Effect of brackish water irrigation and straw mulching on soil salinity and crop yields under monsoonal climatic conditions

Fresh water shortages are severally restricting sustainable agriculture development in the North China Plain. The scarcity of fresh water has forced farmers to use brackish water from shallow underground sources, which helps to overcome drought and increase crop yields but also increases the risk of soil salinization. To identify safe and effective ways of using brackish water in this region, field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of brackish water irrigation and straw mulching on soil salinity and crop yield in a winter wheat-summer maize double cropping system. The experiment was in a split-plot design. Six rates of straw mulching (0, 4.5, 6.0, 7.5, 15.0 and 30.0 Mg/ha) were assigned to the main plots and two irrigation water qualities (i.e. brackish water with salt content of 3.0-5.0 g/L and fresh water with only 1.27 g salt/L) were applied to subplots. The brackish water irrigation significantly increased the salt content at different soil depths in the upper 1 m soil layer during the two growing seasons. Straw mulching affected the vertical distribution of salt in the brackish water irrigation plots and the average salt content of straw mulch treatments (4.5, 6.0, 7.5, 15.0 and 30.0 Mg/ha) within the 0-20, 20-40 and 0-100 cm soil depths was 10.2, 14.0 and 1.8% lower than that without straw mulch (A₀). No salt accumulation occurred to a depth of 1 m in the brackish water irrigation plots and there was no correlation between the value of SAS (salt accumulated in 1 m of soil) and straw mulch rate. In 2000 and 2001, the salt content within the 0-40 cm soil layer in brackish water irrigation plots increased due to high evaporation rates during April-June, and then decreased up to September as salts were leached by rain. For the fresh water irrigation plots, the salt content remained relatively stable. Straw mulching affected the salt content in the 0-40 cm soil layer in brackish water irrigation plots in different periods of 2000 and 2001, but no correlation between salt content and straw mulch rates was observed except in September of 2000. Unlike for wheat, the yield of maize increased as the straw mulch rate increased according to the equation, y = 0.1589x + 5.3432 (R² = 0.6506). Our results would be helpful in adopting brackish water irrigation and straw mulching in ways that enhance crop yields and reduce the risk of soil salinization. However, long-term effects of brackish water irrigation and straw mulching on soil salinity and crop yield need to be further evaluated for sustainability of the system.     

Subsurface drip irrigation of onions: Effects of drip tape emitter spacing on yield and quality

Improved irrigation water use efficiency is an important component of sustainable agricultural production. Efficient water delivery systems such as subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) can contribute immensely towards improving crop water use efficiency and conserving water. However, critical management considerations such as choice of SDI tube, emitter spacing and installation depth are necessary to attain improved irrigation efficiencies and production benefits. In this study, we evaluated the effects of subsurface drip tape emitter spacing (15, 20 and 30 cm) on yield and quality of sweet onions grown at two locations in South Texas—Weslaco and Los Ebanos. Season-long cumulative crop evapotranspiration (ETc) was 513 mm in Weslaco and 407 mm at Los Ebanos. Total crop water input (rain + irrigation) at Weslaco was roughly equal to ETc (92% ETc) whereas at Los Ebanos, water inputs exceeded ETc by about 35%. Onion yields ranged from 58.5 to 70.3 t ha⁻¹ but were not affected by drip tube emitter spacing. Onion pungency (pyruvic acid development) and soluble solids concentration were also not significantly influenced by treatments. Crop water use efficiency was slightly higher at Weslaco (13.7 kg/m³) than at Los Ebanos (11.7 kg/m³) partly because of differences in total water inputs resulting from differences in irrigation management. The absence of any significant effects of drip tape emitter spacing on onion yield may be due to the fact that irrigation was managed to provide roughly similar irrigation amounts and optimum soil moisture conditions in all treatments.     

A regional soil survey approach for upgrading from flood to sprinkler irrigation in a semi-arid environment

Increasing pressure on water resources in Spain is forcing farmers to move from flood to pressurized water application. Initial recommendations for this upgrading require soil survey information, especially in areas prone to soil salinity. In this article a 3158 ha soil survey at a scale of 1:25,000 is presented. Soil series are split in phases based on the texture of the surface layer, slope, and salinity. Available water holding capacity (AWHC), to a depth of 1.5 m or to a lithic or paralithic contact, texture and coarse components in the surface horizons, and salinity mapped as discrete soil units are combined to develop a regional soil suitability map for irrigation upgrade. To minimize soil erosion and salt mobilization in the soils, our recommendations are: (i) maintain and improve flood irrigation on 296 ha, (ii) develop standard sprinkler irrigation on 2261 ha, and (iii) move to high frequency sprinkler irrigation on 601 ha. This research demonstrates the importance of soil survey as part of the decision making process for upgrading the regional irrigation systems.     

