Energy balance and crop water stress in winter maize under phenology-based irrigation scheduling

In eastern India, cultivation of winter maize is getting popular after rainy season rice and farmers practice irrigation scheduling of this crop based on critical phenological stages. In this study, crop water stress index of winter maize at different critical stages wase determined to investigate if phenology-based irrigation scheduling could be optimized further. The components of the energy budget of the crop stand were computed. The stressed and non-stressed base lines were also developed (between canopy temperature and vapor pressure deficit) and with the help of base line equation, [(T _c − T _a) = −1.102 VPD − 3.772], crop water stress index (CWSI) was determined from the canopy-air temperature data collected frequently throughout the growing season. The values of CWSI (varied between 0.42 and 0.67) were noted just before the irrigations were applied at critical phenological stages. The soil moisture depletion was also measured throughout the crop growing period and plotted with CWSI at different stages. Study revealed that at one stage (silking), CWSI was much lower (0.42–0.48) than that of recommended CWSI (0.60) for irrigation scheduling. Therefore, more research is required to further optimize the phenology-based irrigation scheduling of winter maize in the region. This method is being used now by local producers. The intercepted photosynthetically active radiation and normalized difference vegetation index over the canopy of the crop were also measured and were found to correlate better with leaf area index.     

Cotton response to high frequency surface irrigation

High frequency irrigation with surface irrigation methods has been proposed as a means to increase cotton productivity in cases where drip irrigation or other pressurized systems are not economically justifiable. Field studies were conducted in 1993 and 1994 to evaluate the effects of surface irrigation frequency on the growth, lint yield and water use for a semi-determinate cotton cultivar in central Arizona. Cotton was grown in level basins on a sandy loam under three irrigation treatments defined as low frequency irrigation for the whole season (L), high frequency irrigation for the whole season (H), and low frequency irrigation until the initiation of rapid fruiting, high frequency during rapid fruiting, and low frequency after rapid fruiting (LHL). The treatments were governed by the percentage of allowable soil water depletion within the effective root zone, and the allowable depletion targets for low and high frequency irrigation were 55 and 30%, respectively. An irrigation scheduling program calculated the soil water depletion within the estimated cotton root depth on a daily basis for each treatment and was used to project the dates and amounts for treatment irrigations. In 1993, seven, 14, and 11 irrigations and in 1994 eight, 13 and 10 irrigations were given to the L, H, and LHL treatments, respectively. The total amount of water applied including rainfall differed among the treatments by 4% in 1993 and by 1% in 1994. Soil water measurements indicated that actual soil water depletion within the estimated cotton root depth immediately before treatment irrigations was close to the intended treatment allowable depletion targets for the majority of the growing season. Cotton growth and lint yields were maximized under the H treatment, and yields in this treatment averaged 15 and 21% more lint than the L treatment for the first and second seasons, respectively. The LHL treatment, although not as effective in increasing crop productivity as the H treatment, out yielded the low frequency treatment by an average of 10% in the two seasons. Crop evapotranspiration determined from the soil water balance was 8 and 9% higher for the H than the L treatment and 3 and 5% higher for the LHL than the L treatment in 1993 and 1994, respectively.     

Influence of season to season variability in weather on irrigation scheduling of wheat: A simulation study

Summary There is an increasing demand from farmers for irrigation scheduling advice. Where rainfall and evapotranspiration vary little from year to year, advice on a fixed irrigation schedule based on mean climatic data can be given. However where significant year to year variability in weather occurs a more flexible approach using actual weather data to predict the current level of soil water and mean climatic data to forecast the future rate of depletion and hence irrigation date may be needed. A technique for deciding the most appropriate scheduling approach was tested by using a simple model of crop growth combined with a soil water balance model to simulate year to year variability in scheduling advice. This technique was applied to irrigated wheat using a set of climatic data from 1968 to 1978 for Griffith in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area of New South Wales, Australia. A typical sowing date in early June was used and simulated irrigations were scheduled at an allowable soil water depletion (ASWD) of 62 mm for maximum yield and 93 mm for 80% of maximum. The analysis predicted that weather variability between years would cause the number of irrigations to vary from 2 to 7 for ASWD=62 mm and 1 to 4 for ASWD=93 mm. The interval between irrigations varied from 12 to 30 days, for ASWD=62 mm and from 16 to 28 days, for ASWD=93 mm. The first irrigation occurred between 76 and 131 days from sowing for ASWD=62 mm and from 100 to 140 days from sowing for ASWD=93 mm. The date of the last irrigation was similarly variable. This high degree of variability in the times and frequency of irrigations indicated that in south-eastern Australia accurate irrigation scheduling advice can only be given by using a flexible model using both actual and mean climatic data. A fixed schedule based on mean climatic data would lead to an inefficient use of water caused by the mistiming of irrigations.     

