Effect of irrigation on tillering in wheat,triticale and barley in a water-limited environment

Summary The effect of irrigation on tillering and tiller mortality in varieties of wheat (Triticum aestivum and T. durum), triticale and barley was studied under field conditions. Low temperature in the early stages of growth promoted production of tillers whereas increase in temperature during extension growth phase increased tiller mortality. More than 1000 tillers m^–2 were produced with five irrigations but 40% or more died. With limited water availability tiller production was reduced but so was their mortality. Grain yield in wheat and triticale was positively correlated with productive tillers and negatively correlated with the maximum number of tillers produced in wheat and barley grown under limited irrigation conditions. Varieties with a capacity to produce fewer tillers were identified. Some of them proved more stable in yield. No correlation was found between tiller number and grain yield in the frequently irrigated treatment.     

Design and evaluation of an irrigation system for creating water gradients under an automatic rain shelter

Summary This paper reports on the design and performance of an irrigation system associated with a rain shelter. The shelter is used in the closed position as a platform for multiple spray lines. This system automatically supplies, at a specified time, water of specified depth and delivery rate, either uniformly or on a specified gradient across the sheltered area. Variations in crop water deficits and yields have conformed closely to imposed water gradients.     

Determination of soil water content by X-ray computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging

Summary Experiments were conducted to compare the use of X-ray computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods for determining water content in soil. Soil cores of Mexico silt loam packed at bulk densities of 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, and 1.5 Mg/m³ and Crider silty clay packed at bulk densities of 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, and 1.6 Mg/m³ were evaluated using a CT scanner. Results indicate that the X-ray CT explained 98% of the variation in water content over a range from air-dry to saturation. Three attempts were made to obtain MRI scans of soil cores varying in soil water content. Two of these attempts were made with contrasting agents. No images were obtained of the soil cores during all three attempts. It is suggested that the failure to obtain images of soil cores is closely related to the settings of the pulse repetition time and the spin echo time on the MRI unit. The range in settings for these two parameters on the commercial MRI unit used in this study did not allow short increments to be selected and therefore it was not possible to obtain reconstructed images of the soil cores for this experiment. However accessibility to a prototype MRI unit should allow more conclusive work to determine the full capabilities of MRI for determining soil water content.Contribution from the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station Journal No. 10424, Department of Agronomy, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA     

Kinematic-wave model for soil-moisture movement with plant-root extraction

A kinematic-wave model is developed for simulating the movement of soil moisture in unsaturated soils with plants. The model involves three free boundaries. Analytical solutions are derived when the plant roots are assumed to extract moisture at a constant rate and the upstream boundary condition is independent of time. Numerical solutions are the only resort when the moisture extraction and the upstream boundary condition both depend on time.     

Real-time adaptive irrigation scheduling under a limited water supply

The problem of real-time irrigation scheduling under limited water supply is considered. The goal is to develop an irrigation operation policy which maximizes crop yields and is responsive to current season changes in weather and other variables. Because irrigation decisions are sequential and dependent on crop and soil water status, and also because crop yields can only be known at the end of the season, the decisions are arrived at by a two-stage process. In the first or the design stage, irrigations are planned for the entire season at weekly intervals using historical data and an optimal irrigation scheduling model. In the second stage, the decisions for the subsequent weeks are revised each week after updating the status of the system with real time data up to that week and solving the irrigation optimization model once again for the new conditions. Thus, each week an irrigation decision is made, the entire planning horizon is kept in view. The procedure is illustrated by application to a case study.     

Irrigation scheduling effects on yield and phosphorus uptake of cowpea

A line-source sprinkler irrigation system was used for irrigation-fertilizer cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) production studies. The relative merits and demerits of irrigating frequently but with smaller amounts of water than the design water application depth as compared to stage-of-growth and normal interval irrigation were investigated with five levels of fertilizer P, three water levels and five irrigation schedules.Dry matter production on the basis of forage produced was used as the yield indicator. The plants were harvested when the more advanced individuals reached the late boot stage immediately preceding the appearance of their inflorescences. P uptake was also measured.Statistical analyses of yield and P uptake gave a positive response of the crop to added fertilizer and irrigation water. Application of 70 kg/ha P₂O₅ produced the highest yields under all irrigation schedules. Irrigating too frequently was found to be detrimental; maximum yield under P fertilization was obtained with irrigations scheduled at half the design interval and with half the design irrigation depth. Uptake of P increased with yield.     

Farmers' irrigation practices in a high rainfall area

Recent droughts in the humid southeastern United States have focused attention on the need for and use of supplemental irrigation. Total annual rainfall amounts are sufficient for most crops in the region. However, erratic distribution of rainfall and the low water-holding capacities of most soils in the region cause frequent drought stresses in many crops. An on-farm study was conducted in southeastern Alabama to evaluate the effects of farmers' irrigation scheduling decisions on soil moisture variations in peanut fields irrigated with center-pivot irrigation systems. The study showed that the way irrigation was practiced in this high rainfall area often caused soil moisture deficit (SMD) level higher than the desired SMD limit during over 20% of the 140-day growing season. This is partially due to farmers' tendency to delay irrigation in anticipation of rainfall which may or may not occur, as rainfall during the growing season is often erratic and local. In contrast SMD in non-irrigated fields was higher than the SMD limit for half of the growing season.Abbreviations SMD soil moisture deficit - ET evapotranspiration - R_eff effective rainfall - WHC water holding capacity     

The quality of service provided by the irrigation department to the users associations, Tunuyan System, Mendoza, Argentina

The quality of service provided by the provincial Irrigation Department (DGI) to the Water Users Associations (UA), and subsequently by the UA's to the related water users, is based on the provincial water law. The intended volume of water being delivered per considered period further depends on the water availability and on the (crop irrigation) water requirements. The Service Level (SL) compares the intended water supply with the water supply that would be required to supply the entire irrigable area with sufficient water. As soon as the intended water delivery pattern is set, the measured actual delivery can be assessed against the intention. Several performance indicators are used in this context. Based on the assessment of the Water Delivery Performance Ratio and the Overall Consumed Ratio recommendations are made on changes which can be made to improve water use and reduce problems of waterlogging.