IRRIGATION OF ORNAMENTAL PLANT NURSERY

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Eduardo de Aguiar do Couto

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Airports consume significant amounts of water which can be compared to the volume consumed by mid-size cities, thus practices aimed at reducing water consumption are important and necessar y. The objective of this study was to assess the reuse potential of sewage effluent produced at a mid-size international airport for nursery irri gation. The sewage treatment system consisted of a facultative pond followed by a constructed wetland, which were monitored during one hydrological year a nd the parameters COD, pH, solids, nitrogen, phosphorus and Escherichia coli we re analyzed. Removal efficiencies of 85% and 91% were achieved for C OD and solids, respectively. Removal efficiencies for ammonia nitrogen a nd total phosphorus were 77% and 59%, respectively. In terms of E. coli concen tration, the treated effluent met the recommendations by the World Health Organization for reuse in irrigation with the advantage of providing high levels of residual nutrient. The ornamental species Impatiens walleriana was irrigated with treated sewage effluent and plant growth characteristics were evalua ted. The experiment showed that reuse can enhance plant growth without signi ficantly affecting leaf tissue and soil characteristics. This study highlighted th e importance of simple technologies for sewage treatment especially in count ries which still do not present great investment in sanitation and proved that effluent reuse for landscape irrigation can provide great savings of water and financial resources for airport environments.

Optimization of planting pattern plan in Logung irrigation area using linear program

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Wardoyo, Wasis; Setyono

2018-03-01

Logung irrigation area is located in Kudus Regency, Central Java Province, Indonesia. Irrigation area with 2810 Ha of extent is getting water supply from Logung dam. Yet, the utilization of water at Logung dam is not optimal and the distribution of water is still not evenly distributed. Therefore, this study will discuss about the optimization of irrigation water utilization based on the beginning of plant season. This optimization begins with the analysis of hydrology, climatology and river discharge in order to determine the irrigation water needs. After determining irrigation water needs, six alternatives of planting patterns with the different early planting periods, i.e. 1st November, 2nd November, 3rd November, 1st December, 2nd December, and 3rd December with the planting pattern of rice-secondary crop-sugarcane is introduced. It is continued by the analysis of water distribution conducted using linear program assisted by POM-Quantity method for Windows 3 with the reliable discharge limit and the available land area. Output of this calculation are to determine the land area that can be planted based on the type of plant and growing season, and to obtaine the profits of harvest yields. Based on the optimum area of each plant species with 6 alternatives, the most optimum area was obtained at the early planting periods on 3rd December with the production profit of Rp 113.397.338.854,- with the planting pattern of rice / beans / sugarcane-rice / beans / sugarcane-beans / sugarcane.

Improved methods for irrigation and planting of major crops in waterlogged areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kahlown, M.A.; Iqbal, M.; Raoof, A.

2002-01-01

The improved irrigation methods for wheat and cotton were evaluated in the fordwah Eastern Sadigia (South) Irrigation and Drainage Project area, during 1996-97 and 1997-98 cropping seasons, under three water table depths. Irrigation methods for wheat included 70, 95 and 120 cm Beds, with Flat Basin, as a check for comparative evaluation. Cotton had Ridge-planting on the top and side, Bed and Furrow, and Flat Basin as control. These irrigation methods were compared at water table depths of < 1 m, 1-2 and 2-3 m. The wheat variety inqalab-91, and cotton cultivar, CIM-109, were planted during the 3rd week of November and May every year. All the inputs and management practices, such as seed-rate, fertilizer, seeding method, weed control, plant-protection measures, etc. were kept common. The results on cotton indicated maximum water-use efficiency with the Bed and Furrow Method of irrigation Followed by ridge planting. The traditional Flat-planting had the lowest yield and the highest water-consumption, resulting in the minimum water-use efficiency. In harmony with cotton, the Flat Method of planting had maximum water-consumption. For wheat crop, the water-use efficiency was in descending order, with 120, 95 and 70 cm for Bed and Flat Methods. Bed planting of 95 cm had a fairly high water-use efficiency and yields were more were more comparable than Flat planting. This method had a high level of adaptabilities, especially when the groundwater was close to the root-zone and higher possibilities, especially when the groundwater was close to the root-zone and higher possibility of crop-submergence are existent during rainy spells. The results of the investigation strongly favoured the Bed and furrow methods to irrigate cotton and wheat. However, under well-drained soil conditions, Bed planting of wheat is not recommended. (author)

Comparative effects of partial root-zone irrigation and deficit irrigation on phosphorus uptake in tomato plants

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Wang, Yaosheng; Liu, Fulai; Jensen, Christian Richardt

2012-01-01

The comparative effects of partial root-zone irrigation (PRI) and deficit irrigation (DI) on phosphorus (P) uptake in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants were investigated in a split-root pot experiment. The results showed that PRI treatment improved water-use efficiency (WUE) compared...... to the DI treatment. PRI-treated plants accumulated significantly higher amounts of P in their shoots than DI plants under organic maize straw N fertilisation, whereas similar levels of shoot P accumulation were observed under mineral N fertilisation. Thus, the form of N fertiliser, and thereby...... the different plant N status, affected the accumulation of P in shoots, as reflected by a higher plant N:P ratio following mineral N fertilisation than after organic N fertilisation. Compared to the DI treatment, PRI significantly increased both the physiological and agronomic efficiencies of P-use under...

Effect of Different Irrigation and Planting Methods on Water Productivity and Health of Commercial Varieties of Potato

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H. R Salemi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction Water crisis as a main factor of agronomy limitation exists in all over the arid and semiarid regions such as Isfahan, province which is located in the central part of the Zayandehrud River Basin (ZRB. Due to the increase in the cultivated area of potato in Fareidan Region located in the west of Isfahan province, it will be necessary to use pressurized irrigation systems to achieve the highest irrigation application efficiency and water productivity. Materials and Methods The ZRB (41,500 km2 is a closed basin with no outlet to the sea. The research was conducted in the Fareidan region of Isfahan, which is located in the west part of the ZRB. The Rozveh Agricultural Research Station (32°, 58' N, 50°, 25' E is located at the altitude of 2390 m above the sea level. This study was conducted as a randomized complete blocks design as a split strip plot layout with three replications and during two years (2007-2008. Three irrigation systems (Drip tape, Sprinkler and furrow were considered as main plots, two planting methods (one - row planting and two-row planting as split subplots and two potato cultivars (Marfuna and Agria as split-split subplots. Production (Tuber-yield, the consumption water and cultivars reactions to common diseases were evaluated in different treatments. The soil of the experimental area, according to USDA Soil Taxonomy 1994 is of silty loamy. At the soil depth of 1m, soil salinity (1.1-2.0 dS m-1, water salinity (1.24 dS m-1, soil moisture at field capacity (23 Vol. %, and bulk density (BD = 1.44 g/cm3 at the field site were measured or experimentally obtained in the Isfahan Soil and Water Laboratory. The results were subjected to an ANOVA to analyze the effects of the treatments and their interactions. The data obtained were analyzed using the compound variance analysis and the averages of different treatments were separated using the Duncan multiple range test using the statistical software (SAS Institute, Inc

Techno-Economic Evaluation of Solar Irrigation Plants Installed in Bangladesh

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Najmul Hoque

2016-02-01

Full Text Available In the summer season, irrigation sector in Bangladesh suffers a lot due to the country wide electricity crisis. Solar pump offers a clean and simple alternative to the conventional fuel fired engine or grid electricity driven pump in this regard to resolve the issue. In this paper, the techno-economic analyses of solar irrigation plants installed in Bangladesh are evaluated.  It was observed that systems were running around 70% to 80% of the rated power which was quite acceptable. A 10 hp pump was able to pump 600 liter of water per minute which was also satisfactory to irrigate the land. Average operating time was found to be 8 hour/day. It was found that the overall efficiency of the systems were in between 11.39% to 16.52% whereas the typical average value of lit/Wp/year was 9200. On the other hand, the cost of irrigation to cultivate paddy in 0.161 hectares’ land for one season was 1,750 BDT by solar irrigation which was found to be lower than that of other available modes. This charge for grid electricity based irrigation was about 3,000 to 3500 BDT per 0.161 hectares’ and 2,300 to 2,600 BDT per 0.161 hectares’ for diesel engine based irrigation. According to the current financial scheme (15% equity investment, 35% credit support and remaining 50% from government through IDCOL the average value of payback period was 5.43 years, NPV in the range from 7 to 15% and IRR was 18%. By considering 100% equity investment, however, these projects were not economically attractive. The payback period for this case was about 18 years. Study also revealed that each solar irrigation plant reduces 42.8 kg of CO2 emission per day compare to diesel engine operated pump and 2566.24 kg/day compared to grid electricity operated pump. A comprehensive effort from the Government as well as from all the stakeholders is required for further expansion of solar irrigation plants in Bangladesh. Article History: Received Sept 05, 2015; Received in revised form

Carbon retention in the soil–plant system under different irrigation regimes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Yaosheng; Liu, Fulai; Andersen, Mathias Neumann

2010-01-01

their environmental impacts. Tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum L., var. Cedrico) were grown in split-root pots in a climate-controlled glasshouse and were subjected to full irrigation (FI), deficit irrigation (DI) and alternate partial root-zone irrigation (PRI) at early fruiting stage. In Exp. I, each plant...... to a greater microbial activity in the two treatments; particularly the PRI induced drying and wetting cycles of the soils may cause an increase of microbial activities and respiration rate, which could lead to more C losses from the soil. However, in both experiments the total C concentration in the PRI...... in the two experiments might have affected the C retention in the soil and in the plant biomass. Nevertheless, with a same degree of water saving, PRI was superior to DI in terms of enhancing C concentration in the plant biomass, which might have contributed to a better fruit quality in tomatoes as reported...

Response of Silybum marianum plant to irrigation intervals combined with fertilization

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SABER F. HENDAWY

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Hendawy SF, Hussein MS, Youssef AA, El-Mergawi RA. 2013. Response of Silybum marianum plant to irrigation intervals combined with fertilization. Nusantara Bioscience 5: 21-28. This study was investigated to evaluate the influence of different kinds of organic and bio fertilization under different irrigation intervals on the growth, production and chemical constituents of Sylibium marianum plant. Data indicated that all studied growth and yield characters were significantly affected by the duration of irrigation intervals. Fertilizer treatments had a primitive effect on growth and yield characters. The interaction between irrigation intervals and fertilizer treatments has a clear considerable effect on growth and yield characters. The obtained results indicated the favorable effect of organic and bio fertilizers which reduce the harmful effect of water stress. Different treatments had a pronounced effect on silymarin content.

Arsenic contamination of soils and agricultural plants through irrigation water in Nepal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahal, B.M.; Fuerhacker, M.; Mentler, A.; Karki, K.B.; Shrestha, R.R.; Blum, W.E.H.

2008-01-01

This study monitored the influence of arsenic-contaminated irrigation water on alkaline soils and arsenic uptake in agricultural plants at field level. The arsenic concentrations in irrigation water ranges from -1 where the arsenic concentrations in the soils were measured from 6.1 to 16.7 mg As kg -1 . The arsenic content in different parts of plants are found in the order of roots > shoots > leaves > edible parts. The mean arsenic content of edible plant material (dry weight) were found in the order of onion leaves (0.55 mg As kg -1 ) > onion bulb (0.45 mg As kg -1 ) > cauliflower (0.33 mg As kg -1 ) > rice (0.18 mg As kg -1 ) > brinjal (0.09 mg As kg -1 ) > potato ( -1 ). - The arsenic content in soil and plants is influenced by the degree of arsenic amount in irrigated water

Phytotoxicity data safeguard the performance of the recipient plants in leachate irrigation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, C.Y. [Department of Biology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong (China); Chu, L.M. [Department of Biology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong (China)]. E-mail: leemanchu@cuhk.edu.hk

2007-01-15

Leachates from an operating and a closed landfill were examined for their phytotoxicity by seed germination/root elongation tests using seeds of Brassica chinensis and Lolium perenne. Their EC50s ranged from 3% to 46% v/v, which varied remarkably with the operating status of the landfills. Seedlings of twelve tree species were grown in pots, which were irrigated with landfill leachate at the EC50 levels, with tap water as control. No tree mortality or growth inhibition was observed after 90 days of leachate application. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurement also showed that plants receiving leachate did not suffer from a decline in photosynthetic efficiency. Litsea glutinosa and Hibiscus tiliaceus had remarkable growth, and other non-N-fixers were not inferior to the N-fixing Acacia auriculiformis. Leachate irrigation improved soil N content, though P deficiency is still a problem. The seed bioassay provided a conservative estimate of the phytotoxicity of landfill leachate. Plants irrigated can be protected from growth inhibition when the leachate irrigation plan is designed with reference to phytotoxicity data. - Irrigated plants could be benefited by leachate when the application rate was determined according to phytotoxicity data.

Phytotoxicity data safeguard the performance of the recipient plants in leachate irrigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, C.Y.; Chu, L.M.

2007-01-01

Leachates from an operating and a closed landfill were examined for their phytotoxicity by seed germination/root elongation tests using seeds of Brassica chinensis and Lolium perenne. Their EC50s ranged from 3% to 46% v/v, which varied remarkably with the operating status of the landfills. Seedlings of twelve tree species were grown in pots, which were irrigated with landfill leachate at the EC50 levels, with tap water as control. No tree mortality or growth inhibition was observed after 90 days of leachate application. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurement also showed that plants receiving leachate did not suffer from a decline in photosynthetic efficiency. Litsea glutinosa and Hibiscus tiliaceus had remarkable growth, and other non-N-fixers were not inferior to the N-fixing Acacia auriculiformis. Leachate irrigation improved soil N content, though P deficiency is still a problem. The seed bioassay provided a conservative estimate of the phytotoxicity of landfill leachate. Plants irrigated can be protected from growth inhibition when the leachate irrigation plan is designed with reference to phytotoxicity data. - Irrigated plants could be benefited by leachate when the application rate was determined according to phytotoxicity data

Effect of Subsurface Irrigation with Porous Clay Capsules on Quantitative and Quality of Grape Plant

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H. Ghorbani Vaghei

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Maintaining soil moisture content at about field capacity and reducing water loss in near root zone plays a key role for developing soil and water management programs. Clay pot or porous pipe is a traditional sub-irrigation method and is ideal for many farms in the world’s dry land with small and medium sized farms and gardens and is still used limitedly in dry lands of India, Iran, Pakistan, the Middle East, and Latin-America. Clay capsule is one of porous pipes in sub irrigation that is able to release water in near root zone with self- regulative capacity. Watering occurs only in amounts that the plants actually need (this amount is equal to field capacity and released water in near root zone without electricity or use of an automatic dispenser. Materials and Methods: A study was carried out in 2013 on the experimental field of agriculture faculty of Tarbiat Modares University, to study the effect of two irrigation types on qualitative and quantitative characters in grape production (Vitis vinifera L.. In order to provide the water requirement of grape plant were used porous clay capsules for sub irrigation with height and diameter of 12 cm and 3.5 cm and dripper with Neta film type for drip irrigation, respectively. Porous clay capsules provided from soil science group at Tarbiat Modares University. In this research, the volume of water delivered to grape plants during entire growth period in two different irrigation methods was measured separately with water-meters installed at all laterals. The water consumption, yield production and water use efficiency were evaluated and compared in two drip and porous clay irrigation systems at veraison phonological stages. In the veraison stages, cluster weight, cluster length, solid solution and pH content were measured in grape fruits. Leaf chlorophyll content and leaf water content were also measured in two irrigation systems. Results and Discussion: The results of fruit quality

Effects of irrigation levels on interactions among Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae), insecticides, and predators in cotton.

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Asiimwe, Peter; Naranjo, Steven E; Ellsworth, Peter C

2014-04-01

Variation in plant quality and natural enemy abundance plays an important role in insect population dynamics. In manipulative field studies, we evaluated the impact of varying irrigation levels and insecticide type on densities of Lygus hesperus Knight and the arthropod predator community in cotton. Three watering levels were established via irrigations timed according to three levels of percent soil water depletion (SWD): 20, 40, or 60, where 40% SWD is considered standard grower practice, 60% represents a deficit condition likely to impose plant productivity losses, and 20% represents surplus conditions with likely consequences on excessive vegetative plant production. The two key L. hesperus insecticides used were the broad-spectrum insecticide acephate and the selective insecticide flonicamid, along with an untreated check. We hypothesized that densities of L. hesperus and its associated predators would be elevated at higher irrigation levels and that insecticides would differentially impact L. hesperus and predator dynamics depending on their selectivity. L. hesperus were more abundant at the higher irrigation level (20% SWD) but the predator densities were unaffected by irrigation levels. Both L. hesperus and its predators were affected by the selectivity of the insecticide with highest L. hesperus densities and lowest predator abundance where the broad spectrum insecticide (acephate) was used. There were no direct interactions between irrigation level and insecticides, indicating that insecticide effects on L. hesperus and its predators were not influenced by the irrigation levels used here. The implications of these findings on the overall ecology of insect-plant dynamics and yield in cotton are discussed.

Root Canal Irrigation: Chemical Agents and Plant Extracts Against Enterococcus faecalis

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Borzini, Letizia; Condò, Roberta; De Dominicis, Paolo; Casaglia, Adriano; Cerroni, Loredana

2016-01-01

Background: There are various microorganisms related to intra and extra-radicular infections and many of these are involved in persistent infections. Bacterial elimination from the root canal is achieved by means of the mechanical action of instruments and irrigation as well as the antibacterial effects of the irrigating solutions. Enterococcus faecalis can frequently be isolated from root canals in cases of failed root canal treatments. Antimicrobial agents have often been developed and optimized for their activity against endodontic bacteria. An ideal root canal irrigant should be biocompatible, because of its close contact with the periodontal tissues during endodontic treatment. Sodium hypoclorite (NaOCl) is one of the most widely recommended and used endodontic irrigants but it is highly toxic to periapical tissues. Objectives: To analyze the literature on the chemotherapeutic agent and plant extracts studied as root canal irrigants. In particularly, the study is focused on their effect on Enterococcus faecalis. Method: Literature search was performed electronically in PubMed (PubMed Central, MEDLINE) for articles published in English from 1982 to April 2015. The searched keywords were “endodontic irrigants” and “Enterococcus faecalis” and “essential oil” and “plant extracts”. Results: Many of the studied chemotherapeutic agents and plant extracts have shown promising results in vitro. Conclusion: Some of the considered phytotherapic substances, could be a potential alternative to NaOCl for the biomechanical treatment of the endodontic space. PMID:28217184

Arsenic contamination of soils and agricultural plants through irrigation water in Nepal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dahal, B.M. [Institute of Soil Research, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU), Peter Jordan Strasse 82, A-1190 Vienna (Austria); Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU), Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna (Austria); Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO), P.O. Box 4102, Kathmandu (Nepal); Fuerhacker, M. [Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU), Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna (Austria); Mentler, A. [Institute of Soil Research, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU), Peter Jordan Strasse 82, A-1190 Vienna (Austria); Karki, K.B. [Soil Science Division, Nepal Agricultural Research Council, Khumaltar, Lalitpur (Nepal); Shrestha, R.R. [UN Habitat-Nepal, UN House, Pulchwok, P.O. Box 107, Kathmandu (Nepal); Blum, W.E.H. [Institute of Soil Research, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU), Peter Jordan Strasse 82, A-1190 Vienna (Austria)], E-mail: winfried.blum@boku.ac.at

2008-09-15

This study monitored the influence of arsenic-contaminated irrigation water on alkaline soils and arsenic uptake in agricultural plants at field level. The arsenic concentrations in irrigation water ranges from <0.005 to 1.014 mg L{sup -1} where the arsenic concentrations in the soils were measured from 6.1 to 16.7 mg As kg{sup -1}. The arsenic content in different parts of plants are found in the order of roots > shoots > leaves > edible parts. The mean arsenic content of edible plant material (dry weight) were found in the order of onion leaves (0.55 mg As kg{sup -1}) > onion bulb (0.45 mg As kg{sup -1}) > cauliflower (0.33 mg As kg{sup -1}) > rice (0.18 mg As kg{sup -1}) > brinjal (0.09 mg As kg{sup -1}) > potato (<0.01 mg As kg{sup -1}). - The arsenic content in soil and plants is influenced by the degree of arsenic amount in irrigated water.

Fate and distribution of nitrogen in soil and plants irrigated with landfill leachate.

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Cheng, C Y; Chu, L M

2011-06-01

Landfill leachate contains a high concentration of ammoniacal substances which can be a potential supply of N for plants. A bioassay was conducted using seeds of Brassica chinensis and Lolium perenne to evaluate the phytotoxicity of the leachate sample. A soil column experiment was then carried out in a greenhouse to study the effect of leachate on plant growth. Two grasses (Paspalum notatum and Vetiver zizanioides) and two trees (Hibiscus tiliaceus and Litsea glutinosa) were irrigated with leachate at the EC50 levels for 12 weeks. Their growth performance and the distribution of N were examined and compared with columns applied with chemical fertilizer. With the exception of P. notatum, plants receiving leachate and fertilizer grew better than those receiving water alone. The growth of L. glutinosa and V. zizanioides with leachate irrigation did not differ significantly from plants treated with fertilizer. Leachate irrigation significantly increased the levels of NH(x)-N in soil. Although NO(x)-N was below 1 mg NL(-1) in the leachate sample, the soil NO(x)-N content increased by 9-fold after leachate irrigation, possibly as a result of nitrification. Leachate irrigation at EC50 provided an N input of 1920 kg N ha(-1) over the experimental period, during which up to 1050 kg N ha(-1) was retained in the soil and biomass, depending on the type of vegetation. The amount of nutrient added seems to exceed beyond the assimilative capability. Practitioners should be aware of the possible consequence of N saturation when deciding the application rate if leachate irrigation is aimed for water reuse. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nematode suppression and growth stimulation in corn plants (Zea mays L.) irrigated with domestic effluent.

Science.gov (United States)

Barros, Kenia Kelly; do Nascimento, Clístenes Williams Araújo; Florencio, Lourdinha

2012-01-01

Treated wastewater has great potential for agricultural use due to its concentrations of nutrients and organic matter, which are capable of improving soil characteristics. Additionally, effluents can induce suppression of plant diseases caused by soil pathogens. This study evaluates the effect of irrigation with effluent in a UASB reactor on maize (Zea mays L.) development and on suppression of the diseases caused by nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne. Twelve lysimeters of 1 m(3) each were arranged in a completely randomized design, with four treatments and three replicates. The following treatments were used: T1 (W+I), irrigation with water and infestation with nematodes; T2 (W+I+NPK), irrigation with water, infestation with nematodes and fertilization with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K); T3 (E+I), irrigation with effluent and infestation with nematodes; and T4 (E+I+P), irrigation with effluent, infestation with nematodes and fertilization with phosphorus. The plants irrigated with the effluent plus the phosphorus fertilizer had better growth and productivity and were more resistant to the disease symptoms caused by the nematodes. The suppression levels may have been due to the higher levels of Zn and NO(3)(-) found in the leaf tissue of the plants irrigated with the effluent and phosphorus fertilizer.

Effect of planting density and cutting frequency on forage and grain yields of kochia (Kochia scoparia under saline water irrigation

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mseou ziyaeii

2009-06-01

Full Text Available AField experiment was conducted at Research Farms of Center of Excellence for Special Crops, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran, in 2006 to evaluate the effect of planting density on forage and grain yield of kochia (Kochia scoparia. Experimental design was a randomized complete block with split-plot arrangement of treatments,with three replications, where different planting densities (10, 20, 30 and 40 plant m-2 were assigned to main plots and number of cutting (including a single cutting, two cutting and no cutting i.e. allowing the crop to grow until maturity allocated to sub-plots. At each harvest date (cutting the biological yield, leaf and stem dry weight, plant height, number of branches and the individual plant biomass were measured. Grain yield and thousand seed weight were also determined at the end of growing season. Result showed the highest biological yield and leaf and stem dry weights for kochia obtaind at 30 plant m-2. The total biomass, leaf and stem dry weights, plant height, number of branches were greater for the first cutting as compared to the second cutting. Planting density and cutting number interacted to affect the leaf dry weight. At physiological maturity stage there were no significant differences among planting densities for plant height and number of branches. The best planting density, in terms of biomass production and leaf and stem dry weight, was found as 30 plant m-2, while for grain production a planting density of 20 plant m-2 could be recommended. Key words: Kochia, planting density, sward, biological yield, grain production.

Substrates and irrigation levels for growing desert rose in pots

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Ronan Carlos Colombo

Full Text Available ABSTRACT In the past decades, desert rose has become a very popular ornamental plant, especially among collectors, due to its exotic and sculptural forms. However, it has been grown on a commercial scale only recently, and little is known about how to best manage it as a container-grown plant, or even which potting medium (substrate to recommend. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the interactions between potting media and irrigation levels for growing desert rose as a potted ornamental plant. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse using a 6 x 2 factorial arrangement with six replications, six potting media and two irrigation levels. The mixes were characterized by measuring their physical properties, specifically the density and water retention capacity (WRC, as well as chemical properties, such as the pH and electrical conductivity (EC. After 210 days, plant growth and plant water consumption were evaluated and measured. A lower dry density for the vermiculite mixes was observed in comparison to that for the sand mixes. However, WRC ranged from 428 to 528 mL L-1 among the mixes, values considered close to ideal. In general, plant growth exhibited higher increases in mixes consisting of coconut fiber + sand or vermiculite, regardless of the irrigation level. Mixes of vermiculite + coconut fiber and sand + coconut fiber can be used to grow desert rose in pots, as long as irrigation is used to maintain the moisture content of the potting medium (mix between 60-70% and 80-90% of the WRC.

Seasonal population dynamics of Homalodisca vitripennis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in sweet orange trees maintained under continuous deficit irrigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Krugner, Rodrigo; Groves, Russell L; Johnson, Marshall W; Flores, Arnel P; Hagler, James R; Morse, Joseph G

2009-06-01

A 2-yr study was conducted in a citrus orchard (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck cultivar Valencia) to determine the influence of plant water stress on the population dynamics of glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar). Experimental treatments included irrigation at 100% of the crop evapotranspiration rate (ET(c)) and continuous deficit-irrigation regimens at 80 and 60% ET(c). Microclimate and plant conditions monitored included temperature and humidity in the tree canopy, leaf surface temperature, water potential, and fruit quality and yield. Glassy-winged sharpshooter population densities and activity were monitored weekly by a combination of visual inspections, beat net sampling, and trapping. Glassy-winged sharpshooter populations were negatively affected by severe plant water stress; however, population densities were not linearly related to decreasing water availability in plants. Citrus trees irrigated at 60% ET(c) had significantly warmer leaves, lower xylem water potential, and consequently hosted fewer glassy-winged sharpshooter eggs, nymphs, and adults than trees irrigated at 80% ET(c). Citrus trees irrigated at 100% ET(c) hosted similar numbers of glassy-winged sharpshooter stages as trees irrigated at 60% ET(c) and a lower number of glassy-winged sharpshooter nymphs than the 80% ET(c) treatment, specifically during the nymphal density peak in mid-April to early July. Irrigation treatments did not affect populations of monitored natural enemies. Although the adult glassy-winged sharpshooter population was reduced, on average, by 50% in trees under severe water stress, the total number of fruit and number of fruit across several fruit grade categories were significantly lower in the 60% ET(c) than in the 80 and 100% ET(c) irrigation treatments.

Optimized Subsurface Irrigation System: The Future of Sugarcane Irrigation

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M. H. J. P. Gunarathna

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Climate change may harm the growth and yield of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L. without the introduction of appropriate irrigation facilities. Therefore, new irrigation methods should be developed to maximize water use efficiency and reduce operational costs. OPSIS (optimized subsurface irrigation system is a new solar-powered automatic subsurface irrigation system that creates a phreatic zone below crop roots and relies on capillarity to supply water to the root zone. It is designed for upland crops such as sugarcane. We investigated the performance of OPSIS for irrigating sugarcane and evaluated its performance against sprinkler irrigation under subtropical conditions. We conducted field experiments in Okinawa, Japan, over the period from 2013 to 2016 and took measurements during spring- and summer-planted main crops and two ratoon crops of the spring-planted crop. Compared with sprinkler irrigation, OPSIS produced a significantly higher fresh cane yield, consumed less irrigation water and provided a higher irrigation water use efficiency. We conclude that OPSIS could be adopted as a sustainable solution to sugarcane irrigation in Okinawa and similar environments.

Effects of Planting Dates, Irrigation Management and Cover Crops on Growth and Yield of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.

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A Koocheki

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction Saffron as a winter active plant with low water requirement is the most strategic medicinal plant in arid and semi-arid parts of Iran. This slow-growing plant has narrow leaves and no aerial stem, hence weeds can be overcome it. Moreover, because of its root and canopy structure an important part of different resources is not used by this low input crop. Therefore, the use of associated crops could be an effective way for increasing resources use efficiencies (Koocheki et al., 2016. Appropriate corm planting date is another important factor that affects saffron growth and yield. Results of some studies show that late spring is the best time for corm planting (Ghasemi-Rooshnavand, 2009; Koocheki et al., 2016. In addition, irrigation management has been evaluated in some studies, but irrigation immediately after corm planting has not been investigated previously. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of irrigation management, planting date and the use of some companion crops on flowering of saffron during two growth cycles. Materials and methods This experiment was carried out as a split-split plot experiment based on a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications at Research Station, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran in 2009-2011. Experimental factors included: planting date of saffron as main factor (first of June, first of August and first of October, 2009, the irrigation management as sub factor (irrigation and no irrigation after each planting date and the companion crops as sub-sub factor [Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum, Bitter vetch (Lathyrus sativus and control. Corm planting was done in 10×25 cm distances with 12 cm depth. In the second year irrigation was done again in the plots which were irrigated after planting in the first year at the same previous dates. Companion crops were sown after first flower picking (November, 2009, then their residue were returned to the soil in

Uptake of antibiotics from irrigation water by plants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Azanu, David; Mortey, Christiana; Darko, Godfred

2016-01-01

The capacity of carrot (Daucus corota L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), two plants that are usually eaten raw, to uptake tetracycline and amoxicillin (two commonly used antibiotics) from irrigated water was investigated in order to assess the indirect human exposure to antibiotics through...... tested concentrations of 0.1-15 mg L(-1). Tetracycline was detected in all plant samples, at concentrations ranging from 4.4 to 28.3 ng/g in lettuce and 12.0-36.8 ng g(-1) fresh weight in carrots. Amoxicillin showed absorption with concentrations ranging from 13.7 ng g(-1) to 45.2 ng g(-1) for the plant...