Model validation and crop coefficients for irrigation scheduling in the North China plain

ISAREG is a model for simulation and evaluation of irrigation scheduling. The model performs the soil water balance and evaluates impacts of water stress on yields for different crops. It is now being used to support a water saving irrigation scheduling program in a pilot area in the North China plain. This paper reports on the calibration and validation of the model using independent data sets relative to winter wheat and summer maize. Data are originated from the Wangdu experimental station and concern a set of drainage lysimeters where diverse irrigation treatments were applied representing different strategies of deficit irrigation. The calibration of the model was performed by deriving the crop coefficients adapted to the local climatic conditions, and considering the soil freezing during winter. The validation of the model was performed using different data sets. Results show that the relative errors to estimate the soil water content averaged 5.3% for summer maize and 7.3% for the winter wheat. These results support the use of the model in the practice.     

Impact of irrigation timing on simulated water-crop production functions

Estimates of the effects of alternative discrete irrigation water scheduling options on consumptive use or evapotranspiration and on crop yield are developed for a northeastern Colorado case study. The analysis proceeds from the premise that farmers, rather than considering irrigation water as a continuously variable input, tend to treat irrigations as discrete events, and make scheduling decisions as choices among numbers of irrigations of approximately equal volume. The van Genuchten-Hanks model is employed to develop a transient-state water-crop production function model. Results for two crops – corn grain and edible dry beans – are presented here. Findings are that the effect of the number of irrigations on evapotranspiration and yield per hectare varies widely, depending upon the timing of applications. When farmers can choose the optimal timing of irrigations, a reduced number of irrigations has a relatively limited adverse effect on crop production until irrigations are reduced to less than four per season. However, there are many situations in which an inability to apply water can result in a very large reduction from potential maximum yield, particularly if water is withheld early in the season and/or during the rapid growth period of the crops. In many contexts of irrigation water management, water policy analysts will wish to consider the more realistic discrete-input simulation model for policy evaluation. Received: 1 November 1996     

Conjunctive use of saline and non-saline irrigation waters in semi-arid regions

In arid and semi-arid regions, effluent from sub-surface drainage systems is often saline and during the dry season its disposal poses an environmental problem. A field experiment was conducted from 1989 to 1992 using saline drainage water (EC=10.5–15.0 dS/m) together with fresh canal water (EC=0.4 dS/m) for irrigation during the dry winter season. The aim was to find if crop production would still be feasible and soil salinity would not be increased unacceptably by this practice. The experimental crops were a winter crop, wheat, and pearl-millet and sorghum, the rainy season crops, grown on a sandy loam soil. All crops were given a pre-plant irrigation with fresh canal water. Subsequently, the wheat crop was irrigated four times with different sequences of saline drainage water and canal water. The rainy season crops received no further irrigation as they were rainfed. Taking the wheat yield obtained with fresh canal water as the potential value (100%), the mean relative yield of wheat irrigated with only saline drainage water was 74%. Substitution of canal water at first post-plant irrigation and applying thereafter only saline drainage water, increased the yield to 84%. Cyclic irrigations with canal and drainage water in different treatments resulted in yields of 88% to 94% of the potential. Pearl-millet and sorghum yields decreased significantly where 3 or 4 post-plant irrigations were applied with saline drainage water to previous wheat crop, but cyclic irrigations did not cause yield reduction. The high salinity and sodicity of the drainage water increased the soil salinity and sodicity in the soil profile during the winter season, but these hazards were eliminated by the sub-surface drainage system during the ensuing monsoon periods. The results obtained provide a promising option for the use of poor quality drainage water in conjunction with fresh canal water without undue yield reduction and soil degradation. This will save the scarce canal water, reduce the drainage water disposal needs and associated environmental problems.     

