Modelling and measuring evapotranspiration in a daily drip irrigated cotton field

Summary An eddy correlation system (ECS) was used to estimate evapotranspiration (E) in a daily drip irrigated cotton field. Cotton yield, water use, and their ratio (Water use efficiency; WUE) were compared in four irrigation treatments. Three treatments were irrigated at levels of 85, 100, and 115% of E, while the fourth was irrigated according to grower's usual practice. E data were used to verify a one dimensional numerical model which simulates, in real time, the different energy fluxes existing in the soil-plant-atmosphere system. The model requires input of vegetation parameters (leaf area index, photometric properties, shading factor, root density distribution), soil parameters texture, hydraulic and photo-metric properties, temporal micrometeorological data (solar radiation, wind speed, air temperature and humidity) measured above the field, and irrigation quantities. The verification study was carried out during a cotton growing season in Hula Valley, Northern Israel. Results show that E rates are strongly affected by the intensity and arrival time of the inland penetrating Mediterranean sea breeze. WUE in the treatment which was irrigated according to the ECS was highest. Accurate estimations were also made by the model.     

Modeling the survival of two soilborne pathogens under dry structural solarization

ABSTRACT Structural (space) solarization of a closed, empty greenhouse for sanitation involves dry heating to 60 degrees C and higher and low relative humidity (RH), under a fluctuating temperature and RH regime. Survival of inocula of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici and Sclerotium rolfsii during structural solarization was studied for 4 years (total of 12 experiments) in an attempt to develop a dynamic model for expressing the thermal inactivation of the pathogens. After 20 days of exposure, the populations of F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici and S. rolfsii were reduced by 69 to 95% and by 47.5 to 100%, respectively. The Weibull distribution model was applied to describe pathogen survival. The Weibull rate parameter, b, was found to follow an exponential (for F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici) and the Fermi (for S. rolfsii) functions at constant temperatures. To improve the applicability of the model, fluctuating conditions of both temperature and RH were utilized. The Weibull distribution derivative, expressed as a function of temperature and moisture, was numerically integrated to estimate survival of inocula exposed to structural solarization. Deviations between experimental and calculated values derived from the model were quite small and the coefficient of determination (R (2)) values ranged from 0.83 to 0.99 in 9 of 12 experiments, indicating that ambient RH data should be considered. Structural solarization for sanitation could be a viable component in integrated pest management programs.     

Effects of air temperature,relative humidity and canopy wetness on gray mold of cucumbers in unheated greenhouses

Microclimatic variables were monitored in cucumber crops grown in polyethylene-covered, unheated greenhouses in Israel during the winter of 1987/88. The winter was characterized by a relatively large number of rainy days. The relative humidity (RH) in the greenhouses was high (>97%) during most of the day, resulting in long periods of dew persistence. Dew point temperature and duration of dew deposition were calculated for the plant canopy. Disease incidence was monitored in 2-m-high plants, both on senescing female flowers (‘fruits’) and on stems. Multiple linear correlations were calculated for gray mold incidence and duration of air temperature and RH at specific ranges, and of leaf wetness (LW). Disease was characterized by two stages, according to the rate of its development and the microclimatic conditions influencing it. In the first phase of the epidemic a high correlation was found between infected fruits and air temperature in the range of 11–25°C, and RH in the range of 97–100% or LW. In the second phase, disease incidence was better correlated with air temperature in the range of 11–16°C and RH above 85% (R² = 0.681); there was no correlation between disease and LW at this stage. Development of stem infections was correlated with air temperature in the range of 11–16°C during the first phase of the epidemic. By contrast, the second phase was characterized by a close correlation between stem infections and RH in the range of 80–100% but also with air temperature in the range of 11–16°C, or with air temperature in the range of 11–25°C and RH 80–100%, and LW.     

Effect of moisture on thermal inactivation of soilborne pathogens under structural solarization

ABSTRACT Structural solarization of greenhouses for sanitation by closing them involves dry heating to 60 degrees C and higher with a consequent low relative humidity (RH) ( approximately 15%), thus requiring an extended period for thermal inactivation of pathogens. In an attempt to enhance pathogen control by increasing moisture during the hot hours of the day, various regimes of inoculum moistening were studied. However, wetting inoculum of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis and F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici resulted in less effective pathogen control compared with that of dry heating. Fifty percent effective dose (ED(50)) values of thermal inactivation of wetted and dry inoculum for the former pathogen were 18 and 7 days, respectively, and for the latter, a respective 9 and 4 days. This was because wetting resulted in inoculum cooling due to evaporation, which eventually led to its drying. A model describing the drying of wet inoculum in a wetted greenhouse, based on the fact that there was an approximately 10 degrees C difference between greenhouse and ambient temperatures, was proposed. A double-tent system reduced this difference to 1 to 2 degrees C, reduced moisture loss, and led to improved inoculum inactivation of F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici. Thus, the ED(50) value of thermal inactivation was reduced from 15 days to 1 day, because this system provided both high temperature ( approximately 60 degrees C) and high RH ( approximately 100%), resulting in effective wet heating.     