Monitoring plant water status and rooting depth for precision irrigation in the vineyards of Classic Karst

Science.gov (United States)

Savi, Tadeja; Moretti, Elisa; Dal Borgo, Anna; Petruzzellis, Francesco; Stenni, Barbara; Bertoncin, Paolo; Dreossi, Giuliano; Zini, Luca; Martellos, Stefano; Nardini, Andrea

2017-04-01

The extreme summer drought and heat waves that occurred in South-Europe in 2003 and 2012 have led to the loss of more than 50% of winery production in the Classic Karst (NE Italy). The irrigation of vineyards in this area is not appropriately developed and, when used, it does not consider the actual water status and needs of plants, posing risks of inappropriate or useless usage of large water volumes. The predicted future increase in frequency and severity of extreme climate events poses at serious risk the local agriculture based on wine business. We monitored seasonal trends of pre-dawn (Ψpd) and minimum (Ψmin) leaf water potential, and stomatal conductance (gL) of 'Malvasia' grapevine in one mature (MV, both in 2015 and 2016) and one young vineyard (YV, in 2016). Moreover, we extracted xylem sap form plant stems and soil water from samples collected in nearby caves, by cryo-vacuum distillation. We also collected precipitation and irrigation water in different months. Oxygen isotope composition (δ18O) of atmospheric, plant, soil and irrigation water was analyzed to get information about rooting depth. In 2015, at the peak of summer aridity, two irrigation treatments were applied according to traditional management practices. The treatments were performed in a sub-area of the MV, followed by physiological analysis and yield measurements at grape harvest. In 2016, the soil water potential (Ψsoil) at 50 cm depth was also monitored throughout the season. Under harsh environmental conditions the apparently deep root system ensured relatively favorable plant water status in both MV and YV and during both growing seasons. The Ψsoil at 50 cm depth gradually decreased as drought progressed, reaching a minimum value of about -1.7 MPa, far more negative than Ψpd recorded in plants (about -0.5 MPa). In July, significant stomatal closure was observed, but Ψmin never surpassed the critical threshold of -1.3 MPa, indicating that irrigation was not needed. The xylem sap

Plant height and grain yield of soybean depending on the year, irrigation and variety

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Daria Galić Šubašić

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Three-year field trials determined the influence of the year, irrigation treatment and varieties on plant height and grain yield of soybeans in the eastern Croatia conditions. All three investigated factors, as well as their interactions, with the exception of irrigation interactions and varieties that were significant at P=0.05, show a statistically significant influence (P=0.01 on the height of soybean plants. Soybean grain yields, as well as all their interactions, affect the significance level P=0.01. The obtained values of soybean grain yields during the study (mostly greater than 3000 kg ha-1 indicate the importance of selecting appropriate varieties and irrigation treatment in adapting soybean production to adverse weather effects of the year.

Use of plant woody species electrical potential for irrigation scheduling.

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Ríos-Rojas, Liliana; Morales-Moraga, David; Alcalde, José A; Gurovich, Luis A

2015-01-01

The electrical response of plants to environmental stimuli can be measured and quantitatively related to the intensity of several stimulating sources, like temperature, solar radiation, soil water content, evapotranspiration rates, sap flow and dendrometric cycles. These relations can be used to assess the influence of different environmental situations on soil water availability to plants, defined as a steady state condition between leaf transpirative flow and soil water flow to plant roots. A restricted soil water flow due to soil dryness can trigger water stress in plants, if the atmospheric evaporative demand is high, causing partial stomata closure as a physiological response to avoid plant dehydration; water stressed and unstressed plants manifest a differential electrical response. Real time plant electrical response measurements can anticipate actions that prevent the plant reaching actual stress conditions, optimizing stomata gas exchange and photosynthetic rates. An electrophysiological sensor developed in this work, allows remote real-time recording information on plant electrical potential (EP) in the field, which is highly related to EP measurements obtained with a laboratory Keithley voltmeter sensor used in an highly controlled experimental setup. Our electrophysiological sensor is a wireless, autonomous devise, which transmits EP information via Internet to a data server. Using both types of sensors (EP electrodes with a Keithley voltmeter and the electrophysiological sensor), we measured in real time the electrical responses of Persea americana and Prunus domestica plants, to induced water deficits. The differential response for 2 scenarios: irrigation and water restriction is identified by a progressive change in slope on the daily maximal and minimal electric signal values in stressed plants, and a zero-slope for similar signals for well-watered plants. Results show a correspondence between measured signals obtained by our electrophysiological

Root activity pattern of banana under irrigated and rain conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sobhana, A.; Aravindakshan, M.; Wahid, P.A.

1989-01-01

Root morphology by excavation method and root activity pattern by 32 P soil-injection technique have been studied in banana var., Nendran under rainfed/irrigated conditions. The number of roots, length and diameter of roots and dry weight of roots were found to be more for the rainfed banana crop compared to the irrigated. The results of the radiotracer studies indicated that about 60 per cent of the active roots of irrigated banana lie within 20 cm distance and about 90 per cent of the total root activity is found within 40 cm distance from the plant. In the case of rainfed crop about 85 per cent of the active roots were found within a radius of 40 cm around the plant. Active roots were found to be more concentrated at 15 to 30 cm depth under rainfed conditions while the density of active roots was more or less uniform along the profile upto a dpeth of 60 cm in irrigated banana. (author). 4 refs., 3 figs

Influence of planting date on seed protein oil sugars minerals and nitrogen metabolism in soybean under irrigated and non-irrigated enviroments

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Information on the effect of planting date and irrigation on soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seed composition in the Early Soybean Production System is deficient, and what is available is inconclusive. The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of planting date on seed protein, o...

Does overhead irrigation with salt affect growth, yield, and phenolic content of lentil plants?

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Giannakoula Anastasia

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Overhead irrigation of lentil plants with salt (100 mM NaCl did not have any significant impact on plant growth, while chlorophyll content and chlorophyll fluorescence parameter Fv/Fm were affected. Under such poor irrigation water quality, the malondialdehyde content in leaves was increased due to the lipid peroxidation of membranes. In seeds, the total phenolic content (TPC was correlated to their total antioxidant capacity (TAC. High performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS detection showed that flavonoids (catechin, epicatechin, rutin, p-coumaric acid, quercetin, kaempferol, gallic acid and resveratrol appear to be the compounds with the greatest influence on the TAC values. Catechin is the most abundant phenolic compound in lentil seeds. Overhead irrigation with salt reduced the concentration of almost all phenolic compounds analyzed from lentil seed extracts.

Characterising root density of peach trees in a semi-arid Chernozem to increase plant density

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Paltineanu, Cristian; Septar, Leinar; Gavat, Corina; Chitu, Emil; Oprita, Alexandru; Moale, Cristina; Calciu, Irina; Vizitiu, Olga; Lamureanu, Gheorghe

2016-01-01

The available information on root system in fully mature peach orchards in semi-arid regions is insufficient. This paper presents a study on the root system density in an irrigated peach orchard from Dobrogea, Romania, using the trench technique. The old orchard has clean cultivation in inter-row and in-row. The objectives of the study were to: test the hypothesis that the roots of fully mature peach trees occupy the whole soil volume; find out if root repulsive effect of adjacent plants occurred for the rootstocks and soil conditions; find relationships between root system and soil properties and analyse soil state trend. Some soil physical properties were significantly deteriorated in inter-row versus in-row, mainly due to soil compaction induced by technological traffic. Density of total roots was higher in-row than inter-row, but the differences were not significant. Root density decreased more intensely with soil depth than with distance from tree trunks. Root density correlated with some soil properties. No repulsive effect of the roots of adjacent peach trees was noted. The decrease of root density with distance from trunk can be used in optimising tree arrangement. The conclusions could also be used in countries with similar growth conditions.

Impact of post-infiltration soil aeration at different growth stages of sub-surface trickle-irrigated tomato plants

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yuan; Jia, Zong-xia; Niu, Wen-Quan; Wang, Jing-wei

2016-07-01

Sensitivity to low rhizosphere soil aeration may change over time and therefore plant response may also depend on different growth stages of a crop. This study quantified effects of soil aeration during 5 different periods, on growth and yield of trickle-irrigated potted single tomato plants. Irrigation levels were 0.6 to 0.7 (low level) or 0.7 to 0.8 (high level) of total water holding capacity of the pots. Soil was aerated by injecting 2.5 l of air into each pot through the drip tubing immediately after irrigation. Fresh fruit yield, above ground plant dry weight, plant height, and leaf area index response to these treatments were measured. For all these 4 response variables, means of post-infiltration aeration between 58 to 85 days after sowing were 13.4, 43.5, 13.7, and 37.7% higher than those for the non-aerated pots, respectively. The results indicated that: post-infiltration soil aeration can positively impact the yield and growth of sub-surface trickle-irrigated potted tomato plants; positive effects on plant growth can be obtained with aeration during the whole growth period or with aeration for partial periods; positive growth effects of partial periods of aeration appears to persist and result in yield benefit.

Use of infrared thermometer technique in irrigation scheduling of pomegranate (Punica granatum L. plant

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Begüm TEKELİOĞLU

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The main objectives of this study are to assess crop water stress index (CWSI and to determine irrigation schedule of pomegranate using infrared thermometer technique. Treatments with three replications were irrigated every three and six days intervals, as much as 0.50 (S1, 0.75 (S2, 1.00 (S3, and 1.25 (S4 of Class A pan evaporation. Additionally, an unirrigated plot was also formed. The equations obtained for non-water stress baseline is Tc-Ta=0.645VPD-4.338. The equation of full water stressed upper baseline obtained from data taken from branches of pomegranate plant cut in different days is given by Tc-Ta= 0.0489VPD+2.8734. According to the results obtained, it is concluded that infrared thermometer can be used for irrigation scheduling of the pomegranate plants in Antalya conditions. When using this technique in Antalya conditions, it is suggested to keep the seasonal mean CWSI value approximately 0.12 and the index value of 0.40 can be used to start the irrigation. Additionally, it is suggested that the amount of irrigation can be determined as much as the amount of evaporation measured until the index value reaches 0.40.

Distribution of heavy metals in plants cultivated with wastewater irrigated soils during different periods of time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solis, C.; Andrade, E.; Mireles, A.; Reyes-Solis, I.E.; Garcia-Calderon, N.; Lagunas-Solar, M.C.; Pina, C.U.; Flocchini, R.G.

2005-01-01

The Mezquital valley is a vast area near Mexico city that has been irrigated with wastewater from Mexico city for more than 50 years. At present, this water source continues to be used while new irrigation areas are being incorporated according to rural demand. This research study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between the accumulation of metals in soils and plants and the physicochemical properties of soils irrigated in this manner for 50 and 100 years, respectively. Soil properties such as pH and total organic carbon (TOC) were determined by conventional methods. Plant and soil total trace metals Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb were determined using particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE). Lower pH and TOC contents were obtained for soils irrigated during 100 years, indicating a higher metal bioavailability. This is not reflected in plant content for most of the reported elements, but Zn and Pb show a higher absorption in 100 years old plots (26-79%) than in 50-year-olds plots, indicating a pH dependence

Simulating Crop Evapotranspiration Response under Different Planting Scenarios by Modified SWAT Model in an Irrigation District, Northwest China.

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Liu, Xin; Wang, Sufen; Xue, Han; Singh, Vijay P

2015-01-01

Modelling crop evapotranspiration (ET) response to different planting scenarios in an irrigation district plays a significant role in optimizing crop planting patterns, resolving agricultural water scarcity and facilitating the sustainable use of water resources. In this study, the SWAT model was improved by transforming the evapotranspiration module. Then, the improved model was applied in Qingyuan Irrigation District of northwest China as a case study. Land use, soil, meteorology, irrigation scheduling and crop coefficient were considered as input data, and the irrigation district was divided into subdivisions based on the DEM and local canal systems. On the basis of model calibration and verification, the improved model showed better simulation efficiency than did the original model. Therefore, the improved model was used to simulate the crop evapotranspiration response under different planting scenarios in the irrigation district. Results indicated that crop evapotranspiration decreased by 2.94% and 6.01% under the scenarios of reducing the planting proportion of spring wheat (scenario 1) and summer maize (scenario 2) by keeping the total cultivated area unchanged. However, the total net output values presented an opposite trend under different scenarios. The values decreased by 3.28% under scenario 1, while it increased by 7.79% under scenario 2, compared with the current situation. This study presents a novel method to estimate crop evapotranspiration response under different planting scenarios using the SWAT model, and makes recommendations for strategic agricultural water management planning for the rational utilization of water resources and development of local economy by studying the impact of planting scenario changes on crop evapotranspiration and output values in the irrigation district of northwest China.

Simulating Crop Evapotranspiration Response under Different Planting Scenarios by Modified SWAT Model in an Irrigation District, Northwest China.

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Xin Liu

Full Text Available Modelling crop evapotranspiration (ET response to different planting scenarios in an irrigation district plays a significant role in optimizing crop planting patterns, resolving agricultural water scarcity and facilitating the sustainable use of water resources. In this study, the SWAT model was improved by transforming the evapotranspiration module. Then, the improved model was applied in Qingyuan Irrigation District of northwest China as a case study. Land use, soil, meteorology, irrigation scheduling and crop coefficient were considered as input data, and the irrigation district was divided into subdivisions based on the DEM and local canal systems. On the basis of model calibration and verification, the improved model showed better simulation efficiency than did the original model. Therefore, the improved model was used to simulate the crop evapotranspiration response under different planting scenarios in the irrigation district. Results indicated that crop evapotranspiration decreased by 2.94% and 6.01% under the scenarios of reducing the planting proportion of spring wheat (scenario 1 and summer maize (scenario 2 by keeping the total cultivated area unchanged. However, the total net output values presented an opposite trend under different scenarios. The values decreased by 3.28% under scenario 1, while it increased by 7.79% under scenario 2, compared with the current situation. This study presents a novel method to estimate crop evapotranspiration response under different planting scenarios using the SWAT model, and makes recommendations for strategic agricultural water management planning for the rational utilization of water resources and development of local economy by studying the impact of planting scenario changes on crop evapotranspiration and output values in the irrigation district of northwest China.

Treatment of landfill leachate by irrigation of willow coppice - Plant response and treatment efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aronsson, Paer; Dahlin, Torleif; Dimitriou, Ioannis

2010-01-01

Landfill leachates usually need to be treated before discharged, and using soil-plant systems for this has gained substantial interest in Sweden and in the UK. A three-year field study was conducted in central Sweden to quantify plant response, treatment efficiency and impact on groundwater quality of landfill leachate irrigation of short-rotation willow coppice (Salix). Two willow varieties were tested and four irrigation regimes in sixteen 400-m 2 plots. The willow plants did not react negatively, despite very high annual loads of nitrogen (≤2160 kg N/ha), chloride (≤8600 kg Cl/ha) and other elements. Mean annual growth was 1.5, 9.8 and 12.6 tonnes DM/ha during years 1-3. For one of two willow varieties tested, relative leaf length accurately predicted growth rate. Irrigation resulted in elevated groundwater concentrations of all elements applied. Treatment efficiency varied considerably for different elements, but was adequate when moderate loads were applied. - Short-rotation willow coppice was successfully used for treating a strong landfill leachate in central Sweden over three years.

Monitoring of Lead (Pb) Pollution in Soils and Plants Irrigated with Untreated Sewage Water in Some Industrialized Cities of Punjab, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Sikka, R; Nayyar, V K

2016-04-01

Soil and plant samples were collected from sewage and tubewell irrigated sites from three industrially different cities of Punjab (India) viz. Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Malerkotla. The extent of lead (Pb) pollution was assessed with respect to background concentration of tubewell irrigation. In sewage irrigated surface soil layer (0-15 cm), the extent of Pb accumulation was 4.61, 4.20 and 2.26 times higher than those receiving tubewell irrigation sites in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Malerkotla, respectively. Multiple regression analysis showed that soil pH, organic carbon, calcium carbonate and clay were significant soil parameters explaining the variation in available soil Pb. The mean Pb content in plants receiving sewage irrigation was 4.56, 5.48 and 2.72 times higher than tubewell irrigation in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Malerkotla, respectively. The content of Pb in plants receiving sewage irrigation revealed that, assuming a weekly consumption of 500-1000 g of vegetables grown on sewage irrigated soils by an adult of 70 kg body weight, the Pb intake may far exceed the World Health Organization proposed tolerable weekly intake of Pb.

The impact of sewage irrigation on the uptake of mercury in corn plants (Zea mays) from suburban Beijing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rothenberg, S.E.; Du, X.; Zhu, Y.-G.; Jay, J.A.

2007-01-01

The impact of sewage irrigation on the uptake and translocation of mercury (Hg) in corn plants (Zea mays) was investigated. Corn plants were harvested the same day from two nearby fields in suburban Beijing, one irrigated historically with sewage effluent, and one irrigated solely with groundwater. Hg content was analyzed in the soil, roots and stems, while percent moisture and soil organic content were analyzed in the soil samples. The concentration of Hg in the soil and roots, and the soil organic content were not significantly different between the two fields, despite the historic practice of sewage irrigation. Hg content in roots was positively correlated with soil Hg concentration (r = 0.95, n = 6). The transfer coefficients between roots and stems were significantly higher in the control site (control: 2.06, sewage-irrigated: 0.44, p < 0.05), indicating that the barrier effect of the roots was not consistent between the two fields. - Hg content in the roots of corn plants (Zea mays) was positively correlated with soil Hg content, but negatively correlated with Hg content in stems

The impact of sewage irrigation on the uptake of mercury in corn plants (Zea mays) from suburban Beijing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rothenberg, S.E. [Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing, 100085 (China); Environmental Science and Engineering Program, Box 951772 CHS, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772 (United States)], E-mail: srothenb@ucla.edu; Du, X.; Zhu, Y.-G. [Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing, 100085 (China); Jay, J.A. [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Box 951593 Boelter Hall, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1593 (United States)

2007-09-15

The impact of sewage irrigation on the uptake and translocation of mercury (Hg) in corn plants (Zea mays) was investigated. Corn plants were harvested the same day from two nearby fields in suburban Beijing, one irrigated historically with sewage effluent, and one irrigated solely with groundwater. Hg content was analyzed in the soil, roots and stems, while percent moisture and soil organic content were analyzed in the soil samples. The concentration of Hg in the soil and roots, and the soil organic content were not significantly different between the two fields, despite the historic practice of sewage irrigation. Hg content in roots was positively correlated with soil Hg concentration (r = 0.95, n = 6). The transfer coefficients between roots and stems were significantly higher in the control site (control: 2.06, sewage-irrigated: 0.44, p < 0.05), indicating that the barrier effect of the roots was not consistent between the two fields. - Hg content in the roots of corn plants (Zea mays) was positively correlated with soil Hg content, but negatively correlated with Hg content in stems.

Nitrogen dynamics in the soil-plant system under deficit and partial root-zone drying irrigation strategies in potatoes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shahnazari, Ali; Ahmadi, Seyed Hamid; Lærke, Poul Erik

2008-01-01

Experiments were conducted in lysimeters with sandy soil under an automatic rain-out shelter to study the effects of subsurface drip irrigation treatments, full irrigation (FI), deficit irrigation (DI) and partial root-zone drying (PRD), on nitrogen (N) dynamics in the soil-plant system of potatoes...

Statistical Analysis Of Heavy Metals Concentration In Watermelon Plants Irrigated By Wastewater

Science.gov (United States)

Khanjani, M. J.; Maghsoudi moud, A. A.; Saffari, V. R.; Hashamipor, S. M.; Soltanizadeh, M.

2008-01-01

Concentration of heavy metals in vegetables irrigated by urban wastewater is a cause of serious concern due to the potentials health problems of consuming contaminated produce. In this study it is tried to model the concentration of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe,…) as a function of their concentration in watermelon roots and stems. Our study shows there is a good relationship between them for most of collected data. By measuring the concentration in root and stem of watermelon plant samples before harvesting, the concentration of heavy metal in watermelon's fruit can be estimated by presented mathematical models. This study shows the concentrations of heavy metals in fruits, roots and stems of watermelon plants are very high and in dangerous level when irrigated by municipal waste water.

Comparative effects of partial rootzone drying and deficit irrigation on growth and physiology of tomato plants

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Savić Slađana

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The effects of partial rootzone drying (PRD, deficit irrigation (DI, and full irrigation (FI on tomato physiology were investigated. In PRD and DI plants, leaf water potential values and stomatal conductance were significantly lower, while xylem ABA concentration was greater compared to FI plants. Photosynthesis was similar for all treatments. Water use efficiency was improved by PRD and DI, which reduced fruit dry weight, but had no effect on dry weight of leaves and stems.

Yield and resource use efficiency of Plukenetia volubilis plants at two distinct growth stages as affected by irrigation and fertilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, He-De; Geng, Yan-Jing; Yang, Chun; Jiao, Dong-Ying; Chen, Liang; Cai, Zhi-Quan

2018-01-08

This study is to test how seedlings (vegetative) and large plants (reproductive) of an oilseed crop (Plukenetia volubilis) responded to regulated deficit irrigation techniques (conventional deficit irrigation, DI; alternative partial root-zone irrigation, APRI) in a tropical humid monsoon area. Seedlings were more sensitive to water deficit than large plants. Although APRI did better than DI in saving water for both seedlings and large plants at the same amount of irrigation, full irrigation (FI) is optimal for faster seedling growth at the expense of water-use efficiency (WUE). The seed number per unit area was responsible for the total seed oil yield, largely depending on the active process of carbon and nitrogen storages at the whole-plant level. The magnitude of the increase in total seed and seed oil yield by fertilization was similar under different irrigation regimes. Compared with FI, DI can save water, but reduced the total seed yield and had lower agronomic nutrient-use efficiency (NUE agr ); whereas APRI had similar total seed yield and NUE agr , but reduced water use greatly. Although the dual goal of increasing the yield and saving water was not compatible, maintaining a high yield and NUEagr at the cost of WUE is recommended for P. volubilis plantation in t he water-rich areas.

Effect of Irrigation with Wastewater on Certain Soil Physical and Chemical properties

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Farzad Rohani Shahraki

2005-03-01

Full Text Available Depending on effluent characteristics, irrigation with wastewater plant effluent can be either beneficial or harmful. To investigate the effects of nine years of irrigation with North Isfahan Wastewater Treatment Plant effluent on physical and chemical properties of soil, a study was carried out using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatments included: 1 raw wastewater; 2 effluent from primary settling basin; 3 final plant effluent and 4 well water. To investigate soil physical and chemical properties, samples were taken from depths of 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm from each plot. The results showed that raw wastewater COD and SS were higher than the Iranian Standard limits for use in irrigation. So were BOD5 and turbidity of effluent from primary sedimentation tanks. From the results obtained, the raw wastewater may be considered to be of medium quality. However, regarding other parameters such as EC, SAR, Na and Pb, the quality of the raw wastewater was considerably higher than that of well water. All treatments showed medium infiltrability with respect to chloride concentration. The concentration of lead in well water was higher than in treated wastewater. It should be noted that lead concentration in all samples was less than the standard limits. The average soil bulk density and percentage of moisture in FC did not follow any specific trend. The results indicate that the soil irrigated with effluent over the nine years had a lower bulk density, a higher percentage of moisture, and a lower infiltration compared to adjacent soil not irrigated with wastewater. Analysis of variance for all results did not confirm any significant differences among treatments.

Evaluation of Irrigation Methods for Highbush Blueberry. I. Growth and Water Requirements of Young Plants

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A study was conducted in a new field of northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. 'Elliott') to determine the effects of different irrigation methods on growth and water requirements of uncropped plants during the first 2 years after planting. The plants were grown on mulched, raised beds...

Response of lupine plants irrigated with saline water to rhizobium inoculation using 15N-isotope dilution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gadalla, A.M.; El-Ghandour, I.A.; Abdel Aziz, H.A.; Hamdy, A.; Aly, M.M.

2002-01-01

The lupine Rhizobium symbiosis and contribution of N 2 fixation under different levels of irrigation water salinity were examined. Lysimeter experiment was established under greenhouse conditions during the year 2002-2003. In this experiment, inoculated plants were imposed to different salinity levels of irrigation water and N-fertilizer treatment. Plant height was decreased under different salinity levels, nitrogen treatments and bacterial inoculation. Similar trend was noticed with leaf area. The highest leaf area was recorded with salt tolerant bacterial inoculation (SBI) and splitting N-treatment. Highest values of N-uptake occurred after 100 day intervals under the tested factors. Relative decrease in N-uptake did not exceed 40% of those recorded with the fresh water treatment as affected by experimental factors. Nitrogen uptake by the whole plant reflected an increase at 3 dS/m salinity level of irrigation water. Relative increases were 5% and 15% for normal bacteria inoculation under single dose (NI) and splitting

[Influences of micro-irrigation and subsoiling before planting on enzyme activity in soil rhizosphere and summer maize yield.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ming Zhi; Niu, Wen Quan; Xu, Jian; Li, Yuan

2016-06-01

In order to explore the influences of micro-irrigation and subsoiling before planting on enzyme activity in soil rhizosphere and summer maize yield, an orthogonal experiment was carried out with three factors of micro-irrigation method, irrigation depth, and subsoiling depth. The factor of irrigation method included surface drip irrigation, subsurface drip irrigation, and moistube-irrigation; three levels of irrigation depth were obtained by controlling the lower limit of soil water content to 50%, 65%, and 80% of field holding capacity, respectively; and three depths of deep subsoiling were 20, 40, and 60 cm. The results showed that the activities of catalase and urease increased first and then decreased, while the activity of phosphatase followed an opposite trend in the growth season of summer maize. Compared with surface drip irrigation and moistube-irrigation, subsurface drip irrigation increased the average soil moisture of 0-80 cm layer by 6.3% and 1.8% in the growth season, respectively. Subsurface drip irrigation could significantly increase soil urease activity, roots volume, and yield of summer maize. With the increase of irrigation level, soil phosphatase activity decreased first and then increased, while urease activity and yield increased first and then decreased. The average soil moisture and root volume all increased in the growth season of summer maize. The increments of yield and root volume from subsoiling of 40 to 20 cm were greater than those from 60 to 40 cm. The highest enzyme activity was obtained with the treatment of subsoiling of 40 cm. In terms of improving water resource use efficiency, nitrogen use efficiency, and crop yield, the best management strategy of summer maize was the combination of subsurface drip irrigation, controlling the lower limit of soil water content to 65% of field holding capacity, and 40 cm subsoiling before planting.

Temporal changes of radiocesium in irrigated paddy fields and its accumulation in rice plants in Fukushima.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Baolu; Onda, Yuichi; Wakiyama, Yoshifumi; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Sekimoto, Hitoshi; Ha, Yiming

2016-01-01

About half of the total paddy field area, which is the dominant agricultural land in Fukushima Prefecture, was contaminated by radiocesium released by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. In this study, we investigated the temporal changes of radiocesium in soil, irrigation water, and rice plant in two adjacent rice paddies, with and without surface-soil-removal, in Fukushima Prefecture for over three years (2012-2014) after the nuclear accident. Our results showed that radiocesium migrated into 24-28 cm soil layers and that the activity concentration of radiocesium in paddy soils showed a significant reduction in 2014. The newly added radiocesium to paddies through irrigation water contributed only a maximum value of 0.15% and 0.75% of the total amount present in control and decontaminated paddies, respectively, throughout the study period. The radiocesium activity concentration in suspended sediment in irrigation water exponentially decreased, and the effective half-lives (Teff) for (137)Cs and (134)Cs were 1.3 and 0.9 years, respectively. Additionally, the average suspended sediment concentration in irrigation water increased between 2012 and 2014, suggesting that enhanced soil erosion had occurred in the surrounding environment. Radiocesium accumulation in rice plant also decreased with time in both paddies. However, the concentration ratio of radiocesium for rice plant in the decontaminated paddy increased compared with control paddy, despite approximately 96% of fallout radiocesium removed in paddy soil. Further analysis is required to clarify the reasons of high concentration ratio of radiocesium for rice plant in the decontaminated paddy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studying Geographical Distribution Map of Weeds of Irrigated Wheat Fields of Ardabil Province

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B Soheili

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In order to identify the density and abundance of weeds in irrigated wheat fields of Ardabil Province, 76 samples of irrigated wheat fields based on cultivation area from all counties of Ardabil province for six years (2001-2006 were selected. The genus and species of weeds from each sampling fields and their population indices density, frequency and uniformity of each species were calculated by using Thomas method. Geographic coordinates of field (Latitude, Altitude and Elevation were the main coverage and were determined by using GPS. These data were used for producing weed maps using GIS in irrigated wheat fields of Ardabil province. Results showed that bedstraw (Galium tricurnatum, Fumitory(Fumaria vaillantiand wildradish (Raphanus raphanistrum were dominant broad leaf weed species and wild oats (Avena fatua, rye (Secale cereal and mouse foxtail(Alopecurus myosuroides dominant grassy weeds species in irrigated wheat fields of Ardabil province. Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis, Canada thistle(Cirsium arvenseand Acroptilon repens were the most important disturbing plants prior to harvesting in irrigated wheat fields of Ardabil province.

