Measuring yield-reducing plant water potential depressions in wheat by infrared thermometry

Summary Measurements of foliage and air wet- and dry-bulb temperatures were made over six differentially irrigated plots of Produra wheat grown at Phoenix, Arizona, in the spring of 1976. These data were used to evaluate a newly developed plant water stress index each day from the initiation of heading to the commencement of senescence. Daily measurements on total plant water potential were also obtained over this period; and after demonstrating how the atmospheric-induced component can be removed from these data, the resultant soil-induced component was plotted as a function of the new water stress index. The result was a simple linear relationship, which was found to be identical to one previously derived for alfalfa. Finally, it was shown that grain yield was directly related to the mean plant water stress index over the reproductive growth period from heading to senescence.Contribution from Agricultural Research, Science and Education Administration, US Department of AgricultureResearch physicist, soil scientist, research physicist, and research entomologist, respectively     

Remote sensing for agricultural water management and crop yield prediction

Research we have conducted over the past several years relative to agricultural application of remote sensing is reviewed. In addition, new data are presented from recent experiments reported here for the first time.The subjects treated are soil moisture, evaporation, irrigation scheduling, and crop yield estimation. The analyses indicate that we have the technology at hand to successfully integrate remote sensing techniques into agricultural operations designed to enhance production via intelligent water management.Avenues for additional fruitful research are indicated.     

Remote-sensing of crop yields

Our research efforts with durum wheat have led to the development of the SDD concept. Its application makes possible crop yield estimates from remotely acquired canopy temperatures and auxiliary air temperature measurements obtained during the period from head emergence to the cessation of head growth. Canopy albedo measurements appear adequate to delineate this critical period, making the technique potentially adaptable to predictions of crop yields by remote-sensing. The trifactor nomograms produced from combinations of the linear regression equations also suggest that the SDD concept may be used for scheduling irrigations by remote-sensing.     

Effects of panicles on infrared thermometer measurements of canopy temperature in wheat

A study was conducted in Phoenix, AZ on stressed and unstressed field plots of Anza wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on an Avondale loam soil (a fine, loamy, mixed calcareous hyperthermic Anthropic Torrifluvent) to determine effects of panicles on the apparent canopy temperature and their consequent impact on the estimation of crop stress. The panicles were removed from a 1.5 × 4-m sample of each plot by extracting the peduncle from the upper sheath. For each treatment canopy radiative temperature measurements were made from vertical and oblique angles (30° from the horizontal), using an 8° field-of-view (FOV) infrared thermometer, at half-hour intervals from sunrise to sunset on 20, 22, and 30 April. Complementary measurements included leaf water potential and leaf diffusive resistance.Apparent canopy temperatures obtained from the oblique view of the canopy with panicles and under well-watered conditions were 2°C warmer than those of the unstressed canopy without panicles. In the stressed plot the canopy with panicles was 1°C cooler than that without panicles, but this effect was only noticed around 1200 MST. The temperature difference between viewing angles was apparently caused by different percentages of panicle area viewed by the radiometer. In the vertical view panicles contributed to 3% of the total viewed area while at the 30° oblique view panicles comprised 40% of the area. Since energy balance calculations of a non-transpiring cylinder with dimensions similar to a typical wheat panicle showed its temperature would remain very close to that of the surrounding air, canopy temperatures were adjusted for the proportion of panicles viewed assuming they were in equilibrium with air temperature. Results showed the corrected canopy temperatures of the canopy with panicles were the same as those measured in the canopy without panicles. Such a correction is necessary to avoid an overestimate of the stress level and an underestimate of differences between treatments. Crops with non-transpiring and/or well-ventilated morphological structures above the foliage will require this correction if radiative canopy temperatures are to be used in irrigation management programs or stress detection studies.     

Analysis and use of cumulative nutrient uptake formulas in plant nutrition and the temporal-weight-averaged influx

A generalized cumulative uptake formula of nutrient uptake by roots following our previous formula (Reginato-Tarzia, Comm. Soil Sci. and Plant., 33 (2002 Reginato, J. C., and D. A. Tarzia. 2002. An alternative formula to compute the nutrient uptake for roots. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 33 (5&;6):821–30.[Taylor &; Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), 821-830) is developed. Cumulative nutrient uptake obtained by this formula is compared with the simulated results obtained by the Claassen and Barber (Claassen and Barber, Agronomy J., 68 (1976 Claassen, N., and S. A. Barber. 1976. Simulation model for nutrient uptake from soil by a growing plant root system. Agronomy Journal 68:961–64.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) 961–964) and Cushman (Cushman, Soil Sci. Soc., 43 (1979 Cushman, J. H. 1979. An analytical solution to solute transport near root surfaces for low initial concentrations: I. Equation development. Soil Science Society of America Journal 43:1087–90.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) 1087–1090) formulas. A mass balance is analyzed for the three formulas of cumulative nutrient uptake in order to decide which of them is correct. Moreover, the mass balance is also verified through a computational algorithm using data obtained from literature, and we compute the potassium (K) uptake for maize for low and high soil concentrations using the three mentioned formulas. The theoretical analysis shows that Claassen and Barber, and Cushman formulas do not verify, in general, the mass balance condition. The Claassen and Barber formula only verifies this condition when the influx is constant and root grows linearly. The Cushman formula verifies the mass balance when the influx is constant regardless of the law of root growth. Reginato and Tarzia formula always verifies the mass balance whatever be the representative functions for the influx and the law of root growth. Moreover, we propose a redefinition of the averaged influx from which the Williams formula (Williams, J. Scientific Res., 1 (1948 Williams, R. F. 1948. The effect of phosphorus supply on the rates of intake of phosphorus and nitrogen upon certain aspects of phosphorus metabolism in gramineous plants. Australian Journal of Scientific Research 1:333–61. [Google Scholar]) 333–361) can be deduced. We remark that Williams formula is a consequence of our definition of temporal-weight-averaged influx for all root growth law expressions. Also, we present a comparison of influx and cumulative uptake of cadmium (Cd) with data extracted from literature. Cumulative uptake is obtained through the Barber–Cushman model and our moving boundary model by using the redefinition of averaged influx on root surface and the correct cumulative uptake formula presented in this paper.     

Remote detection of biological stresses in plants with infrared thermometry

Green leaves of mature sugar beets infected with Pythium aphanidermatum and cotton infected with Phymatotrichum omnivorum had midday radiant leaf temperatures 3 degrees to 5 degrees warmer than adjacent plants with no sign of disease. The temperature difference persisted under varying conditions of soil moisture and could be used to detect biological stress imposed by these soilborne root-rotting fungi.     

On the stability of non-water-stressed baselines

Non-water-stressed baselines — plots of foliage—air temperature differential vs. air vapor pressure deficit — were obtained for seven different varieties of wheat and one variety of water hyacinth having three different characteristic leaf sizes in experiments conducted at Phoenix, Arizona. A single baseline was found to describe adequately the data for all seven wheat varieties; while three different baselines were required for the three different leaf-sized canopies of water hyacinth. The slopes of the three water hyacinth baselines were all identical; however, their intercepts differed by as much as 6° C.