Evaluating salinity distribution in soil irrigated with saline water in arid regions of northwest China

In arid and semi-arid regions, salinity is a serious and chronic problem for agriculture. A 3-year field experiment in the arid environment of Xinjiang, northwest China, was conducted to study the salinity change in soil resulting from deficit irrigation of cotton with non-saline, moderate saline and high saline water. The salinity profile distribution was also evaluated by an integrated water, salinity, and nitrogen model, ENVIRO-GRO. The simulated and observed salinity distributions matched well. Results indicated that after 3 years of cotton production, the average salinity in the 1.0-m soil profile was 336% and 547% of the original soil profile, respectively, for moderate saline and high saline water irrigation. If the practices continued, the average soil salinity (EC_e) in the 1.0-m soil profile would approach a steady level of 1.7, 10.8, and 14.7 dS m⁻¹, respectively, for the treatments receiving irrigation waters of 0.33, 3.62, and 6.71 dS m⁻¹. It was concluded that deficit irrigation of saline water in this region was not sustainable. Model simulation showed that a big flood irrigation after harvest can significantly reduce the salt accumulation in the soil profile, and that this practice was much more efficient for salinity control than applying the same extra amount of water during the growing season.     

Water and salt regulation and its effects on Leymus chinensis growth under drip irrigation in saline-sodic soils of the Songnen Plain

Field experiments were carried out to investigate water and salt management and its effects on Leymus chinensis growth under drip irrigation on saline-sodic soils of the Songnen Plain, China. The ECe of the experiment soil here is 15.2 dS/m and SAR_e is 14.6 (mmol_c L⁻¹)^1/2. The threshold of soil matric potential (SMP) was preset in different treatments (−5, −10, −15, −20 and −25 kPa) to control the timing of the irrigation cycle using vacuum tensiometers buried at 0.2 m depth immediately under drip emitters. Drip irrigation frequency and soil matric potential significantly influenced water and salt distributions and L. chinensis growth. In the root zone, the soil water content increased with the SMP, but at deeper layers there were no significant differences in soil water content due to the effect of groundwater. Electrical conductivity showed that there was a low-salt zone near the emitters and that drip irrigation inhibited the buildup of salts in the root zone. There was more leaching of salts for −5 and −10 kPa treatments than for the −15, −20 and −25 kPa treatments. After two years of drip irrigation, the surface salts were well leached, and had moved down with the water to depths below 40 cm. The pH of each treatment was a little decreased and the soil nutrient of S1-S5 were all increased after reclamation, but there were no obvious differences of the five treatments. The best growth was achieved with soil matric potentials of −5 and −10 kPa: the plant height, number and length of spikes, number of tillers, coverage and aboveground biomass all attained their maximum values during the growth periods of L. chinensis, with no significant differences between those two treatments. Thus, in the Songnen Plain, drip irrigation can be used on transplanted L. chinensis for restoration of saline-sodic soils. The results provide theoretical and technological guidance for sustainable reclamation salt-affected soil and the quick restoration and reconstruction of saline-sodic grassland.     

Effects of fixed partial root-zone drying irrigation and soil texture on water and solute dynamics in calcareous soils and corn yield

Water dynamics and salt distribution in the soil were studied under Fixed Partial Root zone Drying irrigation (FPRD) conditions in corn fields in Northern Greece. FPRD irrigation technique was applied without deficit treatment in two calcareous soils, a sandy clay loam and a sandy loam. Soil water content was recorded in the vertical profile of 0.6 m with the use of capacitance sensors in the row and interrow positions of plants. Salt built-up was monitored to the depth of the root zone, bi-weekly, by measuring electrical conductivity (EC_e) and the concentrations of soluble cations Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺ of the saturation extract on irrigated and non irrigated interrow positions. Soil moisture distribution and salt built-up in soil were used to evaluate the potentials and constraints of FPRD efficiency to sustain plant growth and crop production as a low cost drip irrigation technique. The results indicated that FPRD application on both soils was capable of supplying sufficient amounts of water on plant row. Soil analyses showed that salts accumulated to high levels in the soil surface and decreased in depth at the non irrigated interrow positions. Spatial and temporal variability of salt movement and distribution in the soil profile of 0.6 m were ascribed to soil textural differences. The development and yield of corn plants for both soils reached the usual standards for the area with a minor decrease in the sandy loam soil.     