Radionuclides and heavy metal uptake by lolium italicum plant as affected by saline water irrigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramadan, A.A.; Aly, A.I.; Helal, M.H.

2001-01-01

The use of saline waters to grow crops on increasingly metal polluted soils is becoming a common practice in the arid regions. Nevertheless, the effects of soil and water salinity on radionuclides and heavy metal fluxes in polluted areas are not well understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate in pot experiments the plant uptake of cesium-137, Co-60, Mn-54, Zinc, cadmium and copper from a polluted alluvial aridisol as affected by salt water irrigation. Fertilized soil material was planted in pots with L. Italicum for 18 weeks under greenhouse conditions. The plants were irrigated either with water or with salt solution of variable variable Na/Ca ratio and harvested every 5-7 weeks. In addition to elemental analysis of plants and soil extracts root length was determined by a gridline intersect method and the viable part of the roots was estimated by a root protein inex. Saline (Na) water irrigation increased cobalt-60, manganese-54 and heavy metal solubility in soil, reduced root viability and enhanced the uptake of Co-60, Mn-54, Cd, Cu, Zn and Na by L.italicum and reduced the uptake of Cs-137. Ca counteracted these effects partly. The presented results demonstrated a dual effect of salinity on radiouclides and heavy metal availability to plants and suggest a relationship between root mortality and the enhanced Co-60, Mn-54, and heavy metake ny salt stressed plants

Spatial Variation of Arsenic in Soil, Irrigation Water, and Plant Parts: A Microlevel Study

OpenAIRE

Kabir, M. S.; Salam, M. A.; Paul, D. N. R.; Hossain, M. I.; Rahman, N. M. F.; Aziz, Abdullah; Latif, M. A.

2016-01-01

Arsenic pollution became a great problem in the recent past in different countries including Bangladesh. The microlevel studies were conducted to see the spatial variation of arsenic in soils and plant parts contaminated through ground water irrigation. The study was performed in shallow tube well command areas in Sadar Upazila (subdistrict), Faridpur, Bangladesh, where both soil and irrigation water arsenic are high. Semivariogram models were computed to determine the spatial dependency of s...

Densidade do sistema radicular da bananeira 'Pacovan' sob irrigação por aspersão Root system density of 'Pacovan' banana plant under sprinkler irrigation

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Raimundo Lacerda Filho

2004-12-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho foi realizado no município de Governador Dix-Sept Rosado, microrregião Açu-Apodi, no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, tendo como objetivo verificar os efeitos do sistema de irrigação por aspersão na densidade do sistema radicular da bananeira 'Pacovan'. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos casualizados, em esquema de parcelas subdivididas, com cinco repetições. Os tratamentos foram duas amostragens por planta, realizadas do lado contrário ao da emissão da inflorescência, formando um ângulo de 45º. Em cada amostragem, foram realizadas quatro retiradas do material de solo a distâncias de 20 cm, sendo a primeira a 30 cm e a última a 90 cm do pseudocaule. A análise dos dados demonstrou que ocorreu redução linear no peso fresco e na densidade de comprimento de raízes da bananeira em função da profundidade do solo. Em relação à distância do pseudocaule da bananeira, tanto o peso fresco quanto a densidade de comprimento de raízes não mostraram resultados significativos.The present work was conducted at Governador Dix-Sept Rosado County, microregion Açu-Apodi, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte and its objective was to study the effects of sprinkler irrigation system on the density of the root system of 'Pacovan' banana plants. The experiment followed a completely randomized block design, in a split-plot scheme, with five replications. The treatments were two sampling groups, taken per plant, and in the opposite side of the inflorescence emission, forming between them an angle of 45°. In each sampling group, four samples containing soil material were collected at intervals of 20 cm, so the first was distant 30 cm and the last 90 cm from the pseudostem. Data analysis showed that occurred a linear reduction in root fresh weight and in lenght of roots density, in replications to soil depth. For the distance from the plant pseudostem there were no significant differences between samples, both

Physiological and gene expression responses of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) plants differ according to irrigation placement.

Science.gov (United States)

Aguado, Ana; Capote, Nieves; Romero, Fernando; Dodd, Ian C; Colmenero-Flores, José M

2014-10-01

To investigate effects of soil moisture heterogeneity on plant physiology and gene expression in roots and leaves, three treatments were implemented in sunflower plants growing with roots split between two compartments: a control (C) treatment supplying 100% of plant evapotranspiration, and two treatments receiving 50% of plant evapotranspiration, either evenly distributed to both compartments (deficit irrigation - DI) or unevenly distributed to ensure distinct wet and dry compartments (partial rootzone drying - PRD). Plants receiving the same amount of water responded differently under the two irrigation systems. After 3 days, evapotranspiration was similar in C and DI, but 20% less in PRD, concomitant with decreased leaf water potential (Ψleaf) and increased leaf xylem ABA concentration. Six water-stress responsive genes were highly induced in roots growing in the drying soil compartment of PRD plants, and their expression was best correlated with local soil water content. On the other hand, foliar gene expression differed significantly from that of the root and correlated better with xylem ABA concentration and Ψleaf. While the PRD irrigation strategy triggered stronger physiological and molecular responses, suggesting a more intense and systemic stress reaction due to local dehydration of the dry compartment of PRD plants, the DI strategy resulted in similar water savings without strongly inducing these responses. Correlating physiological and molecular responses in PRD/DI plants may provide insights into the severity and location of water deficits and may enable a better understanding of long-distance signalling mechanisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Resposta de híbridos de milho irrigado à densidade de plantas em três épocas de semeadura Response of irrigated corn hybrids to plant density in three sowing dates

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Paulo Regis Ferreira da Silva

1999-04-01

Full Text Available A determinação da densidade ótima de semeadura do milho, além de ser influenciada pelas características dos híbridos, pelo nível de fertilidade do solo e pela disponibilidade hídrica, pode também variar de acordo com a época da semeadura, uma vez que ela afeta o crescimento e desenvolvimento da planta. Com o objetivo de determinar a densidade ótima de planta em híbridos de milho com elevado potencial de rendimento de grãos, em três épocas de semeadura, com relação a rendimento de grãos, componentes do rendimento e outras características agronômicas, foram feitos quatro experimentos na região fisiográfica da Depressão Central do Rio Grande do Sul, município de Eldorado do Sul, com suplementação hídrica por aspersão. Os tratamentos constaram de quatro híbridos (Pioneer 3063, Pioneer 3207, XL 212 e Cargill 901, quatro densidades de plantas (50, 70, 90 e 110.000 pl/ha e de três épocas de semeadura (agosto, outubro e dezembro. Não há resposta à densidade de plantas dos híbridos de milho testados nas épocas de semeadura de agosto e dezembro. O aumento na densidade de plantas somente foi vantajosa na semeadura de outubro, quando se obtiveram maiores rendimentos de grãos na densidade de 70.000 pl/ha, independentemente do híbrido avaliado, nas duas estações de crescimento.Plant density response of corn besides influenced by hybrids traits, soil fertility level and water availability, could also vary with sowing date, since it affects plant growth and development. With the objective of determining the most adequate plant density of corn hybrids with high potential grain yields, in three sowing dates, in relation to grain yields, yield components and other agronomic traits, four experiments were conducted in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, with complementary irrigation. The treatments were composed by four hybrids (Pioneer 3063, Pioneer 3207, XL 212 and Cargill 901, four plant densities (50, 70, 90 and 110

Irrigation of Castor Bean (Ricinus communis L. and Sunflower (Helianthus annus L. Plant Species with Municipal Wastewater Effluent: Impacts on Soil Properties and Seed Yield

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Vasileios A. Tzanakakis

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The effects of plant species (castor bean (Ricinus communis L. versus sunflower (Helianthus annus L. and irrigation regime (freshwater versus secondary treated municipal wastewater on soil properties and on seed and biodiesel yield were studied in a three year pot trial. Plant species were irrigated at rates according to their water requirements with either freshwater or wastewater effluent. Pots irrigated with freshwater received commercial fertilizer, containing N, P, and K, applied at the beginning of each irrigation period. The results obtained in this study showed that irrigation with effluent did not result in significant changes in soil pH, soil organic matter (SOM, total kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN, and dehydrogenase activity, whereas soil available P was found to increase in the upper soil layer. Soil salinity varied slightly throughout the experiment in effluent irrigated pots but no change was detected at the end of the experiment compared to the initial value, suggesting sufficient salt leaching. Pots irrigated with effluent had higher soil salinity, P, and dehydrogenase activity but lower SOM and TKN than freshwater irrigated pots. Sunflower showed greater SOM and TKN values than castor bean suggesting differences between plant species in the microorganisms carrying out C and N mineralization in the soil. Plant species irrigated with freshwater achieved higher seed yield compared to those irrigated with effluent probably reflecting the lower level of soil salinity in freshwater irrigated pots. Castor bean achieved greater seed yield than sunflower. Biodiesel production followed the pattern of seed yield. The findings of this study suggest that wastewater effluent can constitute an important source of irrigation water and nutrients for bioenergy crop cultivations with minor adverse impacts on soil properties and seed yield. Plant species play an important role with regard to the changes in soil properties and to the related factors of

The use of Skylab data to study the early detection of insect infestations and density and distribution of host plants

Science.gov (United States)

Hart, W. G.; Ingle, S. J.; Davis, M. R.

1975-01-01

The detection of insect infestations and the density and distribution of host plants were studied using Skylab data, aerial photography and ground truth simultaneously. Additional ground truth and aerial photography were acquired between Skylab passes. Three test areas were selected: area 1, of high density citrus, was located northwest of Mission, Texas; area 2, 20 miles north of Weslaco, Texas, irrigated pastures and brush-covered land; area 3 covered the entire Lower Rio Grande Valley and adjacent areas of Mexico. A color composite picture of S-190A data showed patterns of vegetation on both sides of the Rio Grande River clearly delineating the possible avenues of entry of pest insects from Mexico into the United States or from the United States into Mexico. Vegetation that could be identified with conventional color and color IR film included: citrus, brush, sugarcane, alfalfa, irrigated and unimproved pastures.

Comparison of Manual and Automatic Irrigation of Pot Experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haahr, Vagner

1975-01-01

An air-lift principle for transport of water was adapted for automatic irrigation of experimental pots originally constructed for manual irrigation by the weighing method. The two irrigation techniques were compared in an experiment with increasing amounts of nitrogen fertilizer to spring barley....... Productions of grain and straw and chemical composition were almost the same after the two irrigation methods, and it was concluded that the laborious manual watering could be replaced by automatic irrigation. Comparison of the yield from individual plants in the pots showed a large difference between centre...... plants and border plants independent of irrigation principle. The increase in yield per pot with increasing N fertilization was at the highest N level caused only by an increase in yield of the border plants....

Identification of Water Usage Efficiency for Corn(Zea mays L.Lines Irrigated with Drip Irrigation Under Green House Conditions asPer Plant Water Stress Index Evaluations

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Ali Beyhan UÇAK

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The present study was conducted as a greenhouse study under Çukurova conditions during the years2011-2012. Two different dent corn lines (5A2-B and 22K were used as the plant material of the experiments. Crop water stress index (CWSI values determined through leaf canopy temperature measurements performed ahead of irrigations were used to find outwater use efficiencies. Experiments were conducted in randomized blocks-split plots experimental design with three replications. Drip irrigation was used for irrigations and two different irrigation programs were created as of I100(supplying 100% of depleted water in every seven days and I75(applying 75% of depleted water. The amount of irrigation water applied for in the interaction of I100irrigation and corn lines (5A2-B and22K in the first and second year were respectively varied between 253.0-274.0and between 238.0-261.0mm, seasonal plant water consumptions varied between 294.0-305.0and between 284.6-302.6 mm, kernel yields varied between 2950.0-2990.0 and between 3130.0-3186.0kgha-1. With regard to (in the interaction irrigation treatments xcorn lines, the lowest and the highest CWSI values were observed in the interaction full irrigation (I100 and of the line 22K as 0.22 and in deficit irrigation treatment (I75 of the line 5A2-B as 0.41in the first year; in full irrigation treatment (I100 of the line 22K as 0.20 and in deficit irrigation treatment (I75 of the line 5A2-B as 0.36. The greatest and the lowest chlorophyll contents (in the interaction irrigation treatments x corn lines were respectively observed in I100treatment of the line 22K as 58.3 spad and in I75treatment of the line 5A2-Bas 50.9 spad in the first year; in I100treatment of the line 22K as 59.1 SPAD and in I75treatment of the line 5A2-B as 55.1 spad. While the effects of irrigation treatments on average dry matter contents of the lines were not found to be significant, significant differences were observed in water use efficiency

The Effects of Drought Stress on Yield, Yield Components and Anti-oxidant of Two Garlic (Allium sativum L. Ecotypes with Different Planting Densities

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shiva akbari

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction Drought stress reduces plant growth by affecting various physiological and biochemical processes, such as photosynthesis, respiration, translocation, ion uptake, carbohydrates, nutrient metabolism and growth promoters. Garlic (Allium sativum L. is an annual bulb crop that has been cultivated since ancient times and was used as a spice and condiment for many centuries. Garlic is an important plant because of its pharmaceutical properties. The optimum yield of this bulb crop depends on well-managed irrigation, fertilization and cultivation practices. In the final and middle stages of growth, garlic is sensitive to water stress and low irrigation is unsuitable in these stages. This experiment was established to study the influence of drought stress and planting density on yield and its components and the non-enzymatic anti-oxidant content of two different garlic ecotypes. Materials and methods This study was conducted in 2011-2012 in a farmland at the south east of Semnan city. The experimental layout was a split-plot factorial with a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments were comprised of three factors: irrigation rates (60%, 80% and 100% of estimated crop evapotranspiration (ETC as the main plot and the factorial combination of three levels of planting density (30, 40 and 50 plants.m-2 and two ecotypes (Tabas and Toroud as the sub-plots. To estimate the crop water requirement, different meteorological parameters were collected from Semnan weather station and were used based on FAO-56 water irrigation calculation instructions. After harvesting, ten garlic plants were sampled randomly in each plot and bulb yield components were measured. To calculate the leaves anti-oxidant content, DPPH method was used. The statistical significances of mean values were assessed by analysis of variance and LSD tests at p≤0.05. All calculations were performed using SAS and Mstat-C softwares. Results and discussion

Performance of irrigated green corn cultivars in different plant populations at sowing

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José C. Soares Neto

Full Text Available ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the yield of green corn hybrids grown under irrigation in different plant populations at sowing. The assay was carried out in the experimental area located in the city of Arapiraca, Alagoas State, Brazil, from November 2015 to January 2016. A randomized complete block design (RCBD was used, in a 2 x 5 factorial scheme with four replicates. A double- and a single-cross hybrid (AG 1051 and BM 3061, which are suitable for green corn production, were cultivated in five spacings between plants at sowing (15.0, 17.5, 20.0, 22.5 and 25.0 cm. The characteristics photosynthetic rate (PR, ear length with rusk (HEL and without husk (UEL, husked ear weight (HEW, unhusked ear weight (UEW, percentage of marketable ears (%ME and weight of husk (HW were evaluated. The double- and single-cross hybrids AG 1051 and BM 3061 showed green ears with commercial standard. The cultivar BM 3061 showed the best results for most of the characteristics related to the performance of green corn (PR, HEL, UEL, UEW, HEW, %ME. The spacing of 17.5 cm between plants at sowing was the most indicated for irrigated green corn cultivation.

Effects of deficit irrigation and partial root-zone drying on soil and plant water status, stomatal conductance, plant growth and water use efficiency in tomato during early fruiting stage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Fulai; Shahnazari, Ali; Jacobsen, S.-E.

2008-01-01

The effects of 'partial root-zone drying' (PRD), compared with full irrigation (FI) and deficit irrigation (DI), on soil and plant water status, plant growth and water use efficiency (WUE) were investigated in potted tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum L., var. Cedrico) at the early fruiting stage...... system, and the irrigated side of the plants was reversed when volumetric soil water content ( ) of the dry side had decreased to 6%. of FI was about 14%. of DI decreased during the first 4-5 days after the onset of treatment (DAT) and was about 7% and 6% thereafter for DI-70 and DI-50, respectively....... of the wet side in PRD-70 declined during 3-6 DAT and was lower than that of FI by 4-6% thereafter. in both wet and dry sides of PRD-50 was slightly lower than that for PRD-70. After 5 DAT, midday leaf water potential was significantly lower in DI and PRD than in FI plants. FI plants had the highest leaf...

A metagenomic assessment of viral contamination on fresh parsley plants irrigated with fecally tainted river water.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez-Cassi, X; Timoneda, N; Gonzales-Gustavson, E; Abril, J F; Bofill-Mas, S; Girones, R

2017-09-18

Microbial food-borne diseases are still frequently reported despite the implementation of microbial quality legislation to improve food safety. Among all the microbial agents, viruses are the most important causative agents of food-borne outbreaks. The development and application of a new generation of sequencing techniques to test for viral contaminants in fresh produce is an unexplored field that allows for the study of the viral populations that might be transmitted by the fecal-oral route through the consumption of contaminated food. To advance this promising field, parsley was planted and grown under controlled conditions and irrigated using contaminated river water. Viruses polluting the irrigation water and the parsley leaves were studied by using metagenomics. To address possible contamination due to sample manipulation, library preparation, and other sources, parsley plants irrigated with nutritive solution were used as a negative control. In parallel, viruses present in the river water used for plant irrigation were analyzed using the same methodology. It was possible to assign viral taxons from 2.4 to 74.88% of the total reads sequenced depending on the sample. Most of the viral reads detected in the river water were related to the plant viral families Tymoviridae (66.13%) and Virgaviridae (14.45%) and the phage viral families Myoviridae (5.70%), Siphoviridae (5.06%), and Microviridae (2.89%). Less than 1% of the viral reads were related to viral families that infect humans, including members of the Adenoviridae, Reoviridae, Picornaviridae and Astroviridae families. On the surface of the parsley plants, most of the viral reads that were detected were assigned to the Dicistroviridae family (41.52%). Sequences related to important viral pathogens, such as the hepatitis E virus, several picornaviruses from species A and B as well as human sapoviruses and GIV noroviruses were detected. The high diversity of viral sequences found in the parsley plants

Plant Density Effect in Different Planting Dates on Growth Indices, Yield and

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F Azizi

2013-04-01

Full Text Available In order to determine the appropriate plant density in different planting dates for sweet corn cultivar KSC403su, an experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design in split plot lay out with three replications at Seed and Plant Improvement Institute in Karaj in 2006. Three planting dates (22 May, 5 June and 22 June were assigned as main plots and three plant densities (65000, 75000 and 85000 plants per hectare were considered as sub plots. Effect of planting date on row/ear, 1000 kernels weight, biological yield and harvest index was significant at 1% probability level and it was significant at 5% probability level for kernels/ear row and grain yield. All traits decreased with postponement of planting date to 5 June except for row/ear, kernels/row and grain yield. More delay in planting from 22 May to 22 June caused that grain yield was decreased significantly about 32.5% (from 14.45 to 9.78 ton/ha. Effect of plant density was significant at 1% probability level for all the traits. All of the traits decreased significantly with increasing plant density except for biological yield. The highest grain yield was resulted from 65000 plants per hectare density (14.20 ton/ha. Interaction effect of planting date and plant density was significant at 5% probability level for biological yield and harvest index but it wasn’t significant for the other traits. Growth indices decreased with delay in planting date and increasing plant density. Only leaf area index increased in more plant densities. From the results of this experiment it might be resulted that appropriate planting date to produce the highest grain yield is 22 May to 5 June for sweet corn cultivar KSC403su and also the highest grain yield can obtain from 65000 plants per hectare density.

MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND FORAGE PRODUCTIVITY OF IRRIGATED CACTUS PEAR UNDER DIFFERENT CUTTING INTENSITIES

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GUILHERME FERREIRA DA COSTA LIMA

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study evaluated the effect of different cutting intensities and years of harvesting on the morphological characteristics and production of fresh (FMP and dry matter (DMP of cactus pear cv. Gigante (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill under conditions of irrigation, high planting density and fertilization, with 12 months of regrowth. The experimental was completely randomized in a factorial design (3 × 2 with 12 replicates. The treatments were three cutting intensities (preserving the mother cladode (PMC, primary cladodes (PPC, or secondary cladodes (PSC, and two years of harvesting. The soil was classified as Cambisol Haplicum and the irrigation water was classified as C4S1 (EC 5.25 dS.m-1 density of 50,000 plants ha-1. The research evaluated plant height, number of cladodes per plant (NCP, length, width, perimeter and thickness of the cladodes, cladode area (CA, cladode area index (CAI, FMP and DMP. There was no significant interaction between treatments (P > 0.05 for the variables plant height, NCP, CAI and FMP. The variables related to cladode morphology showed a significant interaction (P < 0.05. The treatment PSC resulted in a greater DMP (P < 0.05 with a mean of 27.17 Mg ha-1 yr-1, compared to PPC (18.58 Mg ha-1 yr-1 or PMC (11.78 Mg ha-1 yr-1. The treatment PSC promoted greater NCP and forage productivity at harvest and can be considered as a management practice for the sustainability of cactus pear cv. Gigante under irrigation. The more important morphological characteristics were also influenced by the lower cutting intensities.

Crop water productivity for sunflower under different irrigation regimes and plant spacing in Gezira Scheme, Sudan

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Eman Rahamtalla Ahmed Elsheikh

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Two field experiments with Sunflower on deep cracking soil with heavy clay (vertisol were conducted at Gezira Research Station Farm during two executive winter seasons, in WadMedani, Sudan. The crop was sown in the third week of November and in the first week of December for seasons 2012 and 2013 respectively. The experimental design was split plot design with three replicates. The Sunflower hybrid tested in the study was Hysun 33. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of three different irrigation intervals of 10, 15 and 20 days and two intra-row plant spacings of 30 cm and 40 cm on yield and yield components of Sunflower. The seed yields obtained from the different treatments were in the ranges of 1890-3300 kg/ha and 1590-3290 kg/ha for the first and second season respectively. The corresponding computed on average crop water productivity was in the range of 0.31-0.43 kg/m3. The study clearly indicated that the highest seed yield was obtained when the crop was sown at 40 cm plant spacing and irrigated every 10 days. The highest crop water productivity was achieved from irrigation every15 days in both planting spacings

Water deficit imposed by deficit irrigation at different plant growth stages of maize

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calvache, M.; Reichardt, C.

1995-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify specific growth stages of maize Crop, at which the plant is less sensitive to water stress so that irrigation can be omitted withhout significant decrease yield. The field experiment was conducted at a University experiment station, Tumbaco, Pichincha, Ecuador, during may - october 1993, on a sandy loam soil ( typic durustoll). Soil moisture was monitored with a neutron probe down to 0.70 m depth, before and 24 h after each irrigation. The actual evapotranspiration of the crop was estimated by the water - balance technique. Field water efficiency and crop water use efficiency were calculated by dividing actual grain yield by irrigation and by ETa, respectively. Nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency was calculated using N - 15 methodology in the 75 kg N/ ha treatment. From the yield data, it can be concluded that treatments which had irrigation deficit had lower yield than those that had suplementary irrigation. The flowering and yield formation stages were the most sensitive to moisture stress. Nitrogen fertilization significantly increased the grain yield. The crop water use effeciency was the lowest at the flowering and yield formation of the region, the treatments I1 and I7 had the same crop water use efficiency. The results of N - 15 labelled plots ( F1) showed that soil water deficiency significantly affects nitrogen was derived from fertilizer in treatments I3 and I7 and only 11 - 9% in the treatments I2 and I5 respectively. ( Author)

Effect of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) on plant growth, yield, and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) under simulated seawater irrigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Min; Jun Kang, Yi; Li Wang, Huan; Sheng Zhang, Xiang; Xin Zhao, Qing

2012-01-01

To determine the effects of three PGPRs on plant growth, yield, and quality of tomato under simulated seawater irrigation, a two consecutive seasons' field experiment was conducted in Yancheng Teachers University plot from April to June and August to October, 2011. The results showed that Erwinia persicinus RA2 containing ACC deaminase exhibited the best ability compared with Bacillus pumilus WP8 and Pseudomonas putida RBP1 which had no ACC deaminase activity to enhance marketable yields of fresh and dried fruits in tomato under simulated seawater irrigation especially under HS condition. B. pumilus WP8 had significant effects on improving tomato fruit quality under the conditions of irrigating with 1.0% NaCl solution (MS) and with 2.0% NaCl solution (HS). Na(+) contents were generally accumulated much more in tomato plant mid-shoot leaves than in fruits whatever the salt concentration. More sodium accumulation in leaves of E. persicinus RA2 and B. pumilus WP8 treatments under HS condition were found than in control. E. persicinus RA2 and B. pumilus WP8 can promote tomato growth, improve fruit quality more firmly than P. putida RBP1 during two consecutive seasons. Our study suggested that E. persicinus RA2 and B. pumilus WP8 are considered to be promising PGPR strains which are suited for application in salt marsh planting, ACC deaminase activity was not unique index on screening for PGPRs with the aim of salt stress tolerance, and plant growth promoting activities may be relevant to different growth indices and different stress conditions.

Effect of Irrigation CutOff on Flowering Stage and Foliar Application of Spermidine on Some Quantitative and Qualitative Characteristics of Various Ecotypes of Cumin

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Sarah Bakhtari

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Medicinal plants play major roles in human health. . Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L. is an annual plant that commonly cultivated in arid and semiarid regions of Iran. The crop has a wide range of uses including medicinal, cosmetic and food industry. Cumin occupies about 26% of the total area devoted to medicinal plants in Iran. However, cumin is seriously affected by the Fusarium wilt and blight diseases. The diseases usually increase under warm and wet conditions. It was demonstrated that the peak of the disease incidence is occurring at the flowering stage and irrigation cutoff at this time may be reduced the diseases density. Materials and methods: In order to evaluate the effects of irrigation cutoff in flowering stage and foliar application of spermidine on some characteristics of various ecotype of cumin, an experiment was conducted in a split-split-plot arrangement in randomized complete block design with three replications at the research farm of Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman at 2014. The experimental treatments were irrigation in two levels (complete irrigation and cutoff the irrigation in flowering stage assigned to main plots, foliar application of spermidine in three levels (0, 1 and 2 Mm as a subplot and cumin ecotypes in three levels (Kerman, Khorasan and Esfahan that was randomized in sub-subplot. Plots size under the trial was 4 m × 3 m so as to get 50 cm inter row spacing in six rows. The ideal density of the crops was considered as 120 plant m-2. As soon as the seeds were sown, irrigation was applied every 10 days. Foliar application of spermidine was done at three stages (after thinning, before flowering stage and in the middle of flowering stage. No herbicides and chemical fertilizers were applied during the expriments. Results and discussion: In this study the number of branches, umbels per plant, 1000-seed weight, seed yield per plant and hectare, harvest index, essential oil percentage and yield, infected

Effects of irrigation strategies and soils on field grown potatoes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmadi, Seyed Hamid; Plauborg, Finn; Andersen, Mathias Neumann

2011-01-01

Root distribution of field grown potatoes (cv. Folva) was studied in 4.32m2 lysimeters and subjected to full (FI), deficit (DI), and partial root-zone drying (PRD) irrigation strategies. Drip irrigation was applied for all irrigations. Irrigations were run in three different soils: coarse sand......, loamy sand, and sandy loam. Irrigation treatments started after tuber bulking and lasted until final harvest with PRD and DI receiving 65% of FI. Potatoes irrigated with water-saving irrigation techniques (PRD and DI) did not show statistically different dry root mass and root length density (RLD, cm...... density in the furrow. Most roots accumulated in the surface layers of coarse sand as compared to the other soil types. In the deep soil profile (30–70 cm) a higher root density was found in loamy sand compared with the sandy loam and coarse sand. Approximately twice the amounts of roots were found below...

A study of the early detection of insect infestations and density/distribution of host plants

Science.gov (United States)

Hart, W. G.; Ingle, S. J.; Davis, M. R. (Principal Investigator)

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Significant results have been obtained in the identification of citrus, sugarcane, winter vegetables, irrigated pastures, and unimproved pastures which contain brush. Land without vegetation, lakes, roads, and waterways can also be determined. Different densities of vegetation covering some cultivated areas are apparent. The practical applications of these results are many. The abundance of host plants of pests can be determined. Avenues of entry of pests can be plotted, facilitating control or preventing entry of pest species. The boundaries of areas to be quarantined can be accurately established after viewing the S-190B data. Better cultural methods can be employed such as planning where to plant certain crops that indirectly are detrimental to those already growing. This would relate to such factors as pesticide drift or alternate hosts of major pests.

Root distribution pattern of triticale varieties under irrigated and unirrigated conditions using 32P plant injection technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahajan, J.P.; Soni, B.K.; Bhargava, B.S.

1977-01-01

A study on the root distribution pattern of four triticale varieties (6TA-204-3, 6TA-204-4, S-520 and S-411) under irrigated and unirrigated conditions showed that in general, there was a more profused root system in irrigated conditions than in the unirrigated ones. The lateral root distribution was adversely affected under unirrigated conditions. Root density of different varieties, in a soil segment of 15 cm diameter and 48 cm depth grown under unirrigated conditions, was in the following order : S-520 > 6 TA-204-3 > 6 TA-204-4 > S-411 while under irrigated conditions the order was : 6 TA-204-3 > S-520 > 6 TA-204-4 > S-411. (author)

Water deficit imposed by partial irrigation at different plant growth stages of common bean

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calvache, M.; Reichardt, K.