基于作物生长模型的冬小麦灌溉方案研究

利用作物生长模拟模型(PS123),以黄淮海平原曲周砂壤土种植的冬小麦为例,对2 280个不同淡水灌溉方案和2 055个微咸水灌溉方案进行了模拟研究,分析了不同灌溉方案对作物生产力、水分利用效率的影响。结果表明,曲周地区多年冬小麦平均生产潜力为11.27 t/hm2,冬小麦最高生产潜力的最小需水量为240 mm,与目前节水灌溉试验相吻合;通过灌溉方案模拟,提出了在冬小麦生育期淡水灌溉1到4次,获得高产的最佳灌溉方案;在灌溉4次的冬小麦生产体系中,建议冬前用淡水灌溉,返青后可以考虑1～2次微咸水灌。     

Seasonal water use by winter wheat grown under shallow water table conditions

Techniques for estimating seasonal water use from soil profile water depletion frequently do not account for flux below the root zone. A method using tensiometers for obtaining evapotranspiration losses from the root zone and water movement below it is discussed. Soil water flux below the root zone is approached by a sequence of pseudo steady state solutions of the flow equation. Upward soil water flux contributed 36 to 73% to the total water requirement of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) whereas soil water depletion accounted for 11 to 19% only. Water use efficiency with one irrigation during an early stage of plant development is greater than with no or three irrigations. This is the result of both decrease of resistance due to soil moistening and better root development. Tensiometer readings were also interpreted to estimate root zones, water table depths and soil moisture contents. Methods described in this paper can be used in determining seasonal water use by growing crops, replacing or supplementing lysimeter or meteorology approaches to this problem.     

Effects of winter crop and supplemental irrigation on crop yield,water use efficiency and profitability in rainfed rice based cropping system of eastern India

Soil moisture availability is the main limiting factor for growing second crops in rainfed rice fallows of eastern India. Only rainfed rice is grown with traditional practices during the rainy season (June–October) with large areas (13 m ha⁻¹) remaining fallow during the subsequent dry season (November–March) inspite of annual rainfall of the order 1000–2000 mm. In this study an attempt was made to improve productivity of rainfed rice during rainy season and to grow second crops in rice fallow during dry (winter) season with supplemental irrigation from harvested rainwater. Rice was grown as first crop with improved as well as traditional farmers’ management practices to compare the productivity between these two treatments. Study revealed that 87.1–95.6% higher yield of rice was obtained with improved management over farmers’ practices. Five crops viz., maize, groundnut, sunflower, wheat and potato were grown in rice fallow during dry (winter) season with two, three and four supplemental irrigations and improved management. Sufficient amount of excess rainwater (runoff) was available (381 mm at 75% probability level) to store and recycle for supplementary irrigation to second crops grown after rice. Study revealed that supplemental irrigation had significant effect (P < 0.001) on grain yield of dry season crops and with two irrigation mean yields of 1845, 785, 905, 1420, 8050 kg ha⁻¹ were obtained with maize (grain), groundnut, sunflower, wheat and potato (tuber), respectively. With four irrigations 214, 89, 78, 81, 54% yield was enhanced over two irrigations in respective five crops. Water use efficiency (WUE) of 13.8, 3.35, 3.39, 5.85 and 28.7 kg ha⁻¹ was obtained in maize, groundnut, sunflower, wheat, potato (tuber), respectively with four irrigations. The different plant growth parameters like maximum above ground biomass, leaf area index and root length were also recorded with different levels of supplemental irrigation. The study amply revealed that there was scope to improve productivity of rainfed rice during rainy season and to grow another profitable crops during winter/dry season in rice fallow with supplemental irrigation from harvested rainwater of rainy season.     