微咸水波涌畦灌对土壤水盐分布的影响

根据2005年在中国科学院南皮生态农业试验站的田间试验结果,对灌溉后土壤剖面和沿畦长方向的水盐分布进行了研究.结果表明,当灌水量相同时,灌水结束后波涌灌和连续灌0～100 cm土层含水率在整个畦田上存在较大差别.比较灌水均匀度的结果可知,供水时间为90 min时,N=3,r=1/2,T_(on)=30 min的处理含水率离散程度最小,灌水均匀度最满意.从主根区含盐量的变差系数来看,连续灌明显高于波涌灌,说明微咸水的波涌灌在畦首到畦尾的盐分分布离散程度低于连续灌.因此灌水方式的改变在不增加灌水量的条件下改善了土壤水盐分布状况.     

Assessment of alternative water management options for irrigated agriculture

A simulation study on alternative water management strategies was carried out for Sirsa Irrigation Circle in Haryana, covering an area of about 4800 km². Results showed that crop evapotranspiration and soil salinity development under reduction in canal water supply and increase in groundwater use, are largely influenced by the amount and distribution of rainfall. Reduction in canal water supply by 25% during the rainy season is unlikely to have any adverse effect on the salinity development in the study area. Reduction in crop evapotranspiration due to decreased canal water supply can partly be compensated by the increase in groundwater use. Leaching of salts due to monsoon rains in the study area shows that groundwater of even relatively poor quality can be used for irrigation without excessive long-term build up of soil salinity under deep groundwater depth conditions. However, increased groundwater extraction without associated actions will not be very effective to solve the problem of rising groundwater levels.     

不同土层灌水对苹果幼苗抗氧化还原系统的影响

基于盆栽试验,研究了不同深度滴灌对植株膜伤害和抗氧化酶的影响。结果表明,自然干旱和2/3土层灌水处理叶片丙二醛和抗氧化酶活性较高,植株受旱;2/3土层供水、1/3土层供水和表层供水叶片丙二醛和抗氧化酶活性较自然干旱低,植株生长较好;同一处理灌水根区域的根系抗氧化酶活性较低。适宜苹果幼苗生长的灌水处理为表层供水和1/3土层供水。     

Soil salinity and sodicity effects of wastewater irrigation in South East Australia

Although ‘sewage farming’ or wastewater irrigation started in Australia in the latter parts of the 19th century, it was in the late 1960s that a considerable interest was revived in arid and semi-arid parts of the world due to scarcity of alternative water sources and the urgency to increase local food production. The practice has manifold benefits in the form of water conservation, nutrient recycling, surface and ground water pollution prevention. But for arid and semi-arid regions like many parts of Australia, while wastewater irrigation can be an attractive solution to irrigation water problems, it might not be the ideal solution for the common soil types encountered in these regions. Due to characteristic low rainfall, high evaporation and low leaching, these soils tend to have higher salt accumulations. This paper examines the soil salinity and sodicity effects of wastewater irrigation in soil types typical to South Eastern Australia and takes the soils of Western Treatment Plant (WTP) as a case study to highlight these issues.     

Modelling for maize irrigation scheduling using long term experimental data from Plovdiv region, Bulgaria

Independent historic datasets on irrigated maize, collected over seven years (1984-1990), were used to parameterize the irrigation scheduling model ISAREG. Experimental data were obtained under rainfed, deficit, and full irrigation conditions in an alluvial soil at Tsalapitsa, Plovdiv region, in the Thracian plain, Bulgaria. Crop coefficients and depletion fractions for no-stress were calibrated by minimizing the differences between observed and simulated soil water content. The calibration was performed using data from full irrigation and rainfed treatments while deficit irrigation treatments were used for validation. The modelling efficiency was high, 0.91 for the calibration and 0.89 for the validation. The resulting average absolute errors of the estimate for the soil water content were smaller than 0.01 cm³ cm⁻³. The model was also tested by comparing computed versus observed seasonal evapotranspiration. Results for dry years show a modelling efficiency of 0.96 but the model slightly underestimated evapotranspiration for other years. The yield response factor was derived from observed yield data of the hybrid variety H708 when relative evapotranspiration deficits were smaller than 0.5. The value K_y = 1.32 was obtained. The relative yield decreases predicted with this K_y value compared well with observed data. Results support the use of the ISAREG model for developing water saving irrigation schedules for the Thracian plain.     