1995-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify specific growth stages of common bean crop, at which the plant is less sensitive to water stress so that irrigation can be omitted without significant decrease in biological nitrogen fixation and yield. Two field experiments were conducted at a University experiments station, Tumbaco, Pichincha, Ecuador, on a sandy loam soil ( Typic durustoll ). The climate is warm and dry ( mean air temperature 16 degree Celcius and mean relative humidity 74% ) during the cropping season and rainfall of 123 mm was recorded during the cropping period. The treatments consisted of combinations of 7 irrigation regimes ( I1 = all normal watering; I2 = all stres; I3 = traditional practice; I4 = single stress at vegetation; I5 flowering; I6 = yield formation and I7 = ripening stages ) and 2 levels of applied N ( 20 and 80 kg/ ha ). Differential irrigation was started after 3 uniform irrigations for germination and crop establishment. Soil moisture was monitored with a neutron probe down to 0.60 m depth, before and 24 h after each irrigation. Biological Nitrogen Fixation was calculated using the N- 15 metodology in the 20 kg N/ ha treatment. From the yield data, it can be concluded that treatments which had irrigation deficit had lower yield than those that had suplementary irrigation. The flowering stage was the most sensitive to number of pods and grain yield. Biological Nitrogen Fixation was significantly affected by water stress at flowering and formation stages. The crop water use efficiency ( kg/ m 3 ) was the lowest at flowering period and the yield response factor ( Ky ) was higher in treatments I2 ( all stress ) and I5 (stress at flowering ). Comparing with traditional practice by farmers of the region, only treatments I1 and I7 had 13 and 10 % higher crop water use effeciency. 15 tabs., 7 refs. ( Author )

Effects of seedbed preparation, irrigation, and water harvesting of seedling emergence at the Nevada Test Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winkel, V.K.; Ostler, W.K.; Gabbert, W.D.; Lyon, G.E.

1994-02-01

Approximately 800 hectares on the US Department of Energy Nevada Test Site and vicinity are contaminated with plutonium. As part of a cleanup effort, both the indigenous vegetation and the top 5--10 cm of soil may be removed, and the soil may or may not be replaced. Technologies must be developed to stabilize and revegetate these lands. A study was developed to determine adaptable plant species, methods to prepare seedbeds for direct seeding and water harvesting, and proper irrigation rates. Plots were cleared of indigenous vegetation, and then prepared with various seedbed/water harvesting treatments including, pitting, land imprinting, and mulching. Other plots were treated with large water harvesting structures. Three irrigation treatments were superimposed over the seedbed/water harvesting treatments. Seedling emergence data was collected, and the treatment combinations compared. Supporting meteorological and soil data were collected with an automatic data-logger. Specific data included precipitation, and air temperature. In a year of above-average precipitation, irrigation did not generally aid germination and emergence of seeded species, and only slightly increased densities of species from the native seedbank. With the exception of increased shrub seedling densities in desert strips, there were no strong seedbed preparation/water harvesting treatment effects. In years of above-average rainfall, mulching and water harvesting treatments, irrigation may not be necessary to insure adequate germination and emergence of adapted perennial grasses, forbs, and shrubs in the Mojave/Great Basin Transition Desert. Future collection of survival data will determine whether a maintenance irrigation program is necessary to ensure establishmnent of native plants

Modelling energy production by small hydro power plants in collective irrigation networks of Calabria (Southern Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Zema, Demetrio Antonio; Nicotra, Angelo; Tamburino, Vincenzo; Marcello Zimbone, Santo

2017-04-01

The availability of geodetic heads and considerable water flows in collective irrigation networks suggests the possibility of recovery potential energy using small hydro power plants (SHPP) at sustainable costs. This is the case of many Water Users Associations (WUA) in Calabria (Southern Italy), where it could theoretically be possible to recovery electrical energy out of the irrigation season. However, very few Calabrian WUAs have currently built SHPP in their irrigation networks and thus in this region the potential energy is practically fully lost. A previous study (Zema et al., 2016) proposed an original and simple model to site turbines and size their power output as well as to evaluate profits of SHPP in collective irrigation networks. Applying this model at regional scale, this paper estimates the theoretical energy production and the economic performances of SHPP installed in collective irrigation networks of Calabrian WUAs. In more detail, based on digital terrain models processed by GIS and few parameters of the water networks, for each SHPP the model provides: (i) the electrical power output; (iii) the optimal water discharge; (ii) costs, revenues and profits. Moreover, the map of the theoretical energy production by SHPP in collective irrigation networks of Calabria was drawn. The total network length of the 103 water networks surveyed is equal to 414 km and the total geodetic head is 3157 m, of which 63% is lost due to hydraulic losses. Thus, a total power output of 19.4 MW could theoretically be installed. This would provide an annual energy production of 103 GWh, considering SHPPs in operation only out of the irrigation season. The single irrigation networks have a power output in the range 0.7 kW - 6.4 MW. However, the lowest SHPPs (that is, turbines with power output under 5 kW) have been neglected, because the annual profit is very low (on average less than 6%, Zema et al., 2016). On average each irrigation network provides an annual revenue from

Ring Irrigation System (RIS) design through customer preference representation

OpenAIRE

Ridwan Infandra I.Z.; Rianmora Suchada; Werawatganon Siwat

2018-01-01

In agricultural field, irrigation is one of the most interesting considerations affecting the rate of plant growth and development. Micro-irrigation as the dripping or sprinkle method is one of the irrigation types that applies the small amount of water for fulfilling the humidity requirement. The most important factors affecting the demand of water for plants are soil conditions and effect of climatic factors. With less human labour required, to improve the irrigation method from the recent ...

Evaluation some Forage Legumes in Limited Irrigation Condition

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Hassan Moniri Far

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Forage legumes respond differently to limited irrigation regimes. Their evaluation may, thus, help to select drought tolerant types for limited irrigation conditions. In this study four type of forage legume were studied for two years in Tikma-Dash Research Station of East Azarbaijan Agricultural and Natural Research Center, Tabriz, Iran, in a randomized complete block design using split-plot experiment in 2011-2013 years. Irrigation regimes (without irrigation, one irrigation and two irrigations were assigned to main plots and four forage types (hairy vetch, grass pea, Pannonica sativa and lathyrus were assigned to subplots. The results of analysis of variance showed that the effect of irrigation on plant height, number of shoots, leaf area and plant fresh and dry weights were not significant. Howere, legume types affected these traits significantly (P≤0.01. The effect of irrigation levels and legume types on protein content of hay were significant (P

NUTRIENT CONTENT IN SUNFLOWERS IRRIGATED WITH OIL EXPLORATION WATER

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ADERVAN FERNANDES SOUSA

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Irrigation using produced water, which is generated during crude oil and gas recovery and treated by the exploration industry, could be an option for irrigated agriculture in semiarid regions. To determine the viability of this option, the effects of this treated water on the nutritional status of plants should be assessed. For this purpose, we examined the nutritional changes in sunflowers after they were irrigated with oil - produced water and the effects of this water on plant biomass and seed production. The sunflower cultivar BRS 321 was grown for three crop cycles in areas irrigated with filtered produced water (FPW, reverse osmosis - treated produced water (OPW, or ground water (GW. At the end of each cycle, roots, shoots, and seeds were collected to examine their nutrient concentrations. Produced water irrigation affected nutrient accumulation in the sunflower plants. OPW irrigation promoted the accumulation of Ca, Na, N, P, and Mg. FPW irrigation favored the accumulation of Na in both roots and shoots, and biomass and seed production were negatively affected. The Na in the shoots of plants irrigated with FPW increased throughout the three crop cycles. Under controlled conditions, it is possible to reuse reverse osmosis - treated produced water in agriculture. However, more long - term research is needed to understand its cumulative effects on the chemical and biological properties of the soil and crop production.

Dynamic plant uptake model applied for drip irrigation of an insecticide to pepper fruit plants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Legind, Charlotte Nielsen; Kennedy, C. M.; Rein, Arno

2011-01-01

irrigation, its application for a soil-applied insecticide and a sensitivity analysis of the model parameters. RESULTS: The model predicted the measured increase and decline of residues following two soil applications of an insecticide to peppers, with an absolute error between model and measurement ranging...... from 0.002 to 0.034 mg kg fw—1. Maximum measured concentrations in pepper fruit were approximately 0.22 mg kg fw—1. Temperature was the most sensitive component for predicting the peak and final concentration in pepper fruit, through its influence on soil and plant degradation rates...

Effects of irrigation on the seasonal abundance of Empoasca vitis in north-Italian vineyards.

Science.gov (United States)

Fornasiero, D; Duso, C; Pozzebon, A; Tomasi, D; Gaiotti, F; Pavan, F

2012-02-01

The effect of irrigation on the abundance of Empoasca vitis (Göthe) populations was investigated in four vineyards located in northeastern Italy. In two experiments, we compared leafhopper population densities in plots irrigated (micro-spray irrigation system) or nonirrigated. In another experiment, we studied the effect of various irrigation systems on E. vitis populations over two successive seasons. In particular, five treatments were compared: control (not irrigated), traditional drip system, three types of subirrigation varying in distance from the row (40, 135, and 95 cm). In this vineyard, stem water potential was monitored with a pressure chamber. E. vitis population densities were affected by irrigation, with higher densities of this pest recorded on irrigated vines. Highest E. vitis densities were detected in drip irrigation plots compared with nonirrigated plots where water stress was highest. Moderate water stress (subirrigation plots) was associated with intermediate leafhopper densities. Implications for integrated pest management are discussed.

Effect of integrated plant nutrition and irrigation scheduling on yield and yield components of maize (zea mays l.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Randhawa, M.S.; Maqsood, M.; Wajid, S.A.; Haq, A.U.

2012-01-01

Effect of three irrigation schedules (4-6 irrigations) and seven integrated plant nutrition levels (control, 125-60-62 kg N-P/sub 2/O/sub 5/-K/sub 2/O ha/sup -1/, 125-60-62 kg N-P/sub 2/O/sub 5/--K/sub 2/O ha/sup -1/ + Farmyard manure at the rate 10 t ha/sup -1/, 125-60-62 kg N-P/sub 2/O/sub 5/-K/sub 2/O ha/sup -1/ + Farm yard manure at the rate 15 t ha-1, 250-120-125 kg N-P/sub 2/O/sub 5/--K/sub 2/O ha-1, 250-120-125 kg N-P/sub 2/O/sub 5/ -K/sub 2/O ha/sup -1/ + Farmyard manure at the rate 10 t ha-1 and 250-120-125 kg N-P/sub 2/O/sub 5/--K/sub 2/O ha/sup -1/ + Farmyard manure at the rate 15 t ha/sup -1/) on grain yield and its components in maize were studied during 2009 and 2010. Plant height, number of cobs plant-1, number of grain rows cob-1, number of grains cob-1, 1000-grain weight, grain weight cob-1, grain yield, stover yield and biological yield were significantly affected by irrigation schedules and integrated plant nutrition levels during both years. The crop applied with six irrigations and fertilized by integrated application of chemical fertilizers (250-120-125 kg N-P/sub 2/O/sub 5/--K/sub 2/O ha/sup -1/) and farmyard manure (15 t ha/sup -1/) produced the highest grain yield of 8.47 t ha/sup -1/ and 8.22 t ha/sup -1/ during 2009 and 2010, respectively. (author)

Heavy metal accumulation in soils, plants, and hair samples: an assessment of heavy metal exposure risks from the consumption of vegetables grown on soils previously irrigated with wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Massaquoi, Lamin Daddy; Ma, Hui; Liu, Xue Hui; Han, Peng Yu; Zuo, Shu-Mei; Hua, Zhong-Xian; Liu, Dian-Wu

2015-12-01

It is common knowledge that soils irrigated with wastewater accumulate heavy metals more than those irrigated with cleaner water sources. However, little is known on metal concentrations in soils and cultivars after the cessation of wastewater use. This study assessed the accumulation and health risk of heavy metals 3 years post-wastewater irrigation in soils, vegetables, and farmers' hair. Soils, vegetables, and hair samples were collected from villages previously irrigating with wastewater (experimental villages) and villages with no history of wastewater irrigation (control villages). Soil samples were digested in a mixture of HCL/HNO3/HCLO4/HF. Plants and hair samples were digested in HNO3/HCLO4 mixture. Inductive coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) was used to determine metal concentrations of digested extracts. Study results indicate a persistence of heavy metal concentration in soils and plants from farms previously irrigated with wastewater. In addition, soils previously irrigated with wastewater were severely contaminated with cadmium. Hair metal concentrations of farmers previously irrigating with wastewater were significantly higher (P metal concentrations in hair samples of farmers previously irrigating with wastewater were not associated with current soil metal concentrations. The study concludes that there is a persistence of heavy metals in soils and plants previously irrigated with wastewater, but high metal concentrations in hair samples of farmers cannot be associated with current soil metal concentrations.

Grey mould development in greenhouse tomatoes under drip and furrow irrigation

OpenAIRE

Aissat , Kamel; Nicot , Philippe ,; Guechi , Abdelhadi; Bardin , Marc; Chibane , Mohamed

2008-01-01

Several methods can be used to provide water to plants in cropping systems where irrigation is necessary. For instance, drip irrigation has recently received much attention due to its advantages for water conservation. The type of irrigation can also impact the development of several pathogens responsible for soilborne diseases. Here, we studied the effect of drip irrigation and furrow irrigation on the development of grey mould, caused by the airborne fungus Botrytis cinerea, on tomato plant...

Unsaturated flow dynamics during irrigation with wastewater: field and modelling study

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez-Hernandez, V.; de Miguel, A.; Meffe, R.; Leal, M.; González-Naranjo, V.; de Bustamante, I.

2012-04-01

To deal with water scarcity combined with a growing water demand, the reuse of wastewater effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) for industrial and agricultural purposes is considered as a technically and economically feasible solution. In agriculture, irrigation with wastewater emerges as a sustainable practice that should be considered in such scenarios. Water infiltration, soil moisture storage and evapotranspiration occurring in the unsaturated zone are fundamental processes that play an important role in soil water balance. An accurate estimation of unsaturated flow dynamics (during and after irrigation) is essential to improve wastewater management (i.e. estimating groundwater recharge or maximizing irrigation efficiency) and to avoid possible soil and groundwater affections (i.e. predicting contaminant transport). The study site is located in the Experimental Plant of Carrión de los Céspedes (Seville, Spain). Here, treated wastewater is irrigated over the soil to enhance plants growth. To obtain physical characteristics of the soil (granulometry, bulk density and water retention curve), soil samples were collected at different depths. A drain gauge passive capillary lysimeter was installed to determine the volume of water draining from the vadose zone. Volumetric water content of the soil was monitored by measuring the dielectric constant using capacitance/frequency domain technology. Three soil moisture probes were located at different depths (20, 50 and 70 cm below the ground surface) to control the variation of the volumetric water content during infiltration. The main aim of this study is to understand water flow dynamics through the unsaturated zone during irrigation by using the finite element model Hydrus-1D. The experimental conditions were simulated by a 90 cm long, one dimensional solution domain. Specific climatic conditions, wastewater irrigation rates and physical properties of the soil were introduced in the model as input parameters

Quality and Trace Element Profile of Tunisian Olive Oils Obtained from Plants Irrigated with Treated Wastewater

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Cinzia Benincasa

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In the present work the use of treated wastewater (TWW to irrigate olive plants was monitored. This type of water is characterized by high salinity and retains a substantial amount of trace elements, organic and metallic compounds that can be transferred into the soil and into the plants and fruits. In order to evaluate the impact of TWW on the overall quality of the oils, the time of contact of the olives with the soil has been taken into account. Multi-element data were obtained using ICP-MS. Nineteen elements (Li, B, Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Sc, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Mo, Ba and La were submitted for statistical analysis. Using analysis of variance, linear discriminant analysis and principal component analysis it was possible to differentiate between oils produced from different batches of olives whose plants received different types of water. Also, the results showed that there was correlation between the elemental and mineral composition of the water used to irrigate the olive plots and the elemental and mineral composition of the oils.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi alleviate abiotic stresses in potato plants caused by low phosphorus and deficit irrigation/partial root-zone drying

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Caixia; Ravnskov, Sabine; Lui, Fulai

2018-01-01

Deficit irrigation (DI) improves water use efficiency (WUE), but the reduced water input often limits plant growth and nutrient uptake. The current study examined whether arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) could alleviate abiotic stress caused by low phosphorus (P) fertilization and DI...... or improved plant growth and P/nitrogen (N) uptake when subjected to DI/PRD and P0. However, the positive responses to AMF varied with P level and irrigation regime. Functional differences were found in ability of AMF species alleviating plant stress. The largest positive plant biomass response to M1+ and M2......+ was found under FI, both at P1 and P0 (25% increase), while plant biomass response to M1+ and M2+ under DI/PRD (14% increase) was significantly smaller. The large growth response to AMF inoculation, particularly under FI, may relate to greater photosynthetic capacity and leaf area, probably caused...

ASPECTS OF DRIP IRRIGATION ON SLOPES

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Oprea Radu

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, water and its supply raise problems of strategic importance, of great complexity, being considered one of the keys to sustainable human development. Drip irrigation consists in the slow and controlled administration of water in the area of the root system of the plants for the purposes of fulfilling their physiological needs and is considered to be one of the variants of localized irrigation. Water is distributed in a uniform and slow manner, drop by drop, in a quantity and with a frequency that depend on the needs of the plant, thanks to the exact regulation of the water flow rate and pressure, as well as to the activation of the irrigation based on the information recorded by the tensiometer with regard to soil humidity. This method enables the exact dosage of the water quantity necessary in the various evolution stages of the plant, thus eliminating losses. By applying the irrigation with 5 liters of water per linear meter, at a 7 days interval, in the month of august, for a vine cultivated on a slope, in layers covered with black film and irrigated via dropping, soil humidity immediately after irrigation reaches its highest level, but within the limits of active humidity, on the line of the irrigation band. Three days later, the water content of the soil in the layer is relatively uniform, and, after this interval, it is higher in the points situated at the basis of the film. This technology of cultivation on slopes favors the accumulation, in the soil, of the water resulted from heavy rains and reduces soil losses as a result of erosion.

Dwarf cashew growth irrigated with saline waters

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Hugo Orlando Carvallo Guerra

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The cashew production is one of the most important agricultural activities from the social-economical viewpoint for the North East of Brazil; besides to produce a great deal of hand labor, it is very important as an exporting commodity. The inadequate use of irrigation in the semi arid regions of the North East of Brazil has induced soil salinization and consequently problems for the irrigated agriculture. In spite of this, few works have been conducted to study the effect of saline stress on the growth and development of the cashew. Because of the lack of information for this crop, an experiment was conducted to study the effect of salinity stress on the phytomass production and nutrient accumulation on the different organs of the precocious dwarf cashew (Anacardium occidentale L. clone CCP76. The study was conducted under controlled conditions using as statistical scheme a randomized block design factorial with six replicates. Five salinity treatments were considered for the irrigation water (electrical conductivities of 0.8, 1.6, 2.4, 3.2 and 4.0 dS m-1 at 25oC. The increasing in salinity of the irrigation water reduced the phytomass at different organs of the studied plant. The nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, chloride and sodium in the plant varied with the salinity of the irrigation water according with the part of the plant analyzed; in some parts increased, in others decreased, in others increased initially and decreased afterwards, and finally, in other part of the plant the salinity of the irrigation water did not affect the nutrient concentration.

Wastewater use in agriculture: irrigation of sugar cane with effluents from the Cañaveralejo wastewater treatment plant in Cali, Colombia.

Science.gov (United States)

Madera, C A; Silva, J; Mara, D D; Torres, P

2009-09-01

In Valle del Cauca, south-west Colombia, surface and ground waters are used for sugar cane irrigation at a rate of 100 m3 of water per tonne of sugar produced. In addition large quantities of artificial fertilizers and pesticides are used to grow the crop. Preliminary experiments were undertaken to determine the feasibility of using effluents from the Cañaveralejo primary wastewater treatment plant in Cali. Sugar cane variety CC 8592 was planted in 18 box plots, each 0.5 m2. Six were irrigated with conventional primary effluent, six with chemically enhanced primary effluent and six with groundwater. For each set of six box plots, three contained local soil and three a 50:50 mixture of sand and rice husks. The three irrigation waters were monitored for 12 months, and immediately after harvest the sugar content of the sugar cane juice determined. All physico-chemical quality parameters for the three irrigation waters were lower than the FAO guideline values for irrigation water quality; on the basis of their sodium absorption ratios and electrical conductivity values, both wastewater effluents were in the USDA low-to-medium risk category C2S1. There was no difference in the sugar content of the cane juice irrigated with the three waters. However, the microbiological quality (E. coli and helminth numbers) of the two effluents did not meet the WHO guidelines and therefore additional human exposure control measures are required in order to minimize any resulting adverse health risks to those working in the wastewater-irrigated fields.

Impact of irrigation with high arsenic burdened groundwater on the soil–plant system: Results from a case study in the Inner Mongolia, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neidhardt, H.; Norra, S.; Tang, X.; Guo, H.; Stüben, D.

2012-01-01

Consequences of irrigation by arsenic (As) enriched groundwater were assigned in the Hetao Plain, part of Chinas’ Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Examinations followed the As flow path from groundwater to soil and finally plants. A sunflower and a maize field were systematically sampled, each irrigated since three years with saline well water, characterized by elevated As concentrations (154 and 238 μg L −1 ). The annual As input per m 2 was estimated as 120 and 186 mg, respectively. Compared to the geogenic background, As concentrations increased toward the surface with observed enrichments in topsoil being relatively moderate (up to 21.1 mg kg −1 ). Arsenic concentrations in plant parts decreased from roots toward leaves, stems and seeds. It is shown that the bioavailability of As is influenced by a complex interplay of partly counteracting processes. To prevent As enrichment and soil salinization, local farmers were recommended to switch to a less problematic water source. - Highlights: ► We examined influences of irrigation with As burdened water at two fields. ► As distribution within soil–plant system in Hetao Plain, PR China. ► Three years of flood irrigation with As containing groundwater. ► Annual As inputs per m 2 were estimated as 120 mg and 186 mg, respectively. ► Contents in topsoil and plants are partly elevated, but not critical yet. - Recent irrigation with groundwater raises the risk of As entering the local food chain in one of the oldest crop producing areas in the People’s Republic of China.

Common bean growth, N uptake and seed production in sandy loam soil as affected by application of plant residues, nitrogen and irrigation level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdallah, A.A.G.

2002-01-01

Field experiment was conducted at the experimental farm, Inshas, atomic energy authority, egypt. Common bean seeds e.v. Nebrasks were cultivated in sandy loan soil using drip irrigation system prepared for this purpose. Two water regimes, i.e., 100% (793.0 m 3 /fed.) and 65% (513.0 m 3 /fed.) of maximum available water were used in main plots. Where in sub plots two fertilizers types were applied i.e., soybean plant residues which contains N 15 labelled as an organic matter without any addition of any fertilizer and nitrogen as chemical fertilizer without using organic matter. The obtained results indicated that, application of plant residues was superior for total seed yield comparing to nitrogen fertilization treatments. This N source with irrigation level of 793.33 m 3 /fed. had a slight increase in total seed yield comparing with (513.0 m 3 /fed.). Irrigation level of 513.0 m 3 /fed. (65% MAW) as well as application of soybean plant residues showed the highest value of water use efficiency. The highest value of N seed percentage was obtained irrigation level with (513.0 m 3 /fed.). Soybean plant residues improved and increased seeds N content, and total seeds protein content. Both N chemical and irrigation level (65% Maw) recorded highest values with N 15 % atom excess. This result has been obtained at two growth stages and seed yield. The same trend of N 15 % atom excess reflected N utilized with both growth stages and seed yield

The influence of the forerunner plant and the irrigation on some quality indicators of the wheat plant (Triticum aestivum L. in their growth conditions on the acid soils in the North-Western Romania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ileana ARDELEAN

2010-05-01

Full Text Available The paper sustains the importance of the forerunner plant concerning the quality of the wheat (Triticum aestivum L. and is based on the research carried out during 2006-2008 on a long term trial placed on the brown luvic (acid soils from Oradea in 1990. In non-irrigating and irrigating conditions as well the smallest protein, wet gluten and dry gluten values were obtained in wheat mono-crop; the values increased in the forerunner plant, wheat-maize and the biggest values were registered in the forerunner plant, wheat-maize-soybean.

Growth and Flowering Responses of Cut Chrysanthemum Grown under Restricted Root Volume to Irrigation Frequency

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Viyachai Taweesak

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Influences of irrigation frequency on the growth and flowering of chrysanthemum grown under restricted root volume were tested. Chrysanthemum cuttings (Chrysanthemum morifolium “Reagan White” were grown in seedling tray which contained coconut peat in volumes of 73 and 140 cm3. Plants were irrigated with drip irrigation at irrigation frequencies of 4 (266 mL, 6 (400 mL, and 8 (533 mL times/day to observe their growth and flowering performances. There was interaction between irrigation frequency and substrate volume on plant height of chrysanthemum. Plants grown in 140 cm3 substrates and irrigated 6 times/day produced the tallest plant of 109.25 cm. Plants irrigated 6 and 8 times/day had significantly higher level of phosphorus content in their leaves than those plants irrigated 4 times/day. The total leaf area, number of internodes, leaf length, and leaf width of chrysanthemums grown in 140 cm3 substrate were significantly higher than those grown in 73 cm3 substrate. The numbers of flowers were affected by both irrigation frequencies and substrate volumes. Chrysanthemums irrigated 8 times/day had an average of 19.56 flowers while those irrigated 4 times/day had an average of 16.63 flowers. Increasing irrigation frequency can improve the growth and flowering of chrysanthemums in small substrate volumes.

Reuse potential of laundry greywater for irrigation based on growth, water and nutrient use of tomato

Science.gov (United States)

Misra, R. K.; Patel, J. H.; Baxi, V. R.

2010-05-01

SummaryGreywater is considered as a valuable resource with a high reuse potential for irrigation of household lawns and gardens. However, there are possibilities of surfactant and sodium accumulation in soil from reuse of greywater which may affect agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability adversely. We conducted a glasshouse experiment to examine variation in growth, water and nutrient use of tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Grosse Lisse) using tap water (TW), laundry greywater (GW) and solutions of low and high concentration of a detergent surfactant (LC and HC, respectively) as irrigation treatments. Each treatment was replicated five times using a randomised block design. Measurements throughout the experiment showed greywater to be significantly more alkaline and saline than the other types of irrigation water. Although all plants received 16 irrigations over a period of 9 weeks until flowering, there were little or no significant effects of irrigation treatments on plant growth. Soil water retention following irrigation reduced significantly when plants were irrigated with GW or surfactant solutions on only three of 12 occasions. On one occasion, water use measured as evapotranspiration (ET) with GW irrigation was similar to TW, but it was significantly higher than the plants receiving HC irrigation. At harvest, various components of plant biomass and leaf area for GW irrigated plants were found to be similar or significantly higher than the TW irrigated plants with a common trend of GW ⩾ TW > LC ⩾ HC. Whole-plant concentration was measured for 12 essential plant nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Mo and B) and Na (often considered as a beneficial nutrient). Irrigation treatments affected the concentration of four nutrients (P, Fe, Zn and Na) and uptake of seven nutrients (P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe and B) significantly. Uptake of these seven nutrients by tomato was generally in the order GW ⩾ TW > HC ⩾ LC. GW

Tritium dynamics in soils and plants grown under three irrigation regimes at a tritium processing facility in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mihok, S.; Wilk, M.; Lapp, A.; St-Amant, N.; Kwamena, N.-O.A.; Clark, I.D.

2016-01-01

The dynamics of tritium released from nuclear facilities as tritiated water (HTO) have been studied extensively with results incorporated into regulatory assessment models. These models typically estimate organically bound tritium (OBT) for calculating public dose as OBT itself is rarely measured. Higher than expected OBT/HTO ratios in plants and soils are an emerging issue that is not well understood. To support the improvement of models, an experimental garden was set up in 2012 at a tritium processing facility in Pembroke, Ontario to characterize the circumstances under which high OBT/HTO ratios may arise. Soils and plants were sampled weekly to coincide with detailed air and stack monitoring. The design included a plot of native grass/soil, contrasted with sod and vegetables grown in barrels with commercial topsoil under natural rain and either low or high tritium irrigation water. Air monitoring indicated that the plume was present infrequently at concentrations of up to about 100 Bq/m"3 (the garden was not in a major wind sector). Mean air concentrations during the day on workdays (HTO 10.3 Bq/m"3, HT 5.8 Bq/m"3) were higher than at other times (0.7–2.6 Bq/m"3). Mean Tissue Free Water Tritium (TFWT) in plants and soils and OBT/HTO ratios were only very weakly or not at all correlated with releases on a weekly basis. TFWT was equal in soils and plants and in above and below ground parts of vegetables. OBT/HTO ratios in above ground parts of vegetables were above one when the main source of tritium was from high tritium irrigation water (1.5–1.8). Ratios were below one in below ground parts of vegetables when irrigated with high tritium water (0.4–0.6) and above one in vegetables rain-fed or irrigated with low tritium water (1.3–2.8). In contrast, OBT/HTO ratios were very high (9.0–13.5) when the source of tritium was mainly from the atmosphere. TFWT varied considerably through time as a result of SRBT's operations; OBT/HTO ratios showed no clear

Scheduling irrigation for jujube ( Ziziphus jujuba Mill. ) | Zhang ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study was performed to select suitable indicator for scheduling the irrigation of jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) grown in the Loess Plateau. The relationships between plant-based indicators and soil matrix potential as well as meteorological factors of jujube under deficit irrigation compared with well irrigation were ...

Saline irrigation water and its effect on N.use efficiency, growth and yield of Sorghum plant using 15N

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abd El-Latteef, E.M.