Survival of plant pathogens under structural solarization

Structural solarization of greenhouses is a nonchemical sanitation procedure. The method involves dry heating, since maximal temperatures may exceed 60°C and consequent relative humidity (r.h.) is low (ca 15%), under fluctuating temperature and r.h. regimes. Thirty-five structural solarization experiments were performed over 7 years, testing one bacterial and five fungal plant pathogens. Various aspects of pathogen thermal inactivation under this method were studied. Thermal inactivation of the various pathogens differed according to the organism and inoculum form. Sensitivity to heat was highest withClavibacter michiganensis subsp.michiganensis and lowest withFusarium oxysporum f.sp.radicislycopersici inoculum in dry infected tomato stems, with ED₈₀ values of 7 and 47 days, respectively; intermediate values were obtained forPythium sp.,F. oxysporum f.sp.melonis, F. oxysporum f.sp.basilici andSclerotium rolfsii. The maximal ambient temperatures were in the range of 28.2° to 33.1°C. Structural solarization for sanitation can be a useful component of integrated pest management in greenhouses. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Sept. 28, 2004.     

Modeling transpiration patterns of vegetation along south and north facing slopes during the subtropical dry season

The relationship between the inclination of south and north facing slopes, and the transpiration from vegetation is evaluated using numerical models for the dry season of the subtropical region of Israel. The accumulated transpiration for the dry season from canopies along south facing slopes was found to be maximized with a slope of about 22.5°. On north facing slopes, transpiration decreased monotonically with increasing slope angle. The relationship between the incoming solar radiation on the slopes and the resultant transpiration patterns is evaluated.     

Influence of fungicidal control of cucumber and tomato grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) on fruit yield

The fungicides tebuconazole, tebuconazole + dichlofluanid, fenethanil, diethofencarb + carbendazim, and vinclozolin combined with chlorothalonil were tested for their ability to control grey mould (Botrytis cinerea Pers. ex Fr.) of cucumber and tomato grey mould in greenhouses under commercial conditions. In winter 1987/88 the number of diseased female fruits of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) was reduced by diethofencarb + carbendazim (2·5 mg dm^?3 each) by 93% and by tebuconazole (2·5 mg dm^?3)(phytotoxic when alone) or tebuconazole (1 mg dm^?3) + dichlofluanid (4 mg dm^?3) by 54–57%. Vinclozolin (5 mg dm^?3) + chlorothalonil (25 mg dm^?3) significantly reduced disease incidence on fruits by 40%. Infection foci on cucumber stems were significantly decreased by vinclozolin + chlorothalonil. A more pronounced decrease was obtained with diethofencarb + carbendazim, tebuconazole, or tebuconazole + dichlofluanid. During the season of winter 1988/89, tebuconazole + dichlofluanid (1·5 + 6 and 3 + 12 mg dm^?3) and RH7592 (1 mg dm^?3) significantly reduced diseased fruits by 30–71%. Grey mould of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) leaves was reduced by more than 90% and on fruits by 78–87% when tebuconazole + dichlofluanid (1·5 + 6 and 3 + 12 mg dm^?3) or diethofencarb + carbendazim (2·5 mg dm^?3 each) were applied. Yields of cucumber fruits of the common parthenocarpic cv. Kasem 292 were weighed. There was no correlation between disease level and yield in any experiment, plot or date except for two measurements. Compesation in fruit production by the plant may be regarded as the reason for no positive yield response to efficient control. The possibility of reducing fungicide application is discussed. Control of grey mould on tomato resulted in yield increase.     

A model to simulate response of plant stomata to environmental conditions

In order to simulate plant transpiration under different field climatic conditions we have developed and verified a semi-empirical model for predicting the stomatal response to solar global radiation, leaf temperature, vapour pressure difference between the leaf and ambient air, ambient air CO₂ concentration and soil water potential. The transpiration and the stomatal relative conductance of a Nicotania Tabaccum var “samsun” plant leaves were measured in a laboratory apparatus and compared to those predicted by the model: good agreement was obtained between them for the different investigated cases. The model was incorporated in a numerical greenhouse microclimate model and its effects on the canopy microclimate are discussed here.