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

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

Prediction of the soil-depth salinity-trend in a vineyard after sustained irrigation with saline water

Remote sensing combined with an ability to look deeper than the soil surface is currently high in demand. This study was conducted through scaling down the amount of soil data from a saline irrigation water experiment to see if one can still capture the essential soil salinity depth trends within the data, to a level that can enhance the ability of remote methods. A saline irrigation experiment with 6 water qualities was conducted for 8 years on 1.2 ha of vineyard land near Robertson in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Soil water was sampled at regular intervals at 5 depths between 0.15 and 1.2 m with suction cup lysimeters at a fixed time following each irrigation. Electrical conductivity of the soil water (EC_sw) was determined after sampling. Data collected over the full 8-year period were investigated for depth trends in EC_sw, seeking trend lines with lowest polynomial order that were still significantly predict the salinity profile. At all treatment levels a first order polynomial equation, fitted to the salinity profiles, significantly predicted the salinity trends. The EC_sw value at only two depths could therefore be used to calculate total salt accumulation and soil water quality below the root zone. The implication is that considerable value can be obtained from minimal measurements both in estimating salt accumulation in the soil profile and predicting water quality in return flow from saline irrigation.     

Drip irrigation with saline water for oleic sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

The field experiments were carried out in 2007 and 2008 to study the effects and strategies of drip irrigation with saline water for oleic sunflower. Five treatments of irrigation water with average salinity levels of 1.6, 3.9, 6.3, 8.6, and 10.9 dS/m were designed. For each treatment, 7 mm water was applied when the soil matric potential (SMP) 0.2 m directly underneath the drip emitters was below −20 kPa, except during the seedling stage. To ensure the seedling survival, 28 mm water was applied after sowing during the seedling stage. Results indicate that amount of applied water decreases as salinity level of irrigation water increases. The emergence will be delayed when the salinity level of irrigation water is higher than 6.3 dS/m, but these differences will be alleviated if there is rainfall during emergence period. The final emergence percentage is not changed when salinity level of irrigation is less than 6.3 dS/m, and the percentage decreases by 2.0% for every 1 dS/m increase when the salinity level of irrigation water is above 6.3 dS/m, but the decreasing rate will be reduced if there is rainfall. The plant height and yield decrease with the increase of salinity of irrigation water. The height of plants decreases by 0.6-1.0% for every 1 dS/m increase in salinity level of irrigation water. The yield decreases by 1.8% for every 1 dS/m increase in salinity level of irrigation water, and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) increases with increase in salinity of irrigation water. The soil salinity increases as the salinity of irrigation water increasing after drip irrigation with saline water in the beginning, but the soil salinity in soil profile from 0 to 120 cm depths can be maintained in a stable level in subsequent year irrigation with saline water. From the view points of yield and soil salt balance, it can be recognized even as the salinity level of irrigation water is as high as 10.9 dS/m, saline water can be applied to irrigate oleic sunflower using drip irrigation when the soil matric potential 0.2 m directly under drip emitter is kept above −20 kPa and the beds are mulched in semi-humid area.     

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.     