2010-01-01

Series of pot experiments were conducted and randomly arranged under greenhouse conditions for evaluating the effect of irrigation with saline water (alternative source) in combination with different organic sources (amendments) i.e. leucaena plant residue (LU), Quail feces (QF) and chicken manure (ChM) added in different percentages against the mineral form (ammonium sulfate) either in ordinary or 15 N labeled (2 and 5% 15 N atom excess) forms, on sorghum growth and nutrients acquisition. Artificial saline water with different EC and SAR values was prepared at laboratory using computer program designed by the author with guiding of the designed Package named Artificial Saline Irrigation Water (ASIW) (Manual of Salinity Research Methods). In addition, proline acid was also sprayed (foliar) on leaves of sorghum plants at different concentrations. The experimental results indicated the positive effect of organic amendments, as compared to mineral fertilizer, and foliar application of proline acid on enhancement of plant growth and nutrient uptake. This phenomenon was pronounced under water salinity conditions. In this regard, increasing of water salinity levels induced reduction in plant growth as well as nutrients acquisition. Data of 14 N/ 15 N ratio analysis pointed out enhancement of N derived from mineral source as affected by organic amendments. At the same time, considerable amounts of N was derived from organic sources and utilized by plants. The superiority of organic sources on each others was fluctuated depending on interaction with water salinity levels and proline concentrations. In conclusion, organic additives and proline acid has an improvement effects especially under adverse condition of irrigation water salinity.

Influence of pH of acid irrigation water on the transfer of elements into rice plant from soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeno, Tomokazu; Tanizaki, Yoshiyuki

1996-01-01

Rice plant samples were grown in 14 cultivative pots under six different pH conditions of acid irrigation water (pH: 6.5, 6.0, 4.5, 3.5, 3.0. 2.5) and ion exchange water (pH: 7.5), in order to study an influence of pH of irrigation water on the transfer of elements into rice plant from soils. The acid irrigation water was prepared by adding mixed solution of 1N H 2 SO 4 and 1N HNO 3 (1:1) to ion exchange water. The rice grain yielded was separated into three parts, i.e., polished rice, bran and chaff and they were powdered one by one. The contents of twenty five elements in the three parts of grain (14 samples each) were determined by a neutron activation analysis. It was clarified that the contents of Cu, Zn, Fe, Cr, Mg, Rb, Mo, Ni, and Cs in the polished rice increased with decreasing pH of the acid irrigation water. The contents of Se and Br, on the contrary, decreased. Significant changes of the contents were not observed for Na, Al, Sc, Mn, Cl, Ca, V and Co. The relationships between the contents of elements in the bran or chaff and pH of the acid irrigation water were not so clear as the case of polished rice. The enrichment factor of trace elements from soils was calculated for the polished rice, bran and chaff The high enrichment of Cl, Mo, Zn, Se and Cu was observed in the polished rice. Manganese and Cr were concentrated more in the bran than in the polished rice. (author)

Reuse of treated waste water for the irrigation of ornamental plants. The case of Pistoia; Riuso di acque reflue depurate di specie ornamentali: l'impianto pilota di Pistoia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gori, R.; Lubello, C. [Florence Univ., Florence (Italy). Dipt. di Ingegneria Civile

1999-12-01

After a brief introduction on irrigation waste water reuse, the paper deals with the case of Pistoia (italy), the most important nursery area in Italy, which has developed an experiment for evaluating the effects of waste water treatment plant effluent irrigation. The better physiological and growth parameters of plants irrigated with the effluent shows that it could be a valid alternative of water and fertilizer nutrients resources for ornamental plants. [Italian] Dopo una breve introduzione sul riuso delle acque reflue a fini irrigui, il lavoro affronta il caso di Pistoia, sede della maggiore area vivaistica italiana, che utilizza le acque reflue dal 1998 con una sperimentazione volta a verificare gli effetti dell'irrigazione con l'effluente dell'impianto di depurazione centrale. Le piante cosi' irrigate hanno mostrato parametri di crescita e fisiologici generalmente migliori di quelli riscontrati sulle piante irrigate con i metodi tradizionali.

Effect of Post-Infiltration Soil Aeration at Different Growth Stages on Growth and Fruit Quality of Drip-Irrigated Potted Tomato Plants (Solanum lycopersicum).

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yuan; Jia, Zongxia; Niu, Wenquan; Wang, Jingwei; Zhang, Mingzhi

2015-01-01

Soil hydraulic principles suggest that post-infiltration hypoxic conditions would be induced in the plant root-zone for drip-irrigated tomato production in small pots filled with natural soil. No previous study specifically examined the response of tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum) at different growth stages to low soil aeration under these conditions. A 2 × 6 factorial experiment was conducted to quantify effects of no post-infiltration soil aeration versus aeration during 5 different periods (namely 27-33, 34-57, 58-85, 86-99, and 27-99 days after sowing), on growth and fruit quality of potted single tomato plants that were sub-surface trickle-irrigated every 2 days at 2 levels. Soil was aerated by injecting 2.5 liters of air into each pot through the drip tubing immediately after irrigation. Results showed that post-infiltration aeration, especially during the fruit setting (34-57 DAS) and enlargement (58-85 DAS) growth stages, can positively influence the yield, root dry weight and activity, and the nutritional (soluble solids and vitamin C content), taste (titratable acidity), and market quality (shape and firmness) of the tomato fruits. Interactions between irrigation level and post-infiltration aeration on some of these fruit quality parameters indicated a need for further study on the dynamic interplay of air and water in the root zone of the plants under the conditions of this experiment.

Effect of Post-Infiltration Soil Aeration at Different Growth Stages on Growth and Fruit Quality of Drip-Irrigated Potted Tomato Plants (Solanum lycopersicum.

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Yuan Li

Full Text Available Soil hydraulic principles suggest that post-infiltration hypoxic conditions would be induced in the plant root-zone for drip-irrigated tomato production in small pots filled with natural soil. No previous study specifically examined the response of tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum at different growth stages to low soil aeration under these conditions. A 2 × 6 factorial experiment was conducted to quantify effects of no post-infiltration soil aeration versus aeration during 5 different periods (namely 27-33, 34-57, 58-85, 86-99, and 27-99 days after sowing, on growth and fruit quality of potted single tomato plants that were sub-surface trickle-irrigated every 2 days at 2 levels. Soil was aerated by injecting 2.5 liters of air into each pot through the drip tubing immediately after irrigation. Results showed that post-infiltration aeration, especially during the fruit setting (34-57 DAS and enlargement (58-85 DAS growth stages, can positively influence the yield, root dry weight and activity, and the nutritional (soluble solids and vitamin C content, taste (titratable acidity, and market quality (shape and firmness of the tomato fruits. Interactions between irrigation level and post-infiltration aeration on some of these fruit quality parameters indicated a need for further study on the dynamic interplay of air and water in the root zone of the plants under the conditions of this experiment.

Inhibition of tomato shoot growth by over-irrigation is linked to nitrogen deficiency and ethylene.

Science.gov (United States)

Fiebig, Antje; Dodd, Ian C

2016-01-01

Although physiological effects of acute flooding have been well studied, chronic effects of suboptimal soil aeration caused by over-irrigation of containerized plants have not, despite its likely commercial significance. By automatically scheduling irrigation according to soil moisture thresholds, effects of over-irrigation on soil properties (oxygen concentration, temperature and moisture), leaf growth, gas exchange, phytohormone [abscisic acid (ABA) and ethylene] relations and nutrient status of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill. cv. Ailsa Craig) were studied. Over-irrigation slowly increased soil moisture and decreased soil oxygen concentration by 4%. Soil temperature was approximately 1°C lower in the over-irrigated substrate. Over-irrigating tomato plants for 2 weeks significantly reduced shoot height (by 25%) and fresh weight and total leaf area (by 60-70%) compared with well-drained plants. Over-irrigation did not alter stomatal conductance, leaf water potential or foliar ABA concentrations, suggesting that growth inhibition was not hydraulically regulated or dependent on stomatal closure or changes in ABA. However, over-irrigation significantly increased foliar ethylene emission. Ethylene seemed to inhibit growth, as the partially ethylene-insensitive genotype Never ripe (Nr) was much less sensitive to over-irrigation than the wild type. Over-irrigation induced significant foliar nitrogen deficiency and daily supplementation of small volumes of 10 mM Ca(NO3 )2 to over-irrigated soil restored foliar nitrogen concentrations, ethylene emission and shoot fresh weight of over-irrigated plants to control levels. Thus reduced nitrogen uptake plays an important role in inhibiting growth of over-irrigated plants, in part by stimulating foliar ethylene emission. © 2015 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

Dynamic plant uptake model applied for drip irrigation of an insecticide to pepper fruit plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Legind, Charlotte N; Kennedy, Coleen M; Rein, Arno; Snyder, Nathan; Trapp, Stefan

2011-05-01

Drip application of insecticides is an effective way to deliver the chemical to the plant that avoids off-site movement via spray drift and minimizes applicator exposure. The aim of this paper is to present a cascade model for the uptake of pesticide into plants following drip irrigation, its application for a soil-applied insecticide and a sensitivity analysis of the model parameters. The model predicted the measured increase and decline of residues following two soil applications of an insecticide to peppers, with an absolute error between model and measurement ranging from 0.002 to 0.034 mg kg fw(-1). Maximum measured concentrations in pepper fruit were approximately 0.22 mg kg fw(-1). Temperature was the most sensitive component for predicting the peak and final concentration in pepper fruit, through its influence on soil and plant degradation rates. Repeated simulations of pulse inputs with the cascade model adequately describe soil pesticide applications to an actual cropped system and reasonably mimic it. The model has the potential to be used for the optimization of practical features, such as application rates and waiting times between applications and before harvest, through the integrated accounting of soil, plant and environmental influences. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Green and blue water footprint reduction in irrigated agriculture: effect of irrigation techniques, irrigation strategies and mulching

Science.gov (United States)

Chukalla, A. D.; Krol, M. S.; Hoekstra, A. Y.

2015-12-01

Consumptive water footprint (WF) reduction in irrigated crop production is essential given the increasing competition for freshwater. This study explores the effect of three management practices on the soil water balance and plant growth, specifically on evapotranspiration (ET) and yield (Y) and thus the consumptive WF of crops (ET / Y). The management practices are four irrigation techniques (furrow, sprinkler, drip and subsurface drip (SSD)), four irrigation strategies (full (FI), deficit (DI), supplementary (SI) and no irrigation), and three mulching practices (no mulching, organic (OML) and synthetic (SML) mulching). Various cases were considered: arid, semi-arid, sub-humid and humid environments in Israel, Spain, Italy and the UK, respectively; wet, normal and dry years; three soil types (sand, sandy loam and silty clay loam); and three crops (maize, potato and tomato). The AquaCrop model and the global WF accounting standard were used to relate the management practices to effects on ET, Y and WF. For each management practice, the associated green, blue and total consumptive WF were compared to the reference case (furrow irrigation, full irrigation, no mulching). The average reduction in the consumptive WF is 8-10 % if we change from the reference to drip or SSD, 13 % when changing to OML, 17-18 % when moving to drip or SSD in combination with OML, and 28 % for drip or SSD in combination with SML. All before-mentioned reductions increase by one or a few per cent when moving from full to deficit irrigation. Reduction in overall consumptive WF always goes together with an increasing ratio of green to blue WF. The WF of growing a crop for a particular environment is smallest under DI, followed by FI, SI and rain-fed. Growing crops with sprinkler irrigation has the largest consumptive WF, followed by furrow, drip and SSD. Furrow irrigation has a smaller consumptive WF compared with sprinkler, even though the classical measure of "irrigation efficiency" for furrow

Effect of Weed Interference on Yield and Agronomical Characteristics of Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum gracum in Different Plant Density under Birjand Conditions

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R Baradaran

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Iran is among the countries with a climate appropriate for growing a wide range of herbs, and can be a great source of producing and exporting plants. Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum gracum is one of the oldest plant and it is an annual herbaceous plant of the Fabaceae family (Fabaceae which are dry, brown or reddish-yellow to gray to over 5.3 mm. Seeds of this plant are used as a spice and its leaves are used as a vegetable. Among the most important factors in farming, it is important to use appropriate planting density. Therefore, if all the necessary conditions, including the right, but density is inappropriate, it will not get the optimum yield per unit area. The effective management of weeds increase the performance of weed management practices, reduce weed population and the costs associated with it over time. Weeds compete with crops for a variety of sources such as light, water and minerals. Given that the best time weeding the weeds and the most appropriate density of fenugreek is not much information available, this study aimed to determine the appropriate density of weed infested and fenugreek was used. Materials and Methods In order to determine the effects of weed interference and appropriate density of fenugreek, a field trial was conducted in research farm of Birjand Islamic Azad University during the spring of year 2011. The experiment was a factorial based on randomized complete block design. The treatments were fenugreek density at 10, 20 and 40 plants m-2 and weed interference in five levels included weed-free to maturity, 20, 40 and 60 days after emergence, and no weeding. Fenugreek seeds (spherical, brown of pure seed before planting desert of preparation and sterilization by benomyl and then do planting trees and irrigation was done immediately. Irrigation was applied every seven days. During the study, pests and diseases were completely controlled. Weed control was done manually in three stages. Traits such as

Maximum Plant Uptakes for Water, Nutrients, and Oxygen Are Not Always Met by Irrigation Rate and Distribution in Water-based Cultivation Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Blok, Chris; Jackson, Brian E; Guo, Xianfeng; de Visser, Pieter H B; Marcelis, Leo F M

2017-01-01

Growing on rooting media other than soils in situ -i.e., substrate-based growing- allows for higher yields than soil-based growing as transport rates of water, nutrients, and oxygen in substrate surpass those in soil. Possibly water-based growing allows for even higher yields as transport rates of water and nutrients in water surpass those in substrate, even though the transport of oxygen may be more complex. Transport rates can only limit growth when they are below a rate corresponding to maximum plant uptake. Our first objective was to compare Chrysanthemum growth performance for three water-based growing systems with different irrigation. We compared; multi-point irrigation into a pond (DeepFlow); one-point irrigation resulting in a thin film of running water (NutrientFlow) and multi-point irrigation as droplets through air (Aeroponic). Second objective was to compare press pots as propagation medium with nutrient solution as propagation medium. The comparison included DeepFlow water-rooted cuttings with either the stem 1 cm into the nutrient solution or with the stem 1 cm above the nutrient solution. Measurements included fresh weight, dry weight, length, water supply, nutrient supply, and oxygen levels. To account for differences in radiation sum received, crop performance was evaluated with Radiation Use Efficiency (RUE) expressed as dry weight over sum of Photosynthetically Active Radiation. The reference, DeepFlow with substrate-based propagation, showed the highest RUE, even while the oxygen supply provided by irrigation was potentially growth limiting. DeepFlow with water-based propagation showed 15-17% lower RUEs than the reference. NutrientFlow showed 8% lower RUE than the reference, in combination with potentially limiting irrigation supply of nutrients and oxygen. Aeroponic showed RUE levels similar to the reference and Aeroponic had non-limiting irrigation supply of water, nutrients, and oxygen. Water-based propagation affected the subsequent

Irrigation Requirement Estimation using MODIS Vegetation Indices and Inverse Biophysical Modeling; A Case Study for Oran, Algeria

Science.gov (United States)

Bounoua, L.; Imhoff, M.L.; Franks, S.

2008-01-01

Human demand for food influences the water cycle through diversion and extraction of fresh water needed to support agriculture. Future population growth and economic development alone will substantially increase water demand and much of it for agricultural uses. For many semi-arid lands, socio-economic shifts are likely to exacerbate changes in climate as a driver of future water supply and demand. For these areas in particular, where the balance between water supply and demand is fragile, variations in regional climate can have potentially predictable effect on agricultural production. Satellite data and biophysically-based models provide a powerful method to quantify the interactions between local climate, plant growth and water resource requirements. In irrigated agricultural lands, satellite observations indicate high vegetation density while the precipitation amount indicates otherwise. This inconsistency between the observed precipitation and the observed canopy leaf density triggers the possibility that the observed high leaf density is due to an alternate source of water, irrigation. We explore an inverse process approach using observations from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), climatological data, and the NASA's Simple Biosphere model, SiB2, to quantitatively assess water demand in a semi-arid agricultural land by constraining the carbon and water cycles modeled under both equilibrium (balance between vegetation and prevailing local climate) and nonequilibrium (water added through irrigation) conditions. We postulate that the degree to which irrigated lands vary from equilibrium conditions is related to the amount of irrigation water used. We added water using two distribution methods: The first method adds water on top of the canopy and is a proxy for the traditional spray irrigation. The second method allows water to be applied directly into the soil layer and serves as proxy for drip irrigation. Our approach indicates that over

Arsenic-resistant and plant growth-promoting Firmicutes and γ-Proteobacteria species from industrially polluted irrigation water and corresponding cropland.

Science.gov (United States)

Qamar, N; Rehman, Y; Hasnain, S

2017-09-01

The aim of the study was to explore irrigation water polluted with industrial waste and corresponding cropland to screen bacteria for As detoxification and plant growth promotion. Plant growth-promoting (PGP) As-resistant cropland bacteria were isolated from contaminated irrigation water and corresponding agricultural soil. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolates belonged to two distinct bacterial lineages; Firmicutes and γ-Proteobacteria. Maximum As(V) resistance was exhibited by Klebsiella pneumoniae T22 and Klebsiella oxytoca N53 (550 mmol l -1 ), whereas maximum resistance against As(III) was exhibited by K. oxytoca N53 (200 mmol l -1 ). Maximum As(V) reduction was shown by K. pneumoniae T22 (6·7 mmol l -1 ), whereas maximum As(III) oxidation was exhibited by Bacillus subtilis T23 (4·8 mmol l -1 ). As resistance genes arsB and ACR3 were detected in many of the isolates through polymerase chain reaction. Many of these isolates exhibited PGP traits such as hydrogen cyanide and auxin production as well as phosphate solubilization. The bacterial strains were able to enhance Triticum aestivum growth both in the absence and presence of As, and statistically significant increase in shoot and root lengths was observed especially in case of Acinetobacter lwoffii T24 and Citrobacter freundii N52-treated plants. Cropland bacteria have the ability to support plant growth. Bacteria of croplands irrigated with industrially polluted water develop resistance against toxicants. These bacteria are helpful for the plant growth in such contaminated lands. The bacteria capable of both As detoxification and plant growth promotion, such as A. lwoffii T24 and C. freundii N52, are ideal for remediation and reclamation of polluted lands for agriculture purposes. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Scheduling of Irrigation and Leaching Requirements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amer Hassan Al-haddad

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Iraq depends mainly on Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to provide high percentage of agricultural water use for thousands years. At last years, Iraq is suffering from shortage in water resources due to global climate changes and unfair water politics of the neighboring countries, which affected the future of agriculture plans for irrigation, added to that the lack of developed systems of water management in the irrigation projects and improper allocation of irrigation water, which reduces water use efficiency and lead to losing irrigation water and decreasing in agricultural yield. This study aims at studying the usability of irrigation and leaching scheduling within the irrigating projects and putting a complete annual or seasonal irrigation program as a solution for the scarcity of irrigation water, the increase of irrigation efficiency, lessening the salinity in the projects and preparing an integral irrigation calendar through field measurements of soil physical properties and chemical for project selected and compared to the results of the irrigation scheduling and leaching with what is proposed by the designers. The process is accomplished by using a computer program which was designed by Water Resources Department at the University of Baghdad, with some modification to generalize it and made it applicable to various climatic zone and different soil types. Study area represented by large project located at the Tigris River, and this project was (Al-Amara irrigation project. Sufficient samples of project's soil were collected so as to identify soil physical and chemical properties and the salinity of soil and water as well as identifying the agrarian cycles virtually applied to this project. Finally, a comparison was conducted between the calculated water quantities and the suggested ones by the designers. The research results showed that using this kind of scheduling (previously prepared irrigation and leaching scheduling with its properties

Green and blue water footprint reduction in irrigated agriculture: effect of irrigation techniques, irrigation strategies and mulching

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chukalla, Abebe Demissie; Krol, Martinus S.; Hoekstra, Arjen Ysbert

2015-01-01

Consumptive water footprint (WF) reduction in irrigated crop production is essential given the increasing competition for freshwater. This study explores the effect of three management practices on the soil water balance and plant growth, specifically on evapotranspiration (ET) and yield (Y) and

Impact of Magnetic Treatment of Irrigation Water on the Growth and Yield of Tomato

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Kamorudeen Olaniyi YUSUF

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out to determine whether magnetic treatment of the irrigation water may actually enhance vegetative growth and yield of tomato. Three magnetic flux densities of 124, 319 and 719 G (treatments T1, T2 and T3 were used to treat the water and a control experiment (Tc which was irrigated with non-magnetically treated water was also set up. The magnetic field was produced by an electromagnet that had a variable voltage unit varying the voltage from 4 to 12 V. The tomato were planted in buckets, kept in a transparent garden shed for 130 days and irrigated with magnetically treated water and non-magnetically treated water. A completely randomized design experimental layout was used in this study and each of the three treatments was replicated seven times. The results indicated that tomato crop irrigated with magnetically treated water grew faster than that of the non-magnetically treated water and the stem diameters were bigger than those of control. The heights of tomato plants (T1, T2 T3 and Tc after 47 days were 560.0, 556.4, 588.6 and 469.3 mm respectively. The total yield after 130 days of survey for T1, T2 T3 and Tc were 892.1, 1075.8, 1045.7 and 637.7 g respectively. The percentage increment in yield from the plants treated with magnetically treated water varied from 39.9 to 68.7% compared to the yield from untreated water.

Agronomic and physiological impacts of irrigation frequency on green basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)

OpenAIRE

Gao, Peng; Dodd, Ian

2015-01-01

Water scarcity is a major factor restricting agricultural production and irrigation globally, with sustainable agricultural development calling for less irrigation water use and more production per unit of water applied. Improved understanding of plant physiological responses to water stress, and the effect of irrigation frequency on plant biomass production and quality, may help to optimize irrigation scheduling. Glasshouse-grown basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) received three different irrigatio...

Root Zone Sensors for Irrigation Management in Intensive Agriculture

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Jochen Hemming

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Crop irrigation uses more than 70% of the world’s water, and thus, improving irrigation efficiency is decisive to sustain the food demand from a fast-growing world population. This objective may be accomplished by cultivating more water-efficient crop species and/or through the application of efficient irrigation systems, which includes the implementation of a suitable method for precise scheduling. At the farm level, irrigation is generally scheduled based on the grower’s experience or on the determination of soil water balance (weather-based method. An alternative approach entails the measurement of soil water status. Expensive and sophisticated root zone sensors (RZS, such as neutron probes, are available for the use of soil and plant scientists, while cheap and practical devices are needed for irrigation management in commercial crops. The paper illustrates the main features of RZS’ (for both soil moisture and salinity marketed for the irrigation industry and discusses how such sensors may be integrated in a wireless network for computer-controlled irrigation and used for innovative irrigation strategies, such as deficit or dual-water irrigation. The paper also consider the main results of recent or current research works conducted by the authors in Tuscany (Italy on the irrigation management of container-grown ornamental plants, which is an important agricultural sector in Italy.

Irrigation water quality as indicator of sustainable rural development

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Trajković Slaviša

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The sustainable rural development more and more depends on the efficient usage of water resources. Most often, at least in one part of the year, the rain is not sufficient for plant growth and rain plant production significantly depends on the yearly precipitation variation. The increase and stability of the agricultural production is possible in the irrigation conditions. The most part (around 70% of the global water resources is used for food production. Irrigation water quality indicator is used to show if the available water resources have the required quality for application in agriculture. Irrigation is characterised by the complex water-plant-soil relationship, and in that eco-system the man as the end user of the irrigated fields occupies a very important place. That explains the difficulties in producing one universal classification of irrigation water quality. The paper analyses numerous water quality classifications from the aspect of the applicability on the quantifying of this indicator. The adopted classification should possess understandable, qualified and internationally comparable indicator. Thus, local classifications (Neigebauer, Miljkovic cannot be used for this indicator. United Nation Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO and US Salinity Laboratory (USSL classifications are used for the evaluation of the irrigation water quality throughout the world. FAO classification gives the complex picture of the usability of the irrigation water from the point of its influence on the soil and the plants. However, the scope of the analyses is not often suited to the needs of that classification, which makes it difficult to apply. The conclusion is that the USSL (US Salinity Laboratory classification is best suited to this range of chemical water analyses. The evaluation of the irrigation water quality indicator in the Juzna Morava river basin, upstream from the Toplica river estuary is given in this paper. Based on the obtained

Accumulation, mobility and plant availability of heavy metals in soils irrigated with untreated sewage effluent in Central Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siebe-Grabach, C.

1994-01-01

In Irrigation District 03, Tula, Mexico, wastewater from Mexico City has been used for irrigating agricultural land since the beginning of this century. Today, approximately 85 000 ha are irrigated, alfalfa and maize being the main crops. The sewage effluent does not receive any treatment previous to its evacuation to this irrigation district, and only a part of the water is stored in the Endho Dam before being used, receiving in this way a kind or primary treatment through the sedimentation processes taking place. The reuse of wastewater for agricultural purposes represents an economic source of water and nutrients and has become an important disposal alternative for Mexico City. Nevertheless the contaminants and pathogens contained in the water represent a potential public health hazard and the production capacity of the soils. The aim of the present investigation is to determine the actual contamination levels of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn) in soils, analysing the accumulation tendencies in time and space, and also to characterize their mobility and plant availability and thus their ecotoxicity. (orig.) [de

AGROCLIMATIC DETERMINANTS OF IRRIGATION NEEDS

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Leszek Łabędzki

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The paper is a review of the so far used in Poland methods and criteria for assessing the needs of irrigation for planning purposes, the assessment because of the agroclimatic conditions and taking into account the soil water retention. Irrigation needs of the most are determined taking into account crop water deficits. This is the factor that is characterized by a shortage of precipitation in relation to the water requirements of crops. Some methods use only the meteorological parameters that determine the state of the atmosphere-soil-plant system, and some also take into account soil water retention and its availability for plants.

Modeling identifies optimal fall planting times and irrigation requirements for canola and camelina at locations across California

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Nicholas George

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In California, Brassica oilseeds may be viable crops for growers to diversify their cool-season crop options, helping them adapt to projected climate change and irrigation water shortages. Field trials have found germination and establishment problems in some late-planted canola, but not camelina at the same locations. We used computer modeling to analyze fall seedbed conditions to better understand this phenomenon. We found seedbeds may be too dry, too cold, or both, to support germination of canola during late fall. Based on seedbed temperatures only, canola should be sown no later than the last week of November in the Central Valley. Camelina has broader temperature and moisture windows for germination and can be sown from October to December with less risk, but yields of camelina are lower than canola yields. In areas without irrigation, growers could plant canola opportunistically when seedbed conditions are favorable and use camelina as a fallback option.

Using container weights to determine irrigation needs: A simple method

Science.gov (United States)

R. Kasten Dumroese; Mark E. Montville; Jeremiah R. Pinto

2015-01-01

Proper irrigation can reduce water use, water waste, and incidence of disease. Knowing when to irrigate plants in container nurseries can be determined by weighing containers. This simple method is quantifiable, which is a benefit when more than one worker is responsible for irrigation. Irrigation is necessary when the container weighs some target as a proportion of...

Effects of Planting Date and Plant Density on Physiological Indices, Quantity and Quality Traits of Two Varieties of Marigold (Calendula officinalis L.

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A Sepehri

2016-07-01

physiological indices, quantity and quality traits of two varieties of marigold (Calendula officinalis L., a split-factorial experiment with three replications was carried out in agricultural research station in Arak (latitude: 34o 5' N; longitude: 29o 42' E; 1757 m altitude in 2010 the growing season. Soil was silty-loamy with pH of 7.5 and EC of 0.8 Ds ms-1. The experimental factors included two planting dates (22 April and 2 May, four planting densities (26, 32, 41 and 57 plants/m2 and two varieties (sparse and compact petal. Thinning was performed 20 days after cultivation. Irrigation was carried out in 7 days intervals. For determination of growth indices, ten plants from each plot cut from crown and dried for 48 h in oven at 70°C and then weighted. The plant height, number of flowers per plant, leaf chlorophyll, leaf area index, total dry matter, seed yield, 1000 seed weight, essential oil and grain oil were measured. The extraction of the essential oil of the flower was performed using the Clevenger apparatus by steam distillation (1. Extraction of grain, oil was accomplished according to the soxhelet standard method. The data were analyzed using the statistical analysis system (SAS 9.1 and means were compared using Duncan test at P ≤ 0.05 probability. Results and Discussion Results showed that, planting date and plant density had significant effects on physiological indices, plant height, and number of flowers per plant, 1000 grain weight, chlorophyll index, oil percent and essential oil percentage of marigold. Late planting and decreasing plant density, reduced leaf area index (LAI, total dry weight (TDW and crop growth rate (CGR indices. The compact petal variety showed the highest growth indices compared with spare petal plants. On the other hand, early planting, high plant density and compact petal variety increased the growth and development of plants. The first planting date had higher leaf area index compared to second sowing date. It seems that first sowing

Selectivity and weed control efficacy of some herbicides applied to sprinkler irrigated rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cavero, J; Zaragoza, C; Cirujeda, A; Anzalone, A; Faci, J M; Blanco, O

2011-07-01

Sprinkler irrigation can reduce the irrigation water needed to grow rice. However, most available information on weed control with herbicides is related to flood irrigated rice because this is the main growing method. Field experiments were conducted at Zaragoza (Spain) during two years to study weed control and tolerance of sprinkler irrigated rice to several herbicides. The main weeds were Atriplex prostrata Boucher ex DC., Cyperus rotundus L., Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. and Sonchus oleraceus L. Rice cv Guadiamar was tolerant to preemergence (PRE) application of clomazone at 0.36 kg ha{sup -}1 and oxadiazon at 0.5 kg ha{sup -}1. PRE application of pendimethalin at 1.32 kg ha{sup -}1 combined with clomazone at 0.36 kg ha{sup -}1 decreased rice yield. Postemergence (POST) application of bentazon at 1.6 kg ha{sup -}1 + MCPA at 0.25 kg ha{sup -}1 did not injure rice but POST application of azimsulfuron at 0.025 kg ha{sup -}1 produced visual crop injury. Only treatments that controlled grassy weeds since rice was planted and by more than 80% at harvest time lead to acceptable rice yield (> 5,000 kg ha{sup -}1). Clomazone applied PRE at 0.36 kg ha{sup -}1 provided good control of grassy weeds (> 80%) and the highest rice yield, so it is recommended as a selective and efficacious PRE treatment for weed control of annual weeds in sprinkler irrigated rice. The perennial purple nutsedge was difficult to control at high plant densities (> 150 plants m{sup -}2) and the recommended herbicide is azimsulfuron applied at POST at 0.02 kg ha{sup -}1. (Author) 37 refs.