Application of a simulation based optimization model for winter wheat irrigation scheduling in North China

Irrigation needs to be scheduled properly for winter wheat, the main food crop in North China where the water resources are limited. We optimized the irrigation timing of crops under limited water supply by integrating a soil water balance model, dated water production function with cumulative function of water sensitivity index, and a nonlinear search method. The optimization produced the optimal irrigation date series with the predetermined irrigation quota for each application, which aims to obtain higher crop yield with limited irrigation water and be convenient for irrigation management. This simulation–optimization model was used to investigate the irrigation scheduling of winter wheat in Xiaohe irrigation Area in North China. Results show that optimal irrigation date series, corresponding relative yield and relative evapotranspiration are all closely related to the irrigation quota and initial soil water conditions. For rich and medium initial soil water conditions in medium precipitation year, it takes four times of irrigation (60 mm each time) after greening in order to obtain higher crop yield. But it increases to five times for poor initial condition. With limited irrigation water, irrigation should generally be applied in the preferential sequence of early May or late April (in the jointing stage), then mid and late May (in the heading stage), and finally March (in the greening stage). Irrigation should be applied earlier with lower initial soil water storage. Higher irrigation quota increases the crop yield but tends to decrease the marginal value, especially when irrigation quota exceeds 180 mm. The study also indicates that the optimized relative yield is generally higher than that obtained in field experiment. Based on the optimization, we proposed to use the quadratic polynomial function to describe the frontier water production function, which shows the mathematical relationship between optimized relative yield and relative evapotranspiration.     

A mathematical model for simulating water balances in cropped sandy soil with conventional flood irrigation applied

In this paper, a model that integrates various complex model components for the purposes of water balance modeling throughout crop development in arid inland region under the conventional flood irrigation practiced is presented. These components are modules for calculating dynamic soil water content based Richard's equation, potential and actual evapotranspiration, and crop root water uptake. Soil water content in the active root zone and soil evaporation simulation obtained from the model were test using field data in 2003. The low values of MARE and high values of R² and PE in the active root zone of soil profile as well as daily soil evaporation indicated that the soil water balance simulation model presented in the paper can be used with reliable accuracy to simulate the components of water balance in cropped sandy soil under the conventional flood irrigation condition in arid inland regions. The model simulation on components of water balance using observed field data in 2004 indicated that large quantities – about 43% of irrigation water (amounting to 840 mm) – were consumed by deep percolation, only small (less than 41%) proportions of irrigation water used by the plants for transpiration. The current irrigation scheme is characterized by the unreasonable agricultural water management with the waste of water in the irrigational system in this region. The impact of irrigation scheduling on water balance presented in this paper showed that the reasonable irrigation scheme with more frequent irrigation and less amounts is more suitable for the irrigation of spring wheat in Heihe River basin, northwest China. Therefore, to establish a decision-making system for agricultural irrigation scheme and to utilize the limited water resources in this region have become an urgent problem that needs to be solved.     

Simulation of water dynamics and irrigation scheduling for winter wheat and maize in seasonal frost areas

Continuous cropping of winter wheat and summer maize is the main cropping pattern in North China Plain lying in a seasonal frost area. Irrigation scheduling of one crop will influence soil water regime and irrigation scheduling of the subsequent crop. Therefore, irrigation scheduling of winter wheat and maize should be studied as a whole. Considering the meteorological and crop characteristics of the area lying in a seasonal frost area, a cropping year is divided into crop growing period and frost period. Model of simultaneous moisture and heat transfer (SMHT) for the frost period and model of soil water transfer (SWT) for the crop growing period were developed, and used jointly for the simulation of soil water dynamics and irrigation scheduling for a whole cropping year. The model was calibrated and validated with field experiment of winter wheat and maize in Beijing, China. Then the model was applied to the simulation of water dynamics and irrigation scheduling with different precipitation and irrigation treatments. From the simulation results, precipitation can meet the crop water requirement of maize to a great extent, and irrigation at the seeding stage may be necessary. Precipitation and irrigation had no significant influence on evaporation and transpiration of maize. On the other hand, irrigation scheduling of winter wheat mainly depends on irrigation standard. Irrigation at the seeding stage and before soil freezing is usually necessary. For high irrigation standard, four times of irrigation are required after greening. While for medium irrigation, only once (rainy year) or twice (medium and dry years) of irrigation is required after greening. Transpiration of winter wheat is very close for high and medium irrigation, but it decreases significantly for low irrigation and will result in a reduction of crop yield. Irrigation with proper time and amount is necessary for winter wheat. Considering irrigation quota and crop transpiration comprehensively, medium irrigation is recommended for the irrigation of winter wheat in the studying area, which can reduce the irrigation quota of over 150 mm with little water stress for crop growth.     