Interaction of water and nitrogen on maize grown for silage

Water scarcity and environmental pollution due to excessive nitrogen (N) applications are important environmental concerns. The Varamin region, which is located in the central part of Iran, is one of the locations where farmers apply 250-350 kg N ha⁻¹ for silage maize without any concerns with respect to the available water for irrigation. The objective of this study was to quantify the response of the silage maize (Zea mays L.) to variable irrigation and N fertilizer applications under arid and semi-arid conditions and to determine the optimum amount of N fertilizer as a function of irrigation. The maize Hybrid 704 single-cross was planted on 3 August 2003 and on 25 June 2004. The experimental treatments consisted of three N rates (0, 150, and 200 kg N ha⁻¹) and four levels of irrigation, including two deficit irrigation levels 0.70 SWD (soil water depletion) and 0.85 SWD, a full-irrigation level (1.0 SWD) and an over-irrigation level (1.13 SWD). Twelve treatments were arranged in a strip-plot design in a randomized complete block with three replicates. Gravimetric soil samples were collected in 2003 and a neutron probe was used in 2004 to measure soil water content. Leaf area index, total aboveground biomass (TB), plant height, stem diameter, and leaf, stem, and ear dry weight were measured during the growing seasons and at final harvest. Total aboveground biomass was affected by irrigation (P < 0.0001) during both years and was also affected by N fertilizer in 2003 (P = 0.0001) and 2004 (P < 0.0001). However, there was no irrigation and N fertilizer interaction for both years (P > 0.5). Total aboveground biomass and biomass of the crop components increased as a function of the amount of water and N applied. For each of the irrigation levels, there was an associated optimum amount of N, which increased as the amount of irrigation water that was applied increased. Among the four irrigation levels that were studied, 0.85 SWD was the optimum level of irrigation for the conditions at the experimental site. The results also indicated that an increase in N applications is not a good strategy to compensate for a decrease of TB under drought stress conditions. We concluded that the effect of N fertilizer on TB depends on the availability of water in the soil, and that the amount of N fertilizer applied should be decreased under drought stress conditions. Further research will combine these results with a crop simulation model to help optimize nitrogen and water management for silage maize.     

Soil water content and water balance in rainfed fields in Northeast Thailand

Northeast Thailand has a semi-humid tropical climate which is characterized by dry and rainy seasons. In order to stabilize crop production, it may be necessary to develop new water resources, such as soil moisture and groundwater, instead of rainfed resources. This is because rainfed agriculture has already been unsuccessfully tried in many areas of this region. In this study, we investigate the soil water content in rainfed fields in Khon Kaen in Northeast Thailand, where rice and sugarcane were planted, over a 1-year period that contained both dry and rainy seasons, and estimate the actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) using micrometeorological data. In addition, we assess the water balance from the results of the soil water content investigation and the actual evapotranspiration. Although the soil water content at depths above 0.6 m in both the lower and the sloping fields gradually decreased during the dry season, the soil water content at a depth of 1.0 m was under almost constant wet conditions. Two-dimensional profiles of the soil water content demonstrated that at the end of the dry season, the soil layers below a depth of 0.4 m showed a soil water content of more than 0.10-0.15 m³ m⁻³, thus suggesting that water was supplied to the sugarcane from those layers. The range in ET_a rates was almost the same as that in the previous study. The average ET_a rates were 3.7 mm d⁻¹ for the lower field and 4.2 mm d⁻¹ for the sloping field. In the dry season, an upward water flow of 373 mm (equivalent to a flux of 1.9 mm d⁻¹) was estimated from outside the profile. The source of this upward water flow was the sandy clay (SC) layer below a depth of 1 m. It was this soil water supply from the SC layer that allowed the sugarcane to grow without irrigation.     

Soil water in relation to irrigation, water uptake and potato yield in a humid climate

Efficiently controlling soil water content with irrigation is essential for water conservation and often improves potato yield. Volumetric soil water content (θ_v) in relation to irrigation, plant uptake, and yield in potato hills and replicated plots was studied to evaluate four water management options. Measurements of θ_v using a hammer driven probe were used to derive a θ_v index representing the relative θ_v status of replicated plots positioned along a hill slope. Time series for θ_v were determined using time domain reflectometry (TDR) probes at 5 and 15 cm depths at the center, shoulder, and furrow locations in potato hills. Sap flow was determined using flow collars in replicated field plots for four treatments: un-irrigated, sprinkler, surface drip, and sub-surface drip irrigation (40 cm depth). Irrigated yields were high/low as the θ_v index was low/high suggesting θ_v excess was a production problem in the wetter portions of the study area. The diurnal pattern of sap flow was reflected in the θ_v fluctuation it induces at hill locations with appreciable uptake. Hill locations with higher plant uptake were drier as was the case for the 5 cm (dry) depth relative to the 15 cm (wet) depth and for locations in the hill (dry) relative to the furrow (wet). The surface drip system had the lowest water use requirement because it delivers water directly to the hill locations where uptake is greatest. The sub-surface drip system wetted the hill gradually (1-2 days). Measurement of the θ_v index prior to experimental establishment could improve future experimental design for treatment comparisons.     