Effect of Irrigation with Reclaimed Water on Fruit Characteristics and Photosynthesis of Olive Trees under Two Irrigation Systems

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N. Ashrafi

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Olive (Olea europaea L. trees are mainly cultivated in the Mediterranean area and are grown for their oil or processed as table olives. Despite the fact that olive is known to be resistant to drought conditions due to its anatomical, physiological, and biochemical adaptations to drought stress, reports indicate that the olive can be adversely affected by drought stress, which has a negative effect on the growth of olive trees. In the absence of adequate supplies of water, the demand for water can be met by using improved irrigation methods or by using reclaimed water (RW. Reports have shown that recycled water has been used successfully for irrigating olive orchards with no negative effects on plant growth.Attention has been paid to reclaimed water as one of the most significant available water resources used in agriculture around large cities in arid and semi-arid regions. On the other hand, irrigation efficiency is low and does not meet the demands of farmers.In order to investigate the possibility of irrigating olive orchards with subsurface leakage irrigation (SLI in application of reclaimed water, an experiment was carried out with the aim of investigating the effect of reclaimed water on photosynthetic indices and morphological properties of olive fruit. Materials and Methods: Research was conducted using a split-plot experimental design with two factors (irrigation system and water quality on the campus of Isfahan University of Technology in Isfahan, Iran, on a sandy-clay soil with a pH of 7.5 and electrical conductivity (EC of 2.48 dSm-1.PVC leaky tubes were used for the SLI system. The SLI system was installed 40 cm from the crown of each tree at a depth of 30 - 40 cm.At the end of the experiment fruit yield, weight per fruit, volume, length and firmness were calculated. A portable gas exchange system (Li-6400., LICOR, Lincoln, NE, USA was used to measure the net rate photosynthesis (A, the internal partial pressure CO2

Changes in growth, physiological parameters and the hormonal status of Myrtus communis L. plants irrigated with water with different chemical compositions.

Science.gov (United States)

Acosta-Motos, José Ramón; Ortuño, María Fernanda; Álvarez, Sara; López-Climent, María Fernanda; Gómez-Cadenas, Aurelio; Sánchez-Blanco, María Jesús

2016-02-01

Myrtus communis, an important Mediterranean ornamental shrub, was used to study the effect of irrigation water with different chemical compositions in the plant response. A treatment with NaCl was used to establish the plant resistance to high salinity at long term. Plants were subjected to four irrigation treatments with drainage for three months: Control (0.8 dS m(-1)); two treatments using reclaimed water (RWs): RW1 (2.0 dS m(-1)) and RW2 (5.0 dS m(-1)); and NaCl (10.0 dS m(-1)). High levels of electric conductivity of RWs not affected plant growth, while NaCl decreased leaf dry weight. Coinciding with the accumulation of Na(+) and Cl(-) in the roots, soil water potential decreased, which hinders the mobilization of water to the leaves, decreasing leaf water potential. The osmotic adjustment in the NaCl treatment was due to Na(+) and Cl(-) ions, although the proline could contribute as an Osmo compatible solute, increasing the turgor plants. Also changes in cell walls rigidity minimize the negative effects on the water balance; however, a higher lipid peroxidation was observed in these plants. Stomatal closure was associated with a decrease in K(+) and an increase in abscisic acid. NaCl produced an increase in salicylic acid and did not affect jasmonic acid contents at the end of the experiment. Similar behavior in soil and leaf water potentials, although less pronounced than in NaCl, was shown in RW2 plants. The abscisic acid increased in the RW2 with respect to the control and a decrease in stomatal conductance was observed at the end of the experiment. Plants irrigated with RW1 behaved similarly to the control. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Advanced techniques using the plant as indicator of irrigation management

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Barbara dos Santos Esteves

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The methodologies which are considered the most promising for irrigation management are those based on the analysis of the water status of the plants themselves. This justifies the study and improvement of indicators based on automatic and continuous measures to enable real-time monitoring data, as indices from sap flow, dendrometry and leaf turgor pressure techniques. The aim of this paper is to analyze such methodologies in order to demonstrate their principles, advantages and challenges. In conclusion, the methodologies analyzed still have many technological advances and challenges before being presented to the final user. The future research should work these tools for elaboration of technical indexes that allow their simplification, on the instrumental point of view, and the interpretation of their results.

Effect of Drought Stress on Growth and Morphological Characteristics of Two Garlic (Allium sativum L. Ecotypes in Different Planting Densities

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shiva akbari

2017-10-01

underground organs and leaf area from measured samples of treatments were used. Results and Discussion The results showed that the highest value of maximum leaf area index (LAI, maximum total dry matter accumulation (TDM, maximum crop growth rate (CGR and maximum of net assimilation rate (NAR were observed at 100% ETc with the value of 5.537, 387.53 gr.m-2, 10.47 gr m-2day-1 and 4.92 gr.m-2leaf.day-1 respectively; and by applying the irrigation treatment of 80% ETc these values decreased to 3.745, 262.60 gr.m-2, 6.31 gr.m-2day-1 and 3.71 gr.m-2leaf.day-1 respectively. Drought stress can decrease cell development and division and plant photosynthesis, and thus, it can decrease leaf area index and consequently decrease light absorption, photosynthetic area, dry matter and crop growth rate. Difference between ecotypes in terms of number of leaves, maximum total dry matter accumulation and maximum crop growth rate was significant. Maximum crop growth rate (CGR in Toroud ecotype was higher than Tabas ecotype but number of leaves and maximum concentration of total dry matter (TDM in Tabas ecotype were higher than corresponding values in Toruod ecotype. The effect of planting density on maximum leaf area index (LAI, maximum total dry matter (TDM and maximum net assimilation rate (NAR was significant. The highest value of maximum leaf area index (5.017 and maximum total dry matter (358.57 g.m-2 concentration were obtained from 50 plant.m-2 density. The highest value of maximum net assimilation rate (4.61 was obtained from 30 plant.m-2 density. It could be because of having leaves exposed to more light and less shading. Conclusion Applying drought stress at the irrigation treatment of 80% ETc decreased studied growth characteristics of garlic. Therefore, it is recommended that garlic should be avoided from facing drought stress and its water requirement must be met as much as possible. In general, under drought stress, two studied ecotypes did not have any preference related to the

Drip Irrigation for Commercial Vegetable and Fruit Production

OpenAIRE

Maughn, Tiffany; Allen, Niel; Drost, Dan

2017-01-01

Drip irrigation is a highly efficient irrigation method well suited to many fruit and vegetable row crops. Drip tubing or tape discharges water to the soil through emitters positioned close to the plant. The drip tubing can be placed uncovered on the soil surface, under plastic mulch, buried in the soil, or suspended above the ground (e.g., on a trellis system). Water application rate is relatively low and irrigations are usually frequent. Properly designed and maintained drip-irrigation syst...

Nitrate leaching beneath a containerized nursery crop receiving trickle or overhead irrigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Colangelo, D J; Brand, M H

2001-01-01

Container production of nursery crops is intensive and a potential source of nitrogen release to the environment. This study was conducted to determine if trickle irrigation could be used by container nursery producers as an alternative to standard overhead irrigation to reduce nitrogen release into the environment. The effect of overhead irrigation and trickle irrigation on leachate nitrate N concentration, flow-weighted nitrate N concentration, leachate volume, and plant growth was investigated using containerized rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense Michx. 'Album') supplied with a controlled-release fertilizer and grown outdoors on top of soil-monolith lysimeters. Leachate was collected over two growing seasons and overwinter periods, and natural precipitation was allowed as a component of the system. Precipitation accounted for 69% of the water entering the overhead-irrigated system and 80% of the water entering the trickle-irrigated system. Leachate from fertilized plants exceeded the USEPA limit of 10 mg L(-1) at several times and reached a maximum of 26 mg L(-1) with trickle irrigation. Average annual loss of nitrate N in leachate for fertilized treatments was 51.8 and 60.5 kg ha(-1) for the overhead and trickle treatments, respectively. Average annual flow-weighted concentration of nitrate N in leachate of fertilized plants was 7.2 mg L(-1) for overhead irrigation and 12.7 mg L(-1) for trickle irrigation. Trickle irrigation did not reduce the amount of nitrate N leached from nursery containers when compared with overhead irrigation because precipitation nullified the potential benefits of reduced leaching fractions and irrigation inputs provided under trickle irrigation.

Crop yield response to deficit irrigation imposed at different plant growth stages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovaks, T.; Kovaks, G.; Szito, J.

1995-01-01

A series of field experiments were conducted between 1991 - 1994 using 7 irrigation treatments at two fertilizer levels. Nitrogen fertilizers used were labelled with 15 N stable isotope to examine the effect of irrigation on the fertilizer N use efficiency by isotope technique. The irrigation were maintained at four different growth stages of maize, soybean and potato( vegetative, flowering, yield formation and ripening ) in 4 replicates. The aim of study was to compare deficit irrigation( i.e. the water stress imposed, during one growth stage ) with normal irrigation practice included the traditional one. Two watering regimes were established : (1) normal watering when available water was within the range of 60 - 90 %, and (2) deficit irrigation, when the AW was at 30 to 60 %. Neutron probe was used for measuring the soil water status and evaporation data were recorded to determine the amount of irrigation water demand. Reference evapotranspiration ( ETo) was calculated according to Penman - Monteith. Crop water requirement ( ETm) were determined in every year. Actual evapotranspiration ( ETa) was computed using CROPWAT: FAO computer program for irrigation planning and management (1992). Every irrigation treatment was equipped with neutron access tubes in two replicates at a depth from 10 to 130 cm. tensiometers were installed at depths of 30, 50, 60 and 80 cm in one replicate of treatments and were measured on a daily basis while neutron probe measurements were used to monitor the soil water table fluctuations. The irrigation method used was a special type of low pressure drop irrigation. There were measured the amount of rainfall with irrigation water supplied and the moisture distribution profiles were drown for the different treatments. Relationships between relative yield decrease and evapotranspiration and also between the crop yield and water use were determined. 9 tabs, 9 refs, ( Author )

Nitrogen Recovered By Sorghum Plants As Affected By Saline Irrigation Water And Organic/Inorganic Resources Using 15N Technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

ABOU-ELKHAIR, R.A.; EL-MOHTASEM, M.O.; SOLIMAN, S.M.; GALAL, Y.G.M.; ABD EL-LATIF, E.M.

2009-01-01

A pot experiment was conducted in the green house of Soil and Water Department, Nuclear Research Centre, Atomic Energy Authority, Egypt, to follow up the effect of saline irrigation water, inorganic and organic fertilizers on sorghum growth and N fractions that recovered by plant organs. Two types of artificial water salinity were used; one has 3 dS m -1 salinity level with 4 and 8 SAR and the second one has 3 and 6 dS m -1 salinity levels with 6 SAR . Leucenae residue and chicken manure were applied as organic sources at rate of 2% v/v. Sorghum was fertilized with recommended doses of super phosphate and potassium sulfate at rate of 150 kg P and 50 kg K per feddan, respectively. Labelled ammonium sulfate with 5% 15 N atom excess was applied to sorghum at rate of 100 kg N fed -1 . Dry matter yield (stalks and roots) was negatively affected by increasing water salinity levels or SAR ratios. Similar trend was recorded with N uptake by either stalks or roots of sorghum plants. On the other hand, both the dry matter yield and N uptake were positively and significantly affected by incorporation of organic sources in comparison to the untreated control. In this regard, the dry matter yield and N uptake induced by incorporation of chicken manure was superior over those recorded with leucenae residues. It means, in general, that the incorporation of organic sources into the soil may maximize the plant ability to combat the hazards effects caused by irrigation with saline water. Nitrogen derived from fertilizer (% Ndff), soil (% Ndfs) and organic resources (% Ndfr) showed frequent trends as affected by water salinity and organic resources but in most cases, severe reduction of these values was recorded when plants were irrigated with saline water. In the same time, plants were more dependent on N derived from organic sources than those derived from mineral fertilizer. Superiority of one organic source over the other was related to water salinity levels and SAR ratios

Irrigation management of muskmelon with tensiometry

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Márcio José de Santana

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The production and consumption of muskmelon have been increasing (MELO et al., 2014, thus, information on techniques for higher field productions are necessary. The experiment described in the present work was conducted in the IFTM, Uberaba, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, aiming to evaluate the muskmelon yield under different soil water tensions. A randomized block experimental design was used with five treatments (soil water tensions of 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 kPa and four replications (plots of two rows of 14 plants. Two harvests were carried out and the fruit yield, stem diameter, number of fruits per plant and efficiency of water use were evaluated. Irrigation was performed with a drip irrigation system and managed with tensiometry. The cultivar Bonus n.2 was used with spacing of 1.0 x 0.6 m. The data of the variables were subjected to the F test and regression test. The treatments showed statistical differences in number of fruits per plant, fruit weight (fruit yield and stem diameter. The highest fruit yield found was 1.36 kg fruit-1 and the highest water use efficiency was 4.08 g mm-1 with irrigation for a soil water tension of 10 kPa. The lowest fruit yield was found with irrigation for a soil water tension of 50 kPa.

FEATURES OF MINERAL NUTRITION FOR TOMATO PLANTS WITH DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN OPEN FIELD CONDITION

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P. M. Akhmetova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Dagestan is the largest region with irrigation system of agriculture in Russia. Irrigated lands provide 70% of total plant production. The field cultivation is carried on arable land in plain region of the republic. The drip irrigation as an ecologically safe technology for watering is regarded as major means for vegetable production farming. This approach maintains the propitious level of water and air in the soil without surface and deep drainage of irrigating water. These irrigated lands are expected to be used first of all for valuable and profitable crops such as tomato that is a leading crop in Dagestan. The experimental work was carried out at OOO ‘Dagagrocomplex’, Aleksandro-Nevskoye, in Tarumovskiy region. The aim of the study was to determinate the optimal dose of mineral fertilizers and the way of their application to improve the productivity without quality loss. The complex analysis of the technology for tomato production under drip irrigation through nontransplanting culture showed its high efficiency, because volume and quality of yield directly depended on soil moisture and precise supporting of mineral nutrition rates. The maximal yield of tomato fruits, 88.7-94.5 t/ha was observed with once mineral fertilizer application at a dose of N180P135K60 with soil humidity 70-80% (field moisture capacity, and also at the dose of N180P135K60 with basic application of N100 in nutrition rate. The result of the study showed that the optimization of two factors, namely soil water rate and mineral nutrition, enabled to produce additionally 39.2 t/ha. It was shown the tight connection between yielding and its quality; when yielding 95 t/ha, the increased contents of dry matter to 7.01%, sugar to 3.8% vitamin C to 18.46% were noticed. The high quality of produced output was supported by pre-watering threshold of moisture at 75-80% (field moisture capacity, when once fertilizer application at a dose of N180P135K60. 

Thermal performance of different planting substrates and irrigation frequencies in extensive tropical rooftop greeneries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Yi-Jiung [Department of Environmental Engineering and Science, Foo-Yin University, Kaohsiung (China); No. 16, Lane 29, Chen-Sing 7th Street, Niao-Song, Kaohsiung 833 (China); Lin, Hsien-Te [Department of Architecture, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan (China); No. 1, Ta-Hsueh Road, Tainan 701 (China)

2011-02-15

The need for the better use of scarce planetary resources has never been more evident than it is today. However, this need is poorly reflected in human housing. In recent years, there has been a growing realization of the importance of constructing human shelters that better conserve energy and water through appropriate insulation and architectural designs. Among the important advancements in these areas is the use of rooftop greeneries for both energy and water conservation. This paper performs an investigation into this topic within the specific climatic context of tropical regions. Long-term experimental results are provided from a four-floor building in Kaohsiung in the southern part of Taiwan. The study involves a fully monitored extensive rooftop greenery and examines four different plant substrates, three different irrigation regimes, and different types of drought-enduring plants to find the most efficient combination of all three in providing maximum heat insulation and water usage efficiency. The attenuation of solar radiation through the vegetation layer is evaluated, as well as the thermal insulation performance of the rooftop greenery structure. Among the substrates, burned sludge has the best thermal reduction percentage of heat amplitude under the roof slab surface (up to 84.4%). Irrigation twice a week has the best thermal reduction percentage of heat amplitude (91.6%). Among the plant types, Sansevieria trifasciata cv. Laurentii Compacta and Rhoeo spathaceo cv. Compacta are found to be suitable for extensive rooftop greeneries because they have the best coverage ratio and are most drought enduring. (author)

Plant densities and modulation of symbiotic nitrogen fixation in soybean

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Marcos Javier de Luca

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Soybean nitrogen (N demands can be supplied to a large extent via biological nitrogen fixation, but the mechanisms of source/sink regulating photosynthesis/nitrogen fixation in high yielding cultivars and current crop management arrangements need to be investigated. We investigated the modulation of symbiotic nitrogen fixation in soybean [Glycine max (L. Merrill] at different plant densities. A field trial was performed in southern Brazil with six treatments, including non-inoculated controls without and with N-fertilizer, both at a density of 320,000 plants ha−1, and plants inoculated with Bradyrhizobium elkanii at four densities, ranging from 40,000 to 320,000 plants ha−1. Differences in nodulation, biomass production, N accumulation and partition were observed at stage R5, but not at stage V4, indicating that quantitative and qualitative factors (such as sunlight infrared/red ratio assume increasing importance during the later stages of plant growth. Decreases in density in the inoculated treatments stimulated photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation per plant. Similar yields were obtained at the different plant densities, with decreases only at the very low density level of 40,000 plants ha−1, which was also the only treatment to show differences in seed protein and oil contents. Results confirm a fine tuning of the mechanisms of source/sink, photosynthesis/nitrogen fixation under lower plant densities. Higher photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation rates are capable of sustaining increased plant growth.

Effect of irrigation frequencies on grain yield of maize

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, M.; Chaudhry, M.H.; Amjed, M.T.

2008-01-01

To find out the water requirement and its application frequencies in spring Maize a trial was designed. The trial was comprised of five maize varieties (Ev-5098, EV-6098, EV-1098, Composite-20 and Pack Afgoyee) and five irrigation frequencies (7,8,9,10 and 11). The trial was sown in split plot design with three replication, keeping varieties in main plots and irrigation frequencies in sub plots. The plot size was 5m x 4.5 with 75cm apart rows and plant to plant distance was 15 com to maintain the 88888 plants per hectare. The trial was conducted during spring 2000 and 2001. Data were collected for days to 50% silking. Plant height (cm), cob height (cm) and grain yield per hectare. The data were analyzed and results obtained which revealed highly significant differences among varieties and also among irrigation frequencies in all the characters studied during both the years and in pooled analysis over years. The interaction between varieties and irrigation frequencies was highly significant for grain yield kg ha/sup -1/ and significant for other characters studied in year wise as well as in pooled analysis. Years effect was also high significant which is clear from the table of weather data which shows that temperature remained high during the crop season of 2001 as compared to 2000 along with high temperature more rains were also received in March. April and May in 2001 while in 2000 rain was received only in February. Three was gradual decrease in days to 50% silking with the increase in number of irrigations in all the varieties while plant height, cob height and grain yield increased with every addition of irrigation. Trend of increase or decrease remained the same during both the year. All the varieties separately or in combine showed better results during spring 2001, maximum grain yield was obtained by EV-5098 (full duration variety) with 11 irrigations during both the years 2000 and 2001 i.e. 3511 and 6140 kg ha/sup -1/ while EV-1098 (short duration variety

Human health risk assessment of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in plant tissue due to biosolids and manure amendments, and wastewater irrigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Prosser, R S; Sibley, P K

2015-02-01

Amending soil with biosolids or livestock manure provides essential nutrients in agriculture. Irrigation with wastewater allows for agriculture in regions where water resources are limited. However, biosolids, manure and wastewater have all been shown to contain pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). Studies have shown that PPCPs can accumulate in the tissues of plants but the risk that accumulated residues may pose to humans via consumption of edible portions is not well documented. This study reviewed the literature for studies that reported residues of PPCPs in the edible tissue of plants grown in biosolids- or manure-amended soils or irrigated with wastewater. These residues were used to determine the estimated daily intake of PPCPs for an adult and toddler. Estimated daily intake values were compared to acceptable daily intakes to determine whether PPCPs in plant tissue pose a hazard to human health. For all three amendment practices, the majority of reported residues resulted in hazard quotients plants to concentrations of PPCPs that would not be considered relevant based on concentrations reported in biosolids and manure or unrealistic methods of exposure, which lead to artificially elevated plant residues. Our assessment indicates that the majority of individual PPCPs in the edible tissue of plants due to biosolids or manure amendment or wastewater irrigation represent a de minimis risk to human health. Assuming additivity, the mixture of PPCPs could potentially present a hazard. Further work needs to be done to assess the risk of the mixture of PPCPs that may be present in edible tissue of plants grown under these three amendment practices. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Response of potato to drip and gun irrigation systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhenjiang, Zhou; Andersen, Mathias Neumann; Plauborg, Finn

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of different irrigation and N fertilization regimes by gun irrigation and drip-fertigation on potato production, and subsequently optimize the supply of water and N fertilizer to the growth condition of the specific season and minimize nitrate......-fertigation system (DFdsNds) and two gun irrigation systems (GIdsN120 and GIaN120) to display the differences on growth, yield and water use efficiency of potato. All treatments were irrigated according to model simulated soil water content. For fertilization all treatments received a basic dressing at planting of P......, K, Mg and micronutrients, and in addition 120 kg N/ha in the gun irrigated treatments and 36 kg N/ha in the drip-fertigated. For the latter, portion of 20 kg N/ha was applied whenever plant N concentration approached a critical value as simulated by the Daisy model. As a result differences in soil...

Greenhouse evaluation of deficit irrigation on the growth of tomato ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Deficit irrigation is considered to be an important approach for crop cultivation in dry regions where water resources are scarce. Deficit irrigation can be used also to decrease the level of infections by some moisturedependent plant pests and diseases such as root-knot nematode disease. Therefore, deficit irrigation at levels ...

Irrigation ponds: Possibility and potentials for the treatment of drainage water from paddy fields in Zhanghe Irrigation System

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

DONG Bin; MAO Zhi; BROWN Larry; CHEN XiuHong; PENG LiYuan; WANG JianZhang

2009-01-01

Excessive application of fertilizers and pesticides as well as discharge of undecontaminated and un-recycled waste of livestock and poultry into farmland has caused serious non-point source pollution (NSP) of farmland in China.With the traditional mode of irrigation and drainage in rice-based irrigation systems, the pollution of farmland drainage water has become more and more serious.Traditional ir-rigation and drainage systems only focus on issues concerning water quantity, i.e.the capacity of irri-gation in drought and drainage in waterlogging period, yet have no requirement on water quality im-provement, how to clean the water quality of farmland drainage through remodeling the existing irriga-tion and drainage systems has a very important realistic meaning.Pond is an important irrigation facil-ity in rice-based irrigation systems in southern China, which has the functions of not only a storage of water from canals but also collections of surface runoffs and farmland drainage for recycling use.Such water storage features of pond provide the possibility and potential capacity for drainage water treat-ment by managing such features as treatment basins as the growth of aquatic plants as well as living of fishes, batrachia and microorganisms in pond forms a soil-plant-microorganism ecological system.To explore the potential capacity of pond for drainage water nutrient reduction, the Zhanghe Irrigation System of Hubei, a typical "melon-on-the-vine" system in southern China is selected as the research site.The results of pond survey and field experiments demonstrate that plenty of ponds are suitable for collecting and cleaning paddy field drainage, and the ponds are favorable in reducing N, P nutrients in the drainage water.Other issues, e.g.how to maximize such capacity and what strategies should be sought to make existing treatment basins hydraulically more efficient, are also discussed.

Irrigation ponds:Possibility and potentials for the treatment of drainage water from paddy fields in Zhanghe Irrigation System

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

BROWN; Larry

2009-01-01

Excessive application of fertilizers and pesticides as well as discharge of undecontaminated and unrecycled waste of livestock and poultry into farmland has caused serious non-point source pollution (NSP) of farmland in China. With the traditional mode of irrigation and drainage in rice-based irrigation systems, the pollution of farmland drainage water has become more and more serious. Traditional irrigation and drainage systems only focus on issues concerning water quantity, i.e. the capacity of irrigation in drought and drainage in waterlogging period, yet have no requirement on water quality improvement. how to clean the water quality of farmland drainage through remodeling the existing irrigation and drainage systems has a very important realistic meaning. Pond is an important irrigation facility in rice-based irrigation systems in southern China, which has the functions of not only a storage of water from canals but also collections of surface runoffs and farmland drainage for recycling use. Such water storage features of pond provide the possibility and potential capacity for drainage water treatment by managing such features as treatment basins as the growth of aquatic plants as well as living of fishes, batrachia and microorganisms in pond forms a soil-plant-microorganism ecological system. To explore the potential capacity of pond for drainage water nutrient reduction, the Zhanghe Irrigation System of Hubei, a typical "melon-on-the-vine" system in southern China is selected as the research site. The results of pond survey and field experiments demonstrate that plenty of ponds are suitable for collecting and cleaning paddy field drainage, and the ponds are favorable in reducing N, P nutrients in the drainage water. Other issues, e.g. how to maximize such capacity and what strategies should be sought to make existing treatment basins hydraulically more efficient, are also discussed.

Effect of different irrigation frequencies on growth and yield of different wheat genotypes in Sindh

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khokhar, B.; Hussain, I.

2010-01-01

Irrigation at critical growth stages could improve wheat yield significantly. A study was conducted during 2000-2002 to determine effect of different irrigation levels on growth and yield of different wheat genotypes in the province of Sindh. The trial was laid out in split block design at Wheat Research Institute, Sindh, Sakrand, in which four irrigation treatments I3 (irrigation at crown root, booting and soft dough stage), I4 (irrigation at crown root, tillering, booting and soft dough stage), I5 (irrigation at crown root, tillering, booting, anthesis and soft dough stage) and I6 (irrigation at crown root, tillering, booting, anthesis, soft dough and hard dough stage) were in blocks and six wheat genotypes; V-7001, V-7002, V-7004, NARC-9 and CO-9043 and Abadgar-93 were planted. Number of irrigation did not have any significant effect on plant height, whereas plant height was affected significantly in different cultivars. Application of five irrigations at different wheat growth stages resulted in higher spike length, higher number of grains and wheat grain yield. Wheat variety Abadgar-93 and V-7004, had taller plants in comparison with cultivars NARC-9 and V-7004 however, wheat grain yield was not affected significantly among different cultivars. (author)

Ring Irrigation System (RIS design through customer preference representation

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Ridwan Infandra I.Z.

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In agricultural field, irrigation is one of the most interesting considerations affecting the rate of plant growth and development. Micro-irrigation as the dripping or sprinkle method is one of the irrigation types that applies the small amount of water for fulfilling the humidity requirement. The most important factors affecting the demand of water for plants are soil conditions and effect of climatic factors. With less human labour required, to improve the irrigation method from the recent days, analyzing water used or water permeation automatically through the soil moisture has been raised as the interesting topic. Proposed in this research is the ring irrigation system (RIS which is introduced as an alternative channel for emitters that drip water directly onto the soil at the plant’s root zone where the soil conditions before and after watering can be quickly detected by the sensors. This RIS can be used for the potted plant, green house, or other small farm fields. Product design and development (PDD is applied in this research for assisting the designer to understand and create the RIS prototype properly according to the customer’s requirements where the suggested functions obtained will be added and tested.

Sustainable irrigation in fruit trees

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Cristos Xiloyannis

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Water management in fruit growing, particularly in areas with high water deficit, low rainfall and limited availability of water for irrigation should aid to save water by: i the choice of high efficiency irrigation methods and their correct management; ii the proper choice of the specie, cultivar and rootstock to optimise plant water use; iii the proper choice of the architecture of the canopy and it’s correct management in order to improve water use efficiency; iv the application of regulated deficit irrigation at growth stages less sensitive to water deficit; v strengthening the role of technical assistance for a rapid transfer of knowledge to the growers on the sustainable use of water in fruit growing.

Sustainable irrigation in fruit trees

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Cristos Xiloyannis

Full Text Available Water management in fruit growing, particularly in areas with high water deficit, low rainfall and limited availability of water for irrigation should aid to save water by: i the choice of high efficiency irrigation methods and their correct management; ii the proper choice of the specie, cultivar and rootstock to optimise plant water use; iii the proper choice of the architecture of the canopy and it’s correct management in order to improve water use efficiency; iv the application of regulated deficit irrigation at growth stages less sensitive to water deficit; v strengthening the role of technical assistance for a rapid transfer of knowledge to the growers on the sustainable use of water in fruit growing.

Irrigation effects on soil attributes and grapevine performance in a 'Godello' vineyard of NW Spain

Science.gov (United States)

Fandiño, María; Trigo-Córdoba, Emiliano; Martínez, Emma M.; Bouzas-Cid, Yolanda; Rey, Benjamín J.; Cancela, Javier J.; Mirás-Avalos, Jose M.