DRAINMOD-S: Water management model for irrigated arid lands,crop yield and applications

The primary objective of an agriculture water management system is to provide crop needs to sustain high yields. Another objective of equal or greater importance in some regions is to reduce agriculture impacts on surface and groundwater quality. Kandil et al. (1992) modified the water management model DRAINMOD to predict soil salinity as affected by irrigation water quality and drainage system design. The objectives of this study are to incorporate an algorithm to quantify the effects of stresses due to soil salinity on crop yields and to demonstrate the applications of the model. DRAINMOD-S, is capable of predicting the long-term effects of different irrigation and drainage practices on crop yields. The overall crop function in the model includes the effects of stresses caused by excessive soil water conditions (waterlogging), soil water-deficits, salinity, and planting delays. Three irrigation strategies and six drain spacings were considered for all crops. In the first irrigation strategy, the irrigation amounts were equal to evapotranspiration requirements by the crops, with the addition of a 10 cm depth of water for leaching applied during each growing season. In the second strategy, the leaching depth (10 cm) was applied before the growing season. In the third strategy, a leaching depth of 15 cm was applied before the growing season for each crop. Another strategy (4th) with more leaching was considered for bean which is the crop most sensitive to salinity. In the fourth strategy, 14 days intervals were used instead of 7 and leaching irrigations were applied: 15 cm before the growing season and 10 cm at the middle of the growing season for bean. The objective function for these simulations was crop yield. Soil water conditions and soil salinity were continuously simulated for a crop rotation of bean, cotton, maize, soybean, and wheat over a 19 years period. Yields of individual crops were predicted for each growing season. Results showed that the third irrigation strategy resulted in the highest yields for cotton, maize, soybean and wheat. Highest yields for bean were obtained by the fourth irrigation strategy. Results are also presented on the effects of drain depth and spacing on yields. DRAINMOD-S is written in Fortran and requires a PC with math-coprocessor. It was concluded that DRAINMOD-S is a useful tool for design and evaluation of irrigation and drainage systems in irrigated arid lands.     

Simulated effects of water table and irrigation scheduling as factors in cotton production

Summary Irrigation is essential for economic production of some crops in semiarid climates. Benefits from irrigation may be partially offset by detrimental effects of rising water tables and salinization. Drainage systems are usually installed when the water table rises to the root zone, but installation of a drainage system and safe disposal of drainage water are expensive. The long-term consequences of a high saline water table on crop production, particularly as related to irrigation scheduling, has not been firmly established. A multiseasonal transient state model, known as the modified van Genuchten-Hanks model, was used to simulate cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production using a three or four in-season irrigation schedule (3irr or 4irr) under both free drainage and water table conditions. Under drainage conditions, irrigation scheduling to avoid applying more water than the soil water-holding capacity during any irrigation event is important, whereas this factor is less important under water table conditions. Excess water during an irrigation causes a rise in the water table, but this water remains available for later crop use which lowers the water table. In the presence of a water table the simulations indicate, (1) higher yields are achieved by applying less irrigation during the crop season and more during the preirrigation for salt leaching purposes, (2) annual applied water must equal evapotranspiration to avoid long-term water table rise or depletion, and (3) high cotton yields can be achieved for several years even if the water table is saline and no drainage occurs if the irrigation water is low in salinity.     

