively.     

Drip irrigation of tea (Camellia sinensis L.): 1. Yield and crop water productivity responses to irrigation

The effects of drip irrigation on the yield and crop water productivity responses of four tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) clones were studied four consecutive years (2003/2004-2006/2007), in a large (9 ha) field experiment comprising of six drip irrigation treatments (labelled: I₁-I₆) and four clones (TRFCA PC81, AHP S15/10, BBK35 and BBT207) planted at a spacing of 1.20 m × 0.60 m at Kibena Tea Limited (KTL), Njombe in the Southern Tanzania in a situation of limited water availability. Each clone × drip irrigation treatment combination was replicated six times in a completely randomized design with 144 net plots each with an area of 72 m². Clone TRFCA PC81 gave the highest yields (range: 5920-6850 kg dried tea ha⁻¹) followed by clones BBT207 (5010-5940 kg dried tea ha⁻¹), AHP S15/10 (4230-5450 kg dried tea ha⁻¹) and BBK35 (3410-4390 kg dried tea ha⁻¹) and drip irrigation treatment I₂ gave the highest yields, ranging from 4954 to 6072 kg dried tea ha⁻¹) compared with those from other treatments (4113-5868 kg dried tea ha⁻¹). Most of these yields exceeded those (4200 kg dried tea ha⁻¹) obtained from overhead sprinkler irrigation system in Mufindi also Southern Tanzania, and Kibena Estate itself. Results showed that drip irrigation of tea not only increased yields but also gave water saving benefits of up to 50% from application of 50% less water to remove the cumulative soil water deficit (treatment I₂), and with labour saving of 85% for irrigation. The yield of dried tea per mm depth of water applied, i.e., “the crop water productivity” for drip irrigation of clones TRFCA PC81, BBT207 and BBK35, in 2003/2004 for instance, were 9.3, 8.5 and 7.1 kg dried tea [ha mm]⁻¹, respectively. The corresponding values in 2004/2005 were 2.7, 4.5 and 2.0 kg dried tea [ha mm]⁻¹ while the yield responses from clone AHP S15/10 were linear decreasing by 1 and 1.6 kg dried tea [ha mm]⁻¹ in 2003/2004 and 2004/2005, respectively. In 2005/2006 the crop water productivity from clones TRFCA PC81, AHP S15/10, BBK35 and BBT207 were 4.5, 0.4, 5.2 and 6.9 kg dried tea [ha mm]⁻¹, respectively with quadratic yield response functions to drip irrigation depth of water application. The results are presented and recommendations and implications made for technology-transfer scaling-up for increased use by large and smallholder tea growers.     

Seasonal climate change impacts on evapotranspiration, precipitation deficit and crop yield in Puerto Rico

The purpose of this study was to estimate precipitation (P), reference evapotranspiration (ET_o), precipitation deficit (PD = P − ET_o) and relative crop yield reduction (YR) for a generic crop under climate change conditions for three locations in Puerto Rico: Adjuntas, Mayagüez, and Lajas. Reference evapotranspiration was estimated by the Penman-Monteith method. Precipitation and temperature data were statistically downscaled and evaluated using the DOE/NCAR PCM global circulation model projections for the B1 (low), A2 (mid-high) and A1fi (high) emission scenarios of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Emission Scenarios. Relative crop yield reduction was estimated from a water stress factor, which is a function of soil moisture content. Average soil moisture content for the three locations was determined by means of a simple water balance approach.Results from the analysis indicate that the rainy season will become wetter and the dry season will become drier. The 20-year average September precipitation excess (i.e., PD > 0) increased for all scenarios and locations from 121 to 321 mm between 2000 and 2090. Conversely, the 20-year average February precipitation deficit (i.e., PD < 0) changed from −27 to −77 mm between 2000 and 2090. The results suggest that additional water could be saved during the wet months to offset increased irrigation requirements during the dry months. The 20-year average relative crop yield reduction for all scenarios decreased on average from 12% to 6% between 2000 and 2090 during September, but increased on average from 51% to 64% during February. Information related to the components of the hydrologic water budget (i.e., actual evapotranspiration, surface runoff, aquifer recharge and soil moisture storage) is also presented. This study provides important information that may be useful for future water resource planning in Puerto Rico.     

Evapotranspiration components determined by sap flow and microlysimetry techniques of a vineyard in northwest China: Dynamics and influential factors

Large areas of vineyards have been established in recent years in arid region of northwest China, despite limited water resources. Water to support these vineyards is mainly supplied by irrigation. Accurate estimation of vineyard evapotranspiration (ET) can provide a scientific basis for developing irrigation management. Transpiration and soil evaporation, as two main components of ET, were measured separately in a vineyard in this region by heat balance sap flow system and micro-lysimeters during the growing season of 2009. Diurnal and seasonal dynamics of sap flow and its environmental controls were analyzed. Daily sap flow rate (SR_l) increased linearly with solar radiation (R_s), but showed an exponential increase to its maximum curve as a function of vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Residuals of the two regressions both depended on volumetric soil water content to a depth of 1.0 m (VWC). VWC also significantly influenced SR_l. The relationship of them could be expressed by a piecewise regression with the turnover point of VWC = 0.188 cm³ cm⁻³, which was ∼60% of the field capacity. Conversely, soil evaporation (E_s) increased exponentially with VWC. Thus, we recommended keeping VWC in such vineyards slightly above ∼60% of the field capacity to maintain transpiration while reducing soil evaporation. Vineyard transpiration (T_s) was scaled from sap flow by using leaf area (A_l) as it explained 60% of the spatial variability of sap flow. Vine transpiration was 202.0 mm during the period from April 28 to October 5; while that of E_s was 181.0 mm. The sum of these two components was very close to ET estimated by the Bowen ratio energy balance method (386.9 mm), demonstrating the applicability of sap flow for measuring grape water use in this region.