2014-05-01

Irrigation systems are increasingly being used in Galician vineyards. However, a lack of information about irrigation management can cause a bad use of these systems and, consequently, reductions in berry quality and loss of water resources. In this context, experiences with Galician cultivars may provide useful information. A field experiment was carried out over two seasons (2012-2013) on Vitis vinifera (L.) cv. 'Godello' in order to assess the effects of irrigation on soil attributes, grapevine performance and berry composition. The field site was a commercial vineyard located in A Rúa (Ourense-NW Spain). Rain-fed vines (R) were compared with two irrigation systems: surface drip irrigation (DI) and subsurface drip irrigation (SDI). Physical and chemical characteristics of soil were analyzed after installing irrigation systems at the beginning of each season, in order to assess the effects that irrigation might have on soil attributes. Soil water content, leaf and stem water potentials and stomatal conductance were periodically measured over the two seasons. Yield components including number of clusters, yield per plant and cluster average weight were taken. Soluble solids, pH, total acidity and amino acids contents were measured on the grapes at harvest. Pruning weight was also recorded. Soil attributes did not significantly vary due to the irrigation treatments. Stem water potentials were significantly lower for R plants on certain dates through the season, whereas stomatal conductance was similar for the three treatments in 2013, while in 2012 SDI plants showed greater stomatal conductance values. SDI plants yielded more than those R due to both a greater number of clusters per plant and to heavier clusters. Pruning weight was significantly higher in SI plants. Berry composition was similar for the three treatments except for the amino acids content, which was higher under SDI conditions. These results may be helpful for a sustainable management of irrigation

Effect of sowing dates and different irrigation regimes on morphological characteristics and grain yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. (cultivar 3279 ILC

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parviz rezvani moghadam

2009-06-01

Full Text Available In order to study the effect of different sowing dates and different irrigation regimes on morphological characteristics and grain yield of chickpea (cultivar 3279 ILC (Cicer arietinum L., an experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research-Education Station of Shahid Rejaee, Neyshaboor during 2001-2002. Four irrigation regimes (without irrigation, one time irrigation (at early flowering, two times irrigation (at early flowering and 50% flowering and control (irrigation every 10 days and Four sowing dates early planting (autumn, Entezari, and late planting (spring and delayed were compared in a spilt plot layout based on randomized complete block design with four replications per treatment. The results showed that all chickpea plants with delayed sowing date on combination of without irrigation, one time irrigation (at early flowering and two times irrigation (at early flowering and 50% flowering were dead. By delaying sowing date, duration between the time of starting flowering and maturity became shorter. Plant height, distance of the first pod from earth surface, distance between nods, number of nods per plant, number of stems per plant, number of pods per plant, number of pods with one, two and with no seed per plant, number of seeds per plant, seed weight per plant, 100 seed weight and grain yield were increased when the number of irrigation increased. By increasing the growing season, plant height, distance of the first pod from earth surface, number of nods per plant, number of stems per plant, number of pods per plant, number of pods with two and without seeds per plant, number of seeds per plant and seed weight per plant were increased. The autumn sowing date had the highest and the spring date had the lowest grain yield. The highest plant height, number of nods per plant, number of stems per plant, number of pods per plant, number of pods with one and with no seed per plant, number of seeds per plant and grain yield were obtained at

The Effects of Two Different Deficit Irrigation Managements on the Root Length of Maize

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M. Gheysari

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The response of root to water stress is one of the most important parameters for researchers. Study of growth and distribution of root under different irrigation managements helpsresearchersto a better understanding of soil water content, and the availability of water and nutrition in water stress condition. To investigate the effects of four levels of irrigation under two different deficit irrigation managements on the root length of maize, a study was conducted in 2009. Irrigation managements included fixed irrigation interval-variable irrigation depth (M1 and variable irrigation interval-fixed irrigation depth (M2. Maize plants were planted in 120 large 110-liter containers in a strip-plot design in a randomized complete block with three replications. Root data sampling was done after root washing in five growth stages. The results showed that the effect of irrigation levels on root length was significant (P

Kalanchoe crop development under different levels of irrigation

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Fátima Cibele Soares

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Despite its importance in the floriculture sector, irrigation management of kalanchoe is characterized by empiricism, being necessary further studies on the use of water by this crop. Thus, the objective of this study is to analyze the several effects of irrigation levels on the growth of kalanchoe crop conducted in greenhouse in the municipality of Alegrete, state of Rio Grande do Sul. The experiment was conducted in a 7 x 15 m protected environment. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four treatments (irrigation levels corresponding to 40, 60, 80 and 100% of the pot water retention capacity - PC and four repetitions, totaling sixteen plots. The crop cycle was 224 days after transplanting and the applied average depths were: 451.82; 367.38; 282.94; 198.51 mm for treatments: 100; 80; 60 and 40% of PC, respectively. Canopy area and number of leaves per plant were evaluated over the crop cycle. In the end of the cycle, the canopy diameter, number of inflorescences per plant and the number of flowers per plant were evaluated. No significant differences were found only to the canopy area, by the F test. Irrigation water depths between 40 and 70% of the pot capacity were more appropriate for the crop growth in the study region. The cultivar presented the best development at irrigation levels below the maximum vessel water retention capacity, that is, it is resistant to drought.

Effects of the sowing density on he yield and the number of seeds in seed maize

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Jovin Predrag

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Higher sowing densities (57,100, 71,400 and 85,500 plants ha-1 of the female component did not significantly affect the yield increase in the hybrid ZP 196 (4.56,4.61 and 4.701 ha-1 under natural conditions of cultivation, but they significantly affected the increase of the number of germinated seeds (21,272,000, 23,893,000 and 24,226,000 ha-1. In the seed production under irrigation conditions of the hybrid ZP 677, greater densities (71,400, 85,500 and 99,900 plants ha-1 did not significantly affect the increase of neither the yield (3.39,3.44 and 3.60 tha-1 nor the number of geminated seeds (11,238,000,11,651,000 and 12,427,000 ha-1. On the other hand, higher sowing densities (71,400,85,500 and 99,900 plants ha-1 of the female component significantly increased both, the yield (4.01, 4.38 and 4.40 t ha-1 and the number of germinated seeds (13,122,000,15,022,000 and 15,560,000 ha-1 in the hybrid ZP 680 under irrigation conditions.

Potato yield and quality as a function of the plant density

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Eero Varis

1975-05-01

Full Text Available The effects of potato plant density on yield quantity and quality were investigated at the Hankkija Plant Breeding Institute from 1971-73, using seed rates of 1600, 3200 and 4800 kg/ha, and seed sizes of 40, 80 and 120 g. The varieties used were Ijsselster and Record. The number of stems per m2 rose with increasing seed rate and with increasing seed size. Stem number increased with seed rate faster for small seed than for large. The response in stem number was greater for Ijsselster than for Record. The number of stems per seed tuber fell as the plant density rose. The number of tubers per m2 altered in the same direction as the number of stems, but less responsively. The reason for this was that the number of tubers per stem decreased with increasing plant density. The tuber yield showed a continual increase with increasing plant density. At the lowest stem densities (less than 20—25 stems/m2 small seed gave better results than other sizes, but at the higher plant densities, the importance of seed size faded away and the yield was dependant on the plant density alone. Net yield (gross yield 2 x seed rate, however, was higher the smaller the seed used, whatever the stem density. Tuber size decreased when plant density increased, the proportion of large tubers diminishing most, especially when small seed was used. The proportion of small tubers altered more for Ijsselster than for Record. Seed size and seed rate did not on average significantly affect the proportion of Class I potatoes, though small seed gave results slightly better than other sizes. The starch content of the yield rose when the seed rate was increased (16.0-16.3 -16.5 % and fell with increasing seed size (16.5 16.2 16.1 %. The maximum variation was 15.8-16.7 %. The specific gravity distribution improved with increasing plant density. Raw discolouration of the tubers did not alter significantly as the plant density rose. Blackening of the tubers decreased with increasing plant

Effects of planting date and plant density on crop growth of cut chrysanthemum

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lee, J.H.; Heuvelink, E.; Challa, H.

2002-01-01

The effects of planting date (season) and plant density (32, 48 or 64 plants m-2) on growth of cut chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum (Indicum group)) were investigated in six greenhouse experiments, applying the expolinear growth equation. Final plant fresh and dry mass and number of flowers per plant

The Effect of Drought Stress and Plant Density on Biochemical and Physiological Characteristics of Two Garlic (Allium sativum L. Ecotypes

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Sh Akbari

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction Drought stress is the most important growth limiting factor for crop production. Sugar accumulation under drought stress strengthens and stabilizes cell membranes and maintains the water absorption and turgid property. Under stress conditions, proline will also maintain the turgor pressure and decreased the damages caused to plant membrane. Although proline concentrations may have undesirable effects on plant growth, because of deflecting photosynthetic resources to the processes that are not involved in plant growth. Chloroplasts and its pigments are also affected by drought stress. Density is one of the factors that has a significant impact on plant growth. Garlic is one of the edible plants which has generated considerable interest throughout human history because of its pharmaceutical properties. This study aimed to determine the effects of drought stress and plant density on some biochemical and physiological treats of two garlic ecotypes and determining the more resistant ecotype. Materials and Methods The study was carried out in 2011-2012 in a farm land at the south east of Semnan city. The experimental layout was a split-plot factorial with a randomized complete block design in three replications. The treatments were comprised of three factors: irrigation regimes (60%, 80% and 100% of estimated crop evapotranspiration (ETC that were assigned as the main plot and the factorial combination of 3 levels of planting density (30, 40 and 50 plants. m-2 and two ecotypes (Tabas and Toroud made up the sub-plots. The water requirement was calculated based on FAO-56 crop water requirements instruction. FAO-56 Penman-Monteith equation was used to calculate evapotranspiration. To calculate the content of soluble sugar, proline and leaves pigment, the samples were collected in a random way from the youngest fully expended leaves one month before the final harvest. Relative water content was estimated by measuring dry weight, fresh weight

Energy indices in irrigated wheat production under conservation and conventional tillage and planting methods

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S. M Hosseini

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Conservation tillage system was recommended for soil erosion control in North America for the first time 60 years ago (Wang et al., 2006. Using this tillage system including minimum and zero tillage has been rapidly developed in recent years. Thearea covered by zero tillage in 2006 was 95 million ha all over the world (Dumanski et al., 2006. In addition to saving soil and water resources, conservation tillage system reduces energy consumption and improves energy indices by combining different tillage and planting operations. Results of research conducted in Fars province shows that conservation tillage saves fuel consumption for 77% compared to the conventional system (Afzalinia et al., 2009. Conservation tillage also reduces energy consumption from 23.6 to 42.8% in comparison to the conventional tillage (Rusu, 2005. Since energy indices would be affected by reduced input energies in conservation tillage, this research was conducted to evaluate the effect of different tillage and planting methods on energy inputs and energy indices in irrigated wheat production in Eghlid region. Materials and Methods: This research was performed to evaluate and compare the energy indices in irrigated wheat production under different tillage and planting methods. The study was conducted in the form of a randomized complete block experimental design with five treatments and three replications in Eghlid region. The treatments were included, conventional tillage and seed broadcasting (A, conventional tillage and planting with Machine Barzegar grain drill (B, reduced tillage and seeding with Roto-seeder (C, direct seeding with Jairan Sanaat grain drill (D, and direct seeding with Sfoggia direct drill (E. Experimental plots with 10 by 50 m dimensions were used in this study. Loss crop residues were taken out of the experimental plots and standing crop residues were retained in the plots. In the conventional tillage method, primary tillage was performed

Irrigation initiation timing in soybean grown on sandy soils in Northeast Arkansas

Science.gov (United States)

Irrigation initiation timing was evaluated in furrow-irrigated soybean field with sandy soils in Mississippi County, AR. A major objective of this 2015 study was to validate and expand irrigation timing recommendations that pair plant growth measures with weather cues including use of local weather ...

Lettuce facing microcystins-rich irrigation water at different developmental stages: Effects on plant performance and microcystins bioaccumulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Levizou, Efi; Statiris, George; Papadimitriou, Theodoti; Laspidou, Chrysi S; Kormas, Konstantinos Ar

2017-09-01

This study investigated the microcystins (MCs)-rich irrigation water effect on lettuce of different developmental stages, i.e. during a two months period, covering the whole period from seed germination to harvest at marketable size of the plant. We followed four lettuce plant groups receiving MCs-rich water (1.81μgl -1 of dissolved MCs), originating from the Karla Reservoir, central Greece: 1) from seeds, 2) the cotyledon, 3) two true leaves and 4) four true leaves stages, all of which were compared to control plants that received tap water. Lettuce growth, photosynthetic performance, biochemical and mineral characteristics, as well as MCs accumulation in leaves, roots and soil were measured. The overall performance of lettuce at various developmental stages pointed to increased tolerance since growth showed minor alterations and non-enzymatic antioxidants remained unaffected. Plants receiving MCs-rich water from the seed stage exhibited higher photosynthetic capacity, chlorophylls and leaf nitrogen content. Nevertheless, considerable MCs accumulation in various plant tissues occurred. The earlier in their development lettuce plants started receiving MCs-rich water, the more MCs they accumulated: roots and leaves of plants exposed to MCs-rich water from seeds and cotyledons stage exhibited doubled MCs concentrations compared to respective tissues of the 4 Leaves group. Furthermore, roots accumulated significantly higher MCs amounts than leaves of the same plant group. Concerning human health risk, the Estimated Daily Intake values (EDI) of Seed and Cotyledon groups leaves exceeded Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) by a factor of 6, while 2 Leaves and 4 Leaves groups exceeded TDI by a factor of 4.4 and 2.4 respectively. Our results indicate that irrigation of lettuce with MCs-rich water may constitute a serious public health risk, especially when contaminated water is received from the very early developmental stages (seed and cotyledon). Finally, results obtained for

Effect of regulated deficit irrigation on growth, flowering and physiological responses of potted Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’

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Michał Koniarski

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to analyze the physiological and morphological response of Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’ to different levels of irrigation and to evaluate regulated deficit irrigation (RDI as a possible technique for saving water in nursery production and promoting of flowering. Plants were grown in 3 liter containers in an unheated greenhouse and were subjected to six irrigation treatments for 18 weeks from the be- ginning of June to mid-October 2011. A drip irrigation system was used. Irrigation treatments were established on the basis of evapotranspiration (ETp. Three constant irrigation treatments were used: 1 1 ETp; 2 0.75 ETp; 3 0.5 ETp, while the other three with irrigation varying between phases were as follows: 4 1–0.5–1; 5 1–0.25–1; and 6 0.5–1–0.5 ETp. The 0.75 ETp and 0.5 ETp irrigation regimes adversely affected the growth and visual quality index of plants as well as they resulted in reduced leaf conductance, transpiration, maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm and CCI (chlorophyll content index. Plants grown under the 1–0.5–1 ETp regime had the same morphological parameters as plants grown under the 0.5 ETp treatment. A further reduction of water quantity supplied to plants in the 1–0.25–1 ETp regime resulted in further deterioration of the visual quality index of plants. In this study, the quality index of plants exposed to 0.5–1–0.5 ETp was similar to control plants (1 ETp. These plants were lower, more compact, and had smaller leaves than control plants. The irrigation regimes imposed in this study had no significant effect on the number of floral buds formed in relation to the control regime, except for 1–0.25–1 ETp where this number decreased.

A comparative study of wireless and wired sensors networks for deficit irrigation management

Science.gov (United States)

Torres Sánchez, Roque; Domingo Miguel, Rafael; Valles, Fulgencio Soto; Perez-Pastor, Alejandro; Lopez Riquelme, Juan Antonio; Blanco Montoya, Victor

2016-04-01

In recent years, the including of sensors in the context of agricultural water management, has received an increasing interest for the establishment of irrigation strategies, such as regulated deficit irrigation (RDI). These strategies allow a significant improvement of crop water productivity (marketable yield / water applied), especially in woody orchards. The application of these deficit irrigation strategies, requires the monitoring of variables related to the orchard, with the purpose of achieving an efficiently irrigation management, since it is necessary to know the soil and plant water status to achieve the level of water deficit desired in each phenological stage. These parameters involve the measurements of soil and plant parameters, by using appropriate instrumentation devices. Traditional centralized instrumentation systems include soil matric potential, water content and LVDT sensors which information is stored by dataloggers with a wired connection to the sensors. Nowadays, these wired systems are being replaced by wireless ones due, mainly, to cost savings in wiring and labor. These technologies (WSNs) allow monitoring a wide variety of parameters in orchards with high density of sensors using discrete and autonomous nodes in the trees or soil places where it is necessary, without using wires. In this paper we present a trial in a cherry crop orchard, with different irrigation strategies where both a wireless and a wired system have been deployed with the aim of obtaining the best criteria on how to select the most suitable technology in future agronomic monitoring systems. The first stage of this study includes the deploying of nodes, wires, dataloggers and the installation of the sensors (same for both, wired and wireless systems). This stage was done during the first 15 weeks of the trial. Specifically, 40 MPS6 soil matric potential, 20 Enviroscan water content and 40 (LVDT and band) dendometers were installed in order to cover the experimental

Tritium dynamics in soils and plants grown under three irrigation regimes at a tritium processing facility in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Mihok, S; Wilk, M; Lapp, A; St-Amant, N; Kwamena, N-O A; Clark, I D

2016-03-01

The dynamics of tritium released from nuclear facilities as tritiated water (HTO) have been studied extensively with results incorporated into regulatory assessment models. These models typically estimate organically bound tritium (OBT) for calculating public dose as OBT itself is rarely measured. Higher than expected OBT/HTO ratios in plants and soils are an emerging issue that is not well understood. To support the improvement of models, an experimental garden was set up in 2012 at a tritium processing facility in Pembroke, Ontario to characterize the circumstances under which high OBT/HTO ratios may arise. Soils and plants were sampled weekly to coincide with detailed air and stack monitoring. The design included a plot of native grass/soil, contrasted with sod and vegetables grown in barrels with commercial topsoil under natural rain and either low or high tritium irrigation water. Air monitoring indicated that the plume was present infrequently at concentrations of up to about 100 Bq/m(3) (the garden was not in a major wind sector). Mean air concentrations during the day on workdays (HTO 10.3 Bq/m(3), HT 5.8 Bq/m(3)) were higher than at other times (0.7-2.6 Bq/m(3)). Mean Tissue Free Water Tritium (TFWT) in plants and soils and OBT/HTO ratios were only very weakly or not at all correlated with releases on a weekly basis. TFWT was equal in soils and plants and in above and below ground parts of vegetables. OBT/HTO ratios in above ground parts of vegetables were above one when the main source of tritium was from high tritium irrigation water (1.5-1.8). Ratios were below one in below ground parts of vegetables when irrigated with high tritium water (0.4-0.6) and above one in vegetables rain-fed or irrigated with low tritium water (1.3-2.8). In contrast, OBT/HTO ratios were very high (9.0-13.5) when the source of tritium was mainly from the atmosphere. TFWT varied considerably through time as a result of SRBT's operations; OBT/HTO ratios showed no clear temporal

Uptake of pharmaceutical and personal care products by soybean plants from soils applied with biosolids and irrigated with contaminated water.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Chenxi; Spongberg, Alison L; Witter, Jason D; Fang, Min; Czajkowski, Kevin P

2010-08-15

Many pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are commonly found in biosolids and effluents from wastewater treatment plants. Land application of these biosolids and the reclamation of treated wastewater can transfer those PPCPs into the terrestrial and aquatic environments, giving rise to potential accumulation in plants. In this work, a greenhouse experiment was used to study the uptake of three pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, diphenhydramine, and fluoxetine) and two personal care products (triclosan and triclocarban) by an agriculturally important species, soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Two treatments simulating biosolids application and wastewater irrigation were investigated. After growing for 60 and 110 days, plant tissues and soils were analyzed for target compounds. Carbamazepine, triclosan, and triclocarban were found to be concentrated in root tissues and translocated into above ground parts including beans, whereas accumulation and translocation for diphenhydramine and fluoxetine was limited. The uptake of selected compounds differed by treatment, with biosolids application resulting in higher plant concentrations, likely due to higher loading. However, compounds introduced by irrigation appeared to be more available for uptake and translocation. Degradation is the main mechanism for the dissipation of selected compounds in biosolids applied soils, and the presence of soybean plants had no significant effect on sorption. Data from two different harvests suggest that the uptake from soil to root and translocation from root to leaf may be rate limited for triclosan and triclocarban and metabolism may occur within the plant for carbamazepine.

Effect of water irrigation volume on Capsicum frutescens growth and plankton abundance in aquaponics system

Science.gov (United States)

Andriani, Y.; Dhahiyat, Y.; Zahidah; Subhan, U.; Iskandar; Zidni, I.; Mawardiani, T.

2018-03-01

This study aimed to understand Capsicum frutescens growth and plankton abundance in aquaponics culture. A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with six treatments in triplicates comprising of treatment A (positive control using organic liquid fertilizer), B (negative control without fertilizer), C (drip irrigation aquaponics with a water debit of 100 ml/day/plant), D (drip irrigation aquaponics with a water debit of 150 ml/day/plant), E (drip irrigation with a water debit of 200 ml/day/plant), and F (drip irrigation aquaponics with a water debit of 250 ml/day/plant) was applied. The water used in treatments C, D, E, and F contained comet fish feces as fertilizer. C. frutescens growth and plankton abundance were observed. Analysis was conducted using analysis of variance for plant productivity and descriptive analysis for plankton abundance and water quality. The results of this study showed that the highest plant growth was seen in plants receiving F treatment with 50 ml/day drip irrigation. However, no significant difference was found when compared to the positive control with organic artificial fertilizer. Eleven types of phytoplankton and six types of zooplankton were found, with Stanieria sp. as the most abundant phytoplankton and Brachionus sp. and Epistylis sp. as the most abundant zooplanktons.

Possible Use of Treated Wastewater as Irrigation Water at Urban Green Area

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Elif Bozdoğan

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Ever increasing demands for fresh water resources have brought the reuse of treated wastewater into agendas. Wastewater has year-long potential to be used as an irrigation water source. Therefore, treated wastewater is used as irrigation water over agricultural lands and urban landscapes, as process water in industrial applications, as back-up water in environmental applications in water resources and wetlands of dry regions. The present study was conducted to investigate the possible use of domestic wastewater treated through pilot-scale constructed wetland of Adana-Karaisalı with dominant Mediterranean climate in irrigation of marigold (Tagetes erecta, commonly used over urban landscapes. Experiments were carried out between the dates May-November 2008 for 7 months with fresh water and treated wastewater. Plant growth parameters (plant height, plant diameter, number of branches and flowering parameters (number of flowers, flower diameter, flower pedicle thickness were monitored in monthly basis. Results revealed positive impacts of treated wastewater irrigations on plant growth during the initial 5 months between May-September but negative impacts in October and November. Similarly, treated wastewater irrigations had positive impacts on flowering parameters during the initial 3 months but had negative impacts during the subsequent 4 months. Such a case indicated shortened visual efficiencies of marigold. Therefore, treated wastewater can be used as an alternative water resource in irrigation of annual flowers, but better results can be attained by mixing treated wastewater with fresh water at certain ratios.

Increased malaria transmission around irrigation schemes in Ethiopia and the potential of canal water management for malaria vector control.

Science.gov (United States)

Kibret, Solomon; Wilson, G Glenn; Tekie, Habte; Petros, Beyene

2014-09-13

Irrigation schemes have been blamed for the increase in malaria in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. However, proper water management could help mitigate malaria around irrigation schemes in this region. This study investigates the link between irrigation and malaria in Central Ethiopia. Larval and adult mosquitoes were collected fortnightly between November 2009 and October 2010 from two irrigated and two non-irrigated (control) villages in the Ziway area, Central Ethiopia. Daily canal water releases were recorded during the study period and bi-weekly correlation analysis was done to determine relationships between canal water releases and larval/adult vector densities. Blood meal sources (bovine vs human) and malaria sporozoite infection were tested using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Monthly malaria data were also collected from central health centre of the study villages. Monthly malaria incidence was over six-fold higher in the irrigated villages than the non-irrigated villages. The number of anopheline breeding habitats was 3.6 times higher in the irrigated villages than the non-irrigated villages and the most common Anopheles mosquito breeding habitats were waterlogged field puddles, leakage pools from irrigation canals and poorly functioning irrigation canals. Larval and adult anopheline densities were seven- and nine-fold higher in the irrigated villages than in the non-irrigated villages, respectively, during the study period. Anopheles arabiensis was the predominant species in the study area. Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite rates of An. arabiensis and Anopheles pharoensis were significantly higher in the irrigated villages than the non-irrigated villages. The annual entomological inoculation rate (EIR) calculated for the irrigated and non-irrigated villages were 34.8 and 0.25 P. falciparum infective bites per person per year, respectively. A strong positive correlation was found between bi-weekly anopheline larval density and canal water

Effect of Irrigation Intervalsand Plantingdate on Agronomic Characteristics of Degen and Drfi (Securiger securidaca L. in Birjand Region

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h Tabiei

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Degen & Drfiis a plant that has medicinal and nutritional importance. Degen&Drfi and countless of plants in this genus had application for medicinal uses such as weight loss and diabetes control. Its seeds also contain protein and lipids as well as some starchy foods are consumed. In order to investigate the effect of irrigation regime and planting date on agronomic characteristics of Degen&Drfi a field experiment carried out in region of kahi, Birjand, south khorasan, Iran, 2010. The experiment was conducted in split plot design in a randomized complete block with four replications. Irrigation regime, including: six, twelve and eighteen days' intervals as main factors and planting Date at four levels (20, 25, 30 April, and5 May were devoted to sub-plots. Analysis of variance showed that irrigation regime for all treatment, had more significant influence on trait including plant height, number of pods per plant, seeds per pod, biomass, grain yield and harvest index, and had significant influence the yield of flowers per plant and weight seed. The highest amounts of each trait were gained from 12 days interval irrigation. The effect of planting date was significant all treatment for all traits except 1000-seed weight. Planting in 20 April had highest values of characteristics. Interaction between irrigation and planting date were significant for number of stems, flowers and pods per plant, biomass, harvest index and grain yield at 1% and plant height at 5% level. The highest seed yield was obtained from irrigation in 12 days interval and planting in the 20 April. Results showed that irrigation in 12 days interval and planting especially in late April are the best treatment forDegen&Drfi production.

Effect of sea salt irrigation on plant growth, yield potential and some biochemical attributes of carissa carandas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tayyab, A.

2016-01-01

Carissa carandas (varn. Karonda) is an edible and medicinal plant having ability to grow in saline and water deficit conditions, however, little is known about its salinity tolerance. Therefore, the effect of salinity on vegetative (height and volume), reproductive (number of flowers and number, size and weight of fruits) and some biochemical parameters (leaf pigments, ions, soluble sugars, proteins, and phenols) of C. carandas were studied. Plants were grown in drum pot culture and irrigated with non-saline or saline water of 0.6% and 0.8% sea salt concentrations, for a period of 30 months. Results showed that, plant height, and canopy volume decreased with increasing salinity. The chlorophyll contents and chlorophyll a/b ratio followed the similar trend as for growth, however, carotenoids increased at 0.6% sea salt and subsequently decreased in higher salinity. Unchanged soluble sugar and protein content at 0.6% sea salt, as compared to control, could be attributed to leaf osmotic adjustments which decreased with further increase in salinity. Linear increase in soluble phenols and carotenoid/chlorophyll ratio indicating a protective strategy of C. carandas to minimize photo-damage. Besides increasing Na+ and decreasing K+ contents, plant seemed to maintain K+/Na+ ratio (above 1), especially at 0.6 sea salt, which disturbed at higher salinity. Salinity adversely affected reproductive growth of C. carandas where, production of flowers, and fruits were significantly reduced. In addition, fresh and dry weights of fruits decreased with increasing salinity, but salinity did not affect fruit length and diameter. Present study provides basic information related to plant growth, fruit yield and some biochemical attributes, which suggest that C. carandas is moderately salt tolerant plant. This plant showed potential to grow on saline marginal lands using brackish water irrigation and provide biomass for edible and medicinal purposes. However, in-depth analysis of field and

Water quality and irrigation [Chapter 10

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas D. Landis; Kim M. Wilkinson

2009-01-01

Water is the single most important biological factor affecting plant growth and health. Water is essential for almost every plant process: photosynthesis, nutrient transport, and cell expansion and development. In fact, 80 to 90 percent of a seedling's weight is made up of water. Therefore, irrigation management is the most critical aspect of nursery operations....

Yielding of leaf celery Apium graveolens L. var. secalinum Alef. depending on the number of harvests and irrigation

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Ewa Rożek

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Leaf celery (Apium graveolensvar. secalinum is a vegetable with medicinal and spicy properties. Its numerous intensely fragrant leaves can be cut several times during the plant growing period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of irrigation and number of harvests on leaf celery yield of the cultivars ‘Afina’ and‘Gewone Snij’. Plant irrigation significantly increased leaf yield and plant height of leaf celery. Higher total yield was obtained from non-irrigated plants when leaves were harvested three times, whereas for irrigated plants yield was higher in the case of two leaf harvests. Irrespective of the experimental factors, higher yield was obtained from the cultivar ‘Gewone Snij’.

The Regularity of Optimal Irrigation Patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Morel, Jean-Michel; Santambrogio, Filippo

2010-02-01

A branched structure is observable in draining and irrigation systems, in electric power supply systems, and in natural objects like blood vessels, the river basins or the trees. Recent approaches of these networks derive their branched structure from an energy functional whose essential feature is to favor wide routes. Given a flow s in a river, a road, a tube or a wire, the transportation cost per unit length is supposed in these models to be proportional to s α with 0 measure is the Lebesgue density on a smooth open set and the irrigating measure is a single source. In that case we prove that all branches of optimal irrigation trees satisfy an elliptic equation and that their curvature is a bounded measure. In consequence all branching points in the network have a tangent cone made of a finite number of segments, and all other points have a tangent. An explicit counterexample disproves these regularity properties for non-Lebesgue irrigated measures.