Growth,yield and soil water extraction of irrigated and dryland peanuts in South Sulawesi,Indonesia

Summary Irrigation at 35 and 70 mm of pan evaporation applied during the pre and/or post early podfilling stages increased pod yield of Spanish peanuts (100 day maturity) three fold compared to a dryland crop. There was no difference in pod yield in crops receiving 12 compared to 6 irrigations. Soil water sampling immediately after irrigations on selected treatments revealed that infiltration of irrigation water was probably restricted to less than ca. 20 cm, a response which resulted in poor soil water replenishment and low irrigation efficiency (Fig. 3). Even though roots extracted soil water below the compaction layer which was at 20 cm severe crop water deficits had developed by the end of irrigation cycles during later but not early stages of growth. The dryland crop, which received no rainfall during the season, presumably extracted significant amounts of soil water at depths to and below 1.2 m (Fig. 3). Despite producing ca. 2.9 t ha^-1 of total dry matter yield, pod yield was extremely low (0.5 t ha^-1) arising from low pod numbers and high percentage of empty pods.This research was funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR-Project 8419) in collaboration with the Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (AARD).     

Yield and water relations of wheat as influenced by irrigation and depth of tillage

Summary Development of a ploughpan has been reported in Bangladesh for almost all ploughed soils which are puddled for transplanted rice cultivation. Field information on the water requirement of dryland crops such as wheat and the effects of loosening the dense layer on crop yield and water use efficiency are very limited. Field experiments were, therefore, conducted in the grey floodplain soil of Sonatala series (Aeric Haplaquept) to study the irrigation and tillage effects on the yield and water relations of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Sonalika). The split plot design experiment comprised four irrigation treatments in the mainplots viz. W₀ = no irrigation, W₁ = irrigation of 5 cm at 4 weeks after planting, W₂-W₁ + irrigation(s) of 5 cm each at irrigation water to cummulative pan evaporation (IW/CPE) ratio of 0.75 and W₃- W₁ + irrigation(s) of 5 cm eacht at IW/CPE ratio of 0.50. The sub-plot tillage depth treatments were: A-7.5 cm (traditional), B-15 cm, C-22.5 cm, D-22.5 cm practised in alternate wheat seasons. Measurements were made of grain and straw yield, soil water depletion and water expense efficiency.Irrigation had no effect on grain or straw yield. Tillage to 15 cm increased wheat yield by about 15% over traditional depth to ploughing. In general, deep tillage coupled with one irrigation at four weeks after planting produced the largest wheat yield.Soil water depletion (SWD) in the 0–90 cm profile was greatest in the treatment receiving two irrigations, one at 4 weeks and again at IW/CPE ratio of 0.50. The average SWD in this treatment was 113 in 1982–83 and 82 mm in 1983–84. Plots receiving traditional tillage (7.5 cm) had the greatest SWD. Total water expense were the greatest in treatments receiving three irrigations. The maximum water expense efficiency (WEE) of wheat was observed in the non-irrigated plots in 1982–83 and 1983–84, respectively. Deep tillage treatments, in general, had significantly greater WEE than those under traditional ploughing. Intensive irrigation and efficient soil and water management are important factors in enhancing crop productivity. The former not only permits judicious water use but also better utilization of other production factors thereby leading to increased crop yield which, in turn, helps stabilize the farming economy. The best way to meet increasing demand for water is to adopt efficient water management practices to increase water use efficiency.Irrigation should aim at restoring the soil water in the root zone to a level at which the crop can fully meet its evapo-transpiration (ET) requirement. The amount of water to be applied at each irrigation and how often a soil should be irrigated depend, however, on several factors such as the degree of soil water deficit before irrigation, soil types, crops, and climatic conditions (Chaudhury and Gupta 1980).Knowledge of movement of water through the soil is imperative to efficient water management and utilization. The presence of a dense pan impedes water movement into the sub-soil. As a result, the top soil becomes saturated by irrigation and sensitive dryland crops can fail as this plough layer impedes the penetration of roots into deeper soil layers and decreases water extraction. Crops growing in these soils often undergo severe water stress within 5–8 days after rainfall or irrigation (Lowry et al. 1970). Due to decrease rates of water flow, the lower soil layer may remain unsaturated and as a result, the recharge and soil water storage in the profile are considerably decreased (Sur et al. 1981).In Bangladesh, ploughpans develop to varying degree in almost all ploughed soils (Brammer 1980). They are particularly marked in soils which are puddled for transplanted rice cultivation where the pan is usually only 8–10 cm below the soil surface and 3–5 cm thick. Its presence is generally regarded as advantageous for cultivation of transplanted rice in that it prevents excessive deep percolation losses of water. But in the same soil this cultivation for a subsequent dryland crop would adversely affect yield. A slight modification of the plough layer could enable good yields of both rice and a dryland crop to be obtained in the same soil in different seasons (Brammer 1980). The sub soils have a good bearing capacity, both when wet and dry and the pan can easily be reformed, if desired, for cultivating transplanted rice after a dryland crop like wheat.Professor of Soil Science, Dhaka University, Dhaka, Bangladesh     