An index of soil drought intensity and degree: An application on corn and a comparison with CWSI

A variety of indices have been used to measure soil and crop drought for irrigation scheduling. However, simple indices with physiological mechanisms from soil water content are still expected. Based on the water flow and supply in a soil-plant continuum, we examined the concepts of soil drought intensity and drought degree and found an empirical correlation between soil water storage and depletion in a given layer. Accordingly, an index of soil drought intensity (I) and degree (D) was established using the soil water data obtained from a field experiment conducted in Xianning, Hubei, China. Corn plants (Zea mays L., Yedan 13) were grown at field plots under a movable rain shelter. From the V6 stage to R1 stage, the corn plants were grown under seven soil water deficit levels, by no irrigation applied for 0-36 days in 2005 and 0-32 days in 2006. At the end of the irrigation withholding period, it was found that soil water below 70 cm still remained at high level, but the soil water was not easily transported to the root zone in the upper layer. The daily values of I in different soil layers reflected the soil water depletion rates in the drying course. The values of D in different soil layers, which were calculated from I, increased with the progressive soil drying course. The D index in different soil layers not only revealed the drought severity of the layer, but it was also inversely correlated with corn yields when D was less than the threshold values. When D went beyond the thresholds, for example 0.68 in 2005 (soil dried 25 days) and 0.70 in 2006 (soil dried 17 days) in the 0-10 cm soil layer, the corn yield was reduced significantly. Based on soil water changes, index D is the comprehensive result of antecedent soil water condition, crop growth and root development, soil properties, and potential atmospheric evaporation. It is also comparable to the development of drought hazard on a crop. The results suggest that soil drought degree D, together with I, can be an index for monitoring and evaluating soil-crop drought, as well as complementing the crop water stress index (CWSI) in irrigation scheduling.     

Plant growth and yield responses in olive (Olea europaea) to different irrigation levels in an arid region of Argentina

Over the last two decades, a significant increase in intensively managed olive orchards has occurred in the northwest of Argentina where climatic conditions differ greatly from the Mediterranean Basin. Annual amounts of applied irrigation are generally high due to low rainfall, access to deep ground water, and little information about water use by the crop in the region. The objectives of this study were to: (1) assess the responses of plant growth, yield components, and several physiological parameters to five different irrigation levels and (2) determine an optimum crop coefficient (Kc) for the entire growing season considering both fruit yield and vegetative growth. Five irrigation treatments (Kc = 0.50, 0.70, 0.85, 1.0, 1.15) were employed from late winter to the fall over 2 years in a 6-year-old cv. ‘Manzanilla fina’ olive orchard. Tree canopy volume was approximately 15 m³ with a leaf area of about 40 m² at the beginning of the experiment. During much of each year, the volumetric soil water content was lower in the Kc = 0.50 treatment than in the other irrigation levels evaluated (Kc = 0.85 and 1.15). Although differences in midday stem water potential (Ψ_s) were not always apparent between treatments during the first year, there were lower Ψ_s values in Kc = 0.50 and 0.70 relative to the higher irrigation levels during the second year. Shoot elongation in Kc = 0.50 was about 50% of that in Kc = 1.0 and 1.15 during both years leading to significant differences in the increase of tree canopy volume by the end of the first year. Fruit yield was similar among irrigation levels the first year, but yield reached a maximum value the second year between Kc = 0.70 and 0.85 above which no increase was apparent. The somewhat lower fruit yield values in Kc = 0.50 and 0.70 were associated with decreased fruit number rather than reductions in individual fruit weight. The water productivity on a yield basis (fruit yield per mm of applied irrigation) decreased as irrigation increased in the second year, while similar calculations based on trunk cross-sectional area growth indicated that vegetative growth was proportional to the amount of irrigation. This suggests that the warm climate of northwest Argentina (28° S) can induce excessive vegetative growth when very high irrigation levels are applied. A Kc value of approximately 0.70 over the course of the growing season should be sufficient to maintain both fruit yield and vegetative growth at adequate levels. An evaluation of regulated deficit irrigation strategies for table olives in this region could be beneficial to further reduce irrigation.