Variable upper and lower crop water stress index baselines for corn and soybean

Upper and lower crop water stress index (CWSI) baselines adaptable to different environments and times of day are needed to facilitate irrigation scheduling with infrared thermometers. The objective of this study was to develop dynamic upper and lower CWSI baselines for corn and soybean. Ten-minute averages of canopy temperatures from corn and soybean plots at four levels of soil water depletion were measured at North Platte, Nebraska, during the 2004 growing season. Other variables such as solar radiation (R _s), air temperature (T _a), relative humidity (RH), wind speed (u), and plant canopy height (h) were also measured. Daily soil water depletions from the research plots were estimated using a soil water balance approach with a computer model that used soil, crop, weather, and irrigation data as input. Using this information, empirical equations to estimate the upper and lower CWSI baselines were developed for both crops. The lower baselines for both crops were functions of h, vapor pressure deficit (VPD), R _s, and u. The upper baselines did not depend on VPD, but were a function of R _s and u for soybean, and R _s, h, and u for corn. By taking into account all the variables that significantly affected the baselines, it should be possible to apply them at different locations and times of day. The new baselines developed in this study should facilitate the application of the CWSI method as a practical tool for irrigation scheduling of corn and soybean.     

Correcting soil water balance calculations for dew, fog, and light rainfall

In Mediterranean climates, adoption and use of the ET-based scheduling method is limited to regions characterized by considerable contributions to evapotranspiration from fog interception, dew, and light rainfall. While the crop evapotranspiration is often accurately estimated, the water balance is frequently in error because a considerable portion of the energy expended is used to vaporize water from the plant surfaces rather from inside the leaves (i.e., transpiration). Growers in regions with considerable fog, dew, and light rainfall are hesitant to use ET-based scheduling because the cumulative crop evapotranspiration between irrigations is often considerably higher than the soil water depletion. A correction for these surface contributions is clearly needed to improve the water balance calculations and to enhance adoption of the ET-based scheduling method. In this paper, we present a simple, practical method to estimate the contribution of fog interception, dew, and light rainfall to daily crop evapotranspiration, and we show how to use the method to improve water balance calculations.     

Assessing the response of chickpea (Cicer aeritinum L.) yield to irrigation water on two soils in Punjab (India): A simulation analysis using the CROPMAN model

Shrinking water resources in northwest India calls for diversification from a rice–wheat cropping system to low-water-requiring crops and development of water-efficient technologies in Punjab state. Chickpea, because of its lower water demand (evapotranspiration) and irrigation requirement has been identified as a suitable alternate crop to wheat. Simulations, averaged over 18 years, using the CROPMAN model indicated that the yield of chickpea on coarse- to medium-textured soils was higher in a rice–chickpea cropping system compared with maize–chickpea and mung–chickpea systems because of increased availability of water. Yield response of chickpea to irrigation depended upon soil texture, the timings and number of irrigations. The optimum yield (2 t ha⁻¹) on coarse- to medium-textured soils after rice can be obtained with one heavy pre-plant and two post-plant irrigations, i.e., one in mid-February and one in mid-March synchronizing irrigations with flowering and grain development stages. Grain yield with irrigation water followed a quadratic function and linear with evapotranspiration. Water use efficiency and evapotranspiration was curvilinear. Grain yield was significantly sensitive to water stress during the pod setting to grain development period irrespective of soil texture.