Presentation: 3D magnetic inversion by planting anomalous densities

OpenAIRE

Uieda, Leonardo; Barbosa, Valeria C. F.

2013-01-01

Slides for the presentation "3D magnetic inversion by planting anomalous densities" given at the 2013 AGU Meeting of the Americas in Cancun, Mexico.   Note: There was an error in the title of the talk. The correct title should be "3D magnetic inversion by planting anomalous magnetization"   Abstract: We present a new 3D magnetic inversion algorithm based on the computationally efficient method of planting anomalous densities. The algorithm consists of an iterative growth of the an...

Reproductive sink of sweet corn in response to plant density and hybrid

Science.gov (United States)

Improvements in plant density tolerance have played an essential role in grain corn yield gains for ~80 years; however, plant density effects on sweet corn biomass allocation to the ear (the reproductive ‘sink’) is poorly quantified. Moreover, optimal plant densities for modern white-kernel shrunke...

Performance of 'Rocha' and 'Santa Maria' pears as affected by planting density

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Mateus da Silveira Pasa

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to evaluate the performance of 'Rocha' and 'Santa Maria' pears at two planting densities. The experiment was carried out during the 2011/2012, 2012/2013, and 2013/2014 growing seasons, in one-year-old orchards (2011/2012 of 'Rocha' and 'Santa Maria' pears, trained in a central-leader system and planted in two densities (2,000 and 4,000 trees per hectare. The assessed parameters were: production per hectare, production per tree, yield efficiency, number of fruit per tree, average fruit weight, trunk diameter increment, fruit firmness, and soluble solid contents. The cumulative yield of 'Rocha' is greater at the higher planting density, whereas the yield efficiency of 'Santa Maria' increases at the lower planting density, as the trees get more mature. Trunk diameter of 'Rocha' also increases at the lower planting density. However, fruit quality parameters in both cultivars are little affected by planting density.

Soil capacitance sensors and stem dendrometers. Useful tools for irrigation scheduling of commercial orchards?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonet, L.; Ferrer, P.; Castel, J. R.; Intrigliolo, D. S.

2010-07-01

Irrigation scheduling is often performed based on a soil water balance, where orchard evapotranspiration is estimated using the reference evapotranspiration (ETo) times the crop coefficient (Kc). This procedure, despite being widely spread, has some uncertainties. Because of this, plant and soil water status monitoring could be alternatively or complementarity used to schedule irrigation. The usefulness of capacitance probes was evaluated during several seasons in large irrigation districts where irrigation practices were changed over years from the ETo * Kc model to the analysis of soil water status trend. This area corresponds to drip irrigated orchards planted with citrus, peach, nectarine and persimmon. Around 25% less irrigation was applied with no substantial yield penalty when the information provided by capacitance probes was correctly applied for irrigation management. On the other hand, the usefulness of stem dendrometers for continuously monitoring plant water status was evaluated in a young plum experimental orchard. Over two years, irrigation was scheduled using exclusively trunk shrinkage via the signal intensity approach by means of a baseline equation previously obtained in the orchard. Results showed that it was not always possible to schedule irrigation based on the trunk shrinkage signal intensity due to the temporal changes in the reference values that occurred as trees aged. Overall, results obtained are discussed in terms of the possible extrapolation at field level of both capacitance probes and stem dendrometers. Advantages and drawbacks of each technique are analyzed and discussed. (Author) 34 refs.

The factors controlling species density in herbaceous plant communities: An assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Grace, J.B.

1999-01-01

This paper evaluates both the ideas and empirical evidence pertaining to the control of species density in herbaceous plant communities. While most theoretical discussions of species density have emphasized the importance of habitat productivity and disturbance regimes, many other factors (e.g. species pools, plant litter accumulation, plant morphology) have been proposed to be important. A review of literature presenting observations on the density of species in small plots (in the vicinity of a few square meters or less), as well as experimental studies, suggests several generalizations: (1) Available data are consistent with an underlying unimodal relationship between species density and total community biomass. While variance in species density is often poorly explained by predictor variables, there is strong evidence that high levels of community biomass are antagonistic to high species density. (2) Community biomass is just one of several factors affecting variations in species density. Multivariate analyses typically explain more than twice as much variance in species density as can be explained by community biomass alone. (3) Disturbance has important and sometimes complex effects on species density. In general, the evidence is consistent with the intermediate disturbance hypothesis but exceptions exist and effects can be complex. (4) Gradients in the species pool can have important influences on patterns of species density. Evidence is mounting that a considerable amount of the observed variability in species density within a landscape or region may result from environmental effects on the species pool. (5) Several additional factors deserve greater consideration, including time lags, species composition, plant morphology, plant density and soil microbial effects. Based on the available evidence, a conceptual model of the primary factors controlling species density is presented here. This model suggests that species density is controlled by the effects of

Early Growth of Improved Acacia mangium at Different Planting Densities

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Arif Nirsatmanto

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Integrating tree improvement into silvicultural practices is essential in forest plantation. Concerning this fact, Acacia mangium spacing trial planted using genetically improved seed was established in West Java. This study was aimed to evaluate the impact of ages and planting density on early growth of improved seed A. mangium in the spacing trial. Improved seed from 2 seed orchards (SSO-5 and SSO-20 and a control of unimproved seed from seed stand (SS-7 were tested together in spacing 3 × 3 m and 2 × 2 m. Height, diameter, stem volume, and stand volume were observed at 3 ages. The results showed that improved seed consistently outperformed to unimproved seed. Ages were highly significant for all traits, but the significant difference varied among traits and seed sources for planting density and the interactions. High density performed better growth than low density at first year, and they were varied in subsequent ages depending on traits and seed sources. Improved seed from less intensity selection orchard was less tolerance to high density than that from high intensity selection orchard, but the tolerance was reversed in low density. Improved seed A. mangium from different level of genetic selection has responded differently in behavior to the changes of planting density.

Effect of Irrigation Regimes on Yield of Two Commercial Varieties of Pomegranate in the Climatic Condition in Yazd

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ali bafkar

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The maximum water efficiency and water productivity of the agricultural sector is one of the most important and effective ways to deal with the water crisis and mitigate the effects of drought. Therefore, scientific and practical agricultural water productivity in terms of planning and development must be followed. Local or drip irrigation systems supply some of the moist around the roots and the plant uses the moisture in the soil. Irrigation systems and irrigation scheduling affect water uptake by plants. Matrials and Methods: In order to evaluate the effect of irrigation on the yield of 4-year-old pomegranate trees with local irrigation system (Bubbler in sandy loam soil with bulk density 1.15 grams per cubic centimeter a research was performed in Agriculture and Natural Resources Research Center of Yazd province with an altitude of 1230 meters . The region has an arid climate with 51 mm average annual rainfall and average annual temperature of 20 ° C, which is located 10 kilometers from the center of the city of Yazd. This project was designed in a factorial experiment with a randomized complete block with three irrigation regimes I1, I2, I3, including irrigation (FC100%, 25% of deficit irrigation (FC75% and 50 percent deficit irrigation (FC50% on two commercial cultivars of pomegranates, which have been growing at 3 × 4 with three replications. To prevent penetration of water per tree, plots adjacent to each block strip (three meters between rows and between plants within one and a half meters without irrigation tape were used as a guard. Trees around the pool shaped a rectangular building with a flow rate of 96 liters per hour for each tree using Bubbler system. The use of such a system with high flow rate, suitability and cost of such a system in orchards and vineyards, water supply reduces energy consumption in a tree in a short time. To prevent clogging of the filter, disc dropper was used at the beginning of the project

Soil Nutrient Availability, Plant Nutrient Uptake, and Wild Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait. Yield in Response to N-Viro Biosolids and Irrigation Applications

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Aitazaz A. Farooque

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We compared the impact of surface broadcasted N-Viro biosolids and inorganic fertilizer (16.5% Ammonium sulphate, 34.5% Diammonium phosphate, 4.5% Potash, and 44.5% s and/or clay filler applications on soil properties and nutrients, leaf nutrient concentration, and the fruit yield of lowbush blueberry under irrigated and nonirrigated conditions during 2008-2009 at Debert, NS, Canada. Application rates of N-Viro biosolids were more than double of inorganic fertilizer applied at a recommended N rate of 32 kg ha−1. The experimental treatments NI: N-Viro with irrigation, FI: inorganic fertilizer with irrigation, N: N-Viro without irrigation, and F: inorganic fertilizer without irrigation (control were replicated four times under a randomized complete block design. The NI treatment had the highest OM (6.68% followed by FI (6.32%, N (6.18%, and F (4.43% treatments during the year 2008. Similar trends were observed during 2009 with the highest soil OM values (5.50% for NI treatment. Supplemental irrigation resulted in a 21% increase in the ripe fruit yield. Nonsignificant effect of fertilizer treatments on most of the nutrient concentrations in soil and plant leaves, and on ripe fruits yield reflects that the performance of N-Viro was comparable with that of the inorganic fertilizer used in this study.

Productive performance of soybean cultivars grown in different plant densities

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Augusto Belchior Marchetti Ribeiro

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Plants density in soybean cultivation is an important management practice to achieve high grain yield. In this way, the objective was to evaluate the agronomic traits and grain yield in soybean in different plant densities, in two locations in the south of Minas Gerais. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, arranged in a split plot design, with three replications. Plots were composed of four population densities (300, 400, 500 and 600 thousand plants per hectare and the subplots were composed of six cultivars (‘BMX Força RR’, ‘CD 250 RR’, ‘FMT 08 - 60.346/1’, ‘NA 5909 RR’, ‘TMG 7161 RR’ and ‘V - TOP RR’ grown in Lavras and Inconfidentes, both in Minas Gerais. At the time of harvest was determined the plant height, lodging, insertion of the first pod, harvest index, number of pods per plant, number of grains, number of grains per pod and yield. Regardless of the soybean cultivar, the plant density of up to 600,000 per ha does not affect grain yield, plant height, lodging, harvest index, and number of grains per pod. The cultivars ‘V-TOP RR’ and ‘BMX FORÇA RR’ showed high grain yield and good agronomic traits in Lavras and Incofidentes.

Active condensation of the atmospheric moisture as a self-irrigation mechanism for the ground-covering plants

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Karpun Yuriy Nikolaevich

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Studies conducted at the Subtropical Botanical Garden of Kuban (Utch-Dere, Sochi pretty much allow to explain the abnormally high drought resistance of Liriope graminifolia Lour. and Ophiopogon japonicus Ker.-Gawl., plants that naturally grow mostly in sufficient humidity. Quite low temperatures of the leaves’ surface allow to effectively condense the atmospheric moisture and to direct it along the leaf blade to the ground. The accumulation of condensation water leads to self-irrigation, a mechanism that ensures survival of plants in case of insufficient natural precipitation in the form of rain or fog. Combined with xeromorphic leaves with a thick cuticle and thick branch roots with fusiform bulb-shaped swellings, allowing to store water, makes the named plants extremely resistant to stress factors such as prolonged summer droughts accompanied by high daytime temperatures.

Study of the Effects Irrigation Water Sanity and pH on Production and Relative Absorption of some Elements Nutrient by the Tomato Plant

OpenAIRE

Hossein Afshari; Shahram Ashraf; Abdol G. Ebadi; Sara Jalali; Hossein Abbaspour; Morteza S. Daliri; Seyed R. Toudar

2011-01-01

Problem statement: This study was conducted to examine the effects of irrigation water pH and sanity on the growth and absorption of P, Na, Ca, K by tomato. Approach:The study includes two sanity and pH factors and is consisted from 12 treatment and three repetitions. Tomato seeding grown in foam trays were transplanted in the joune 2010 to bags filled with perte in an Greenhouse at Damghan Islamic Azad University of Iran. Plant were divided into groups then irrigated with the targeted sane a...

Soil properties evolution after irrigation with reclaimed water

Science.gov (United States)

Leal, M.; González-Naranjo, V.; de Miguel, A.; Martínez-Hernández, V.; Lillo, J.

2012-04-01

Many arid and semi-arid countries are forced to look for new and alternative water sources. The availability of suitable quality water for agriculture in these regions often is threatened. In this context of water scarcity, the reuse of treated wastewater for crop irrigation could represent a feasible solution. Through rigorous planning and management, irrigation with reclaimed water presents some advantages such as saving freshwater, reducing wastewater discharges into freshwater bodies and decreasing the amount of added fertilizers due to the extra supply of nutrients by reclaimed water. The current study, which involves wastewater reuse in agriculture, has been carried out in the Experimental Plant of Carrión de los Céspedes (Sevile, Spain). Here, two survey parcels equally designed have been cultivated with Jatropha curcas L, a bioenergetic plant and a non-interfering food security crop. The only difference between the two parcels lies on the irrigation water quality: one is irrigated with groundwater and another one with reclaimed water. The main aim of this study focuses on analysing the outstanding differences in soil properties derived from irrigation with two water qualities, due to their implications for plant growth. To control and monitor the soil variables, soil samples were collected before and after irrigation in the two parcels. pH, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+ and K+), kjeldahl nitrogen, organic matter content and nutrients (boron, phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium) were measured. Data were statistically analyzed using the R package. To evaluate the variance ANOVA test was used and to obtain the relations between water quality and soil parameters, Pearson correlation coefficient was computed. According to other authors, a decrease in the organic matter content and an increase of parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity and some exchangeable cations were expected. To date and after

Biochar enhances yield and quality of tomato under reduced irrigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Saleem Akhtar, Saqib; Li, Guitong; Andersen, Mathias Neumann

2014-01-01

tBiochar is an amendment that can be used for enhancing soil water storage which may increase cropproductivity. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of biochar on physiology, yield andquality of tomato under different irrigation regimes. From early flowering to fruit maturity...... stages, theplants were subjected to full irrigation (FI), deficit irrigation (DI) and partial root-zone drying irrigation(PRD) and two levels of biochar (0% and 5% by weight). In FI, the plants were irrigated daily to pot waterholding capacity while in DI and PRD, 70% of FI was irrigated on either...... the whole or one side of the pots,respectively. In PRD, irrigation was switched between sides when the soil water content of the dry sidedecreased to 15%. The results showed that addition of biochar increased the soil moisture contents in DIand PRD, which consequently improved physiology, yield, and quality...

Effects of soil moisture conservation practice, irrigation and fertilization on Jatropha curcas

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Aran Phiwngam

2016-11-01

Full Text Available A field experiment was conducted on an Ultic Haplustalf at the Kanchanaburi Research Station, Muang district, Kanchanaburi province, western Thailand between July 2011 and June 2012. Split plots in a randomized complete block design with four replications were employed, having eight main plots (soil moisture conservation practice and irrigation, W1–W8 and 2 sub plots (fertilization, F1 and F2. Jatropha curcas (KUBP 78-9 Var., having been planted at 2 × 2 m spacing, was aged 2 yr when the experiment was commenced. The highly significantly heaviest 100-seed weight of 42 g was obtained 1 mth after water irrigation which had been applied at the rate of 16 L/plant, particularly in the treatment with crop residue mulching (W8 but there were no significant differences among the other treatments where irrigation had been applied (W5–W7. Fertilization and a combination between different fertilizers and soil moisture conservation schemes plus irrigation showed no different effect on the weight of 100 seeds throughout the year of measurement. Growing J. curcas with drip-irrigated water at the rate of 16 L/plant applied every 2 d and crop residue mulching (W8 significantly gave the highest seed yield of 1301.3 kg/ha at 15% moisture content. There were no significant differences among the seed yields from the plots applied with the same amount of irrigated water but with no mulching (W7 and half that amount of irrigated water with crop residue mulching (W6, producing yields of 1112.0 kg/ha and 1236.3 kg/ha, respectively. Three-year-old J. curcas gave inferior seed yield when grown with no irrigated water supply (W1–W4. The application of 50–150–150 kg/ha of N–P2O5–K2O significantly induced a higher amount of seed yield (933.9 kg/ha than did the addition of 93.75–93.75–93.75 kg/ha of N–P2O5–K2O (786.3 kg/ha. The interaction between soil moisture conservation plus irrigation and fertilizer was clear. Applying 50–150�

Desenvolvimento vegetativo do pepino enxertado irrigado com água salina Vegetative development on grafted cucumber plants irrigated with saline water

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Marcos Vinícius Folegatti

2000-09-01

Full Text Available A salinização dos solos em ambiente protegido devido ao excesso de fertilizantes e falta de lixiviação tem resultado na redução da produtividade das culturas. Este trabalho teve o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos da irrigação com água salina no desenvolvimento vegetativo do pepino enxertado cultivado em ambiente protegido. Foram utilizadas águas de diferentes salinidades (S1=1,58; S2=3,08 e S3=5,13 dS m-1, lâminas de água de irrigação (L0=1,00 x ETc e L1=1,25 x ETc e freqüências de aplicação da lâmina L1 (F1=em todas as irrigações e F2=quando a lâmina de água de irrigação acumulada em L0 atingia 100 mm. Os resultados demonstraram que a altura das plantas, área foliar unitária e índice de área foliar foram afetados linearmente pela salinidade da água, não apresentando diferença para as diferentes lâminas e frequências de aplicação de L1.Greenhouse soil salinization by excessive fertilization and lack of leaching has been a common cause of cucumber yield reduction in Brazil. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of irrigation with saline water on the vegetative development of grafted cucumber plants in a greenhouse. Three water salinities (S1=1.58; S2=3.08 e S3=5.13 dS m-1, two irrigation water depths (L0=1.00 x ETc e L1=1.25 x ETc and two application frequencies of L1 (F1=in all irrigations and F2=when the irrigation water depth of L0 reached 100 mm were used. Irrigation water depths and frequencies of L1 were grouped and, therefore, the experimental design was in a factorial scheme 3x3, with randomized blocks. Results showed that plant height, unit leaf area and leaf area index were linearly affected by water salinity. No differences were observed for the various irrigation water depths and frequencies of L1 application.

[Ecological risks of reclaimed water irrigation: a review].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Wei-Ping; Zhang, Wei-Ling; Pan, Neng; Jiao, Wen-Tao

2012-12-01

Wastewater reclamation and reuse have become an important approach to alleviate the water crisis in China because of its social, economic and ecological benefits. The irrigation on urban green space and farmland is the primary utilization of reclaimed water, which has been practiced world widely. To understand the risk of reclaimed water irrigation, we summarized and reviewed the publications associated with typical pollutants in reclaimed water including salts, nitrogen, heavy metals, emerging pollutants and pathogens, systematically analyzed the ecological risk posed by reclaimed water irrigation regarding plant growth, groundwater quality and public health. Studies showed that salt and salt ions were the major risk sources of reclaimed water irrigation, spreading disease was another potential risk of using reclaimed water, and emerging pollutants was the hot topic in researches of ecological risk. Based on overseas experiences, risk control measures on reclaimed water irrigation in urban green space and farmland were proposed. Five recommendations were given to promote the safe use of reclaimed water irrigation including (1) strengthen long-term in situ monitoring, (2) promote the modeling studies, (3) build up the connections of reclaimed water quality, irrigation management and ecological risk, (4) evaluate the soil bearing capacity of reclaimed water irrigation, (5) and establish risk management system of reclaimed water reuse.

Clay pot irrigation for tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill production in the north east semiarid region of Ethiopia

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Kebede Woldetsadik

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Water shortage is one of the major constraints for production of horticultural crops in arid and semiarid regions. A field experiment was conducted to determine irrigation water and fertilizer use efficiency, growth and yield of tomato under clay pot irrigation at the experimental site of Sekota Dryland Agricultural Research Center, Lalibela, Ethiopia in 2009/10. The experiment comprised of five treatments including furrow irrigated control and clay pot irrigation with different plant population and fertilization methods, which were arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The highest total and marketable fruit yields were obtained from clay pot irrigation combined with application of nitrogen fertilizer with irrigation water irrespective of difference in plant population. The clay pot irrigation had seasonal water use of up to 143.71 mm, which resulted in significantly higher water use efficiency (33.62 kg m-3 as compared to the furrow irrigation, which had a seasonal water use of 485.50 mm, and a water use efficiency of 6.67 kg m-3. Application of nitrogen fertilizer with irrigation water in clay pots improved fertilizer use efficiency of tomato by up to 52% than band application with furrow or clay pot irrigation. Thus, clay pot irrigation with 33,333 plants ha-1 and nitrogen fertilizer application with irrigation water in clay pots was the best method for increasing the yield of tomato while economizing the use of water and nitrogen fertilizer in a semiarid environment.

Use of Dehydrated Agar to Estimate Microbial Water Quality for Horticulture Irrigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Meador, Dustin P; Fisher, Paul R; Guy, Charles L; Harmon, Philip F; Peres, Natalia A; Teplitski, Max

2016-07-01

Petrifilms are dehydrated agar culture plates that have been used to quantify colony forming units (CFU) mL of either aerobic bacteria (Petrifilm-AC) or fungus (Petrifilm-YM), depending on substrate composition. Microbes in irrigation systems can indicate biofilm risk and potential clogging of irrigation emitters. The research objective was to compare counts on Petrifilms versus traditional, hydrated-agar plates using samples collected from recirculated irrigation waters and cultures of isolated known species. The estimated count (in CFU mL) from a recirculated irrigation sample after 7 d of incubation on Petrifilm-YM was only 5.5% of the count quantified using sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) with chloramphenicol after 14 d. In a separate experiment with a known species, Petrifilm-YM did not successfully culture zoospores of . Isolates of viable zoospores were cultured successfully on potato-dextrose agar (PDA), with comparable counts with a vegetable juice medium supplemented with the antibiotics pimaricin, ampicillin, rifamycin, pentochloronitrobenzene and hymexazol (PARP-H). The quantification of pv. Begoniaceae on Petrifilm-AC was not significantly different ( < 0.05) than on PDA, but was lower than on Reasoner and Goldrich agar (R2A) or with a hemocytometer. The current formulation of Petrifilm-YM is unlikely to be a useful monitoring method for plant pathogens in irrigation water because of the inability to successfully culture oomycetes. However, Petrifilm-AC was an effective method to quantify bacteria and can provide an easy-to-use on-farm tool to monitor biofilm risk and microbial density. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Maize yield and quality in response to plant density and application of a novel plant growth regulator

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhang, Q.; Zhang, L.; Evers, J.B.; Werf, van der W.; Zhang, W.; Duan, L.

2014-01-01

Farmers in China have gradually increased plant density in maize to achieve higher yields, but this has increased risk of lodging due to taller and weaker stems at higher plant densities. Plant growth regulators can be used to reduce lodging risk. In this study, for the first time, the performance

Effect of Superabsorbent Application under Different Irrigation Regimes on Photosynthetic Pigments in Cuminum cyminum and its Relation with Seed and Essential Oil Yield

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A. Pirzad

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Cumin, sometimes spelled cummin (Cuminum cyminum L.; Apiaceae, also known as Zeera is native from the East Mediterranean to India. Its seeds are used in the cuisines of many different cultures, and it is also used as a medicinal plant, serving as a digestant, as well as being used to treat anemia and the common cold. Cumin is a drought tolerant plant, has a short growth season of 100 – 120 days, with optimum growth temperature ranges between 25°C and 30 °C. Drought is one of the most important environmental factors that influences seed yield of crop plants in arid and semi-arid regions,through physiological response of plant. To reduce drought stress damages, some synthetic materials like hydroplus superabsorbent polymers, highly hydrophilic due to low cross-links in their structure, can be used to save soil moisture. Thus, superabsorbent polymer may have great potential in restoration and reclamation of soil and storing water available for plant growth and production. Materials and Methods: To evaluate accumulation of photosynthetic pigments and seed yield of cumin, a factorial experiment was conducted based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications at the Research Farm of Urmia University (latitude 37.53° N, 45.08° E, and 1320 m above sea level.- The soil texture of experimental site was clay loam (28% silt, 32% clay, 40% sand with 22.5% field capacity, 1.54 g/cm3 soil density, and pH 7.6. Treatments were four irrigation regimes (irrigation after 50, 100, 150 and 200 mm of evaporation from class A pan and different amounts of superabsorbent polymer (0, 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300 kg/ha. To measure the chlorophyll content (Chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll, 0.25 g of grounded leaves were adjusted to 25 ml by distilled water, and 0.5 ml of this solute was mixed with 4.5 ml acetone 80%. The upper zone of centrifuged solution was taken for spectrophotometery at 645nm and 663 nm wavelengths. To measure the

Response of False horn plantain to different plant densities and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study, which was carried out at the Crops Research Institute, Kumasi, Ghana, from April 1992 to March 1995, aimed at determining (i) the optimum plant density of False horn plantain for maximum yield, and (ii) the optimum frequency of handweeding for economic returns. Results indicated that the optimum plant density ...

Performance of Salix viminalis and Populus nigra x Populus maximowiczii in short rotation intensive culture under high irrigation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fillion, Maud; Brisson, Jacques [Departement de Sciences biologiques, Universite de Montreal, C.P. 6128, succ. Centre-ville, Montreal, Quebec (Canada); Institut de recherche en biologie vegetale, 4101 Sherbrooke East, Montreal, Quebec (Canada); Teodorescu, Traian I.; Labrecque, Michel [Institut de recherche en biologie vegetale, 4101 Sherbrooke East, Montreal, Quebec (Canada); Sauve, Sebastien [Departement de chimie, Universite de Montreal, C.P. 6128, succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, Quebec (Canada)

2009-09-15

On a plantation established in 2004 from stem cuttings at a density of 20,000 trees per hectare, we investigated growth and nutritional plant response to a high hydraulic regime for two species (Salix viminalis and Populus nigra x Populus maximowiczii), using a comparative approach with measurements from irrigated and control plots. The plantation was irrigated from June to September 2005 with about 140 mm per day. The equivalent of 120 Kg NO{sub 3}-N, 40 Kg P{sub 2}O{sub 5}-P and 85 Kg K{sub 2}O-K per hectare per year was applied by means of irrigation with wastewater. No mortality occurred and stem biomass production of both poplar and willow species were not statistically different on irrigated and control areas. However, S. viminalis revealed to be more tolerant to flooded conditions since these corresponded more closely to its nutritional requirements (foliar concentration of 20 mgN g{sup -1}). The capacity of S. viminalis to withstand waterlogged conditions could play an important role in the sustainability of a plantation for the filtration of effluent at low pollutant concentration. (author)

Physiological response of soybean genotypes to plant density

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gan, Y; Stulen, [No Value; van Keulen, H; Kuiper, PJC

2002-01-01

Response of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) to plant density has occupied a segment of agronomic research for most of the century. Genotype differences have been noted especially in response to planting date, lodging problems and water limitation. There is limited information on the physiological

Bayesian Belief Networks Approach for Modeling Irrigation Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Andriyas, S.; McKee, M.

2012-12-01

Canal operators need information to manage water deliveries to irrigators. Short-term irrigation demand forecasts can potentially valuable information for a canal operator who must manage an on-demand system. Such forecasts could be generated by using information about the decision-making processes of irrigators. Bayesian models of irrigation behavior can provide insight into the likely criteria which farmers use to make irrigation decisions. This paper develops a Bayesian belief network (BBN) to learn irrigation decision-making behavior of farmers and utilizes the resulting model to make forecasts of future irrigation decisions based on factor interaction and posterior probabilities. Models for studying irrigation behavior have been rarely explored in the past. The model discussed here was built from a combination of data about biotic, climatic, and edaphic conditions under which observed irrigation decisions were made. The paper includes a case study using data collected from the Canal B region of the Sevier River, near Delta, Utah. Alfalfa, barley and corn are the main crops of the location. The model has been tested with a portion of the data to affirm the model predictive capabilities. Irrigation rules were deduced in the process of learning and verified in the testing phase. It was found that most of the farmers used consistent rules throughout all years and across different types of crops. Soil moisture stress, which indicates the level of water available to the plant in the soil profile, was found to be one of the most significant likely driving forces for irrigation. Irrigations appeared to be triggered by a farmer's perception of soil stress, or by a perception of combined factors such as information about a neighbor irrigating or an apparent preference to irrigate on a weekend. Soil stress resulted in irrigation probabilities of 94.4% for alfalfa. With additional factors like weekend and irrigating when a neighbor irrigates, alfalfa irrigation

Effect of Timing and Amount of Irrigation Water on Bean Yield and Water Use Efficiency in Arid and Semi-arid Conditions

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S.S. Nurbakhsh

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Nowadays, due to lack of water resources and increasing demand for water, agricultural water planning issues need further consideration. With proper planning and determination of irrigation depth and time, the effects of stress and yield loss on the plants are reduced. Irrigation scheduling is one of the most important factors in crop’s quality and quantity. The main objective of irrigation scheduling is to control crop’s water conditions in order to achieve its optimum yield level. So irrigation timing is the vital factor on which crop water stress and eventually yield's level are dependent upon. Moreover, irrigation timing is used in irrigation scheduling. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of irrigation time on water consumption, water use efficiency and yield of beans. Materials and Methods: In order to observe the effect of the amount and the time of the irrigation on water consumption, yields rate and water use efficiency, the current research was carried out at the University of Shahrekord during the summer of 2012. The experiment was done as a completely randomized design with 4 repetitions consisting of irrigation time and the amount of irrigation in 4 and 2 levels (at 6, 8, 14 and 18 and (deficit irrigation, full irrigation, respectively. Beans seeds were planted in 32 similar vases with a diameter of 45 cm and height of 60 cm, in each experiment. Treatments were begun after 37 days from planting. Treatments were irrigated when the average moisture in the root zone was equal to the lower border of readily available water of full irrigation. At the end of the experiments, plants were completely harvested. Then the plant’s height, number of branches, numbers of pods per plant, pod and seed weight were measured. Results and Discussion: Results showed that irrigating at different times during the day influenced water use efficiency, water consumption, seeds yield and number of pods in the bush. The water

Weed Control with Cover Crops in Irrigated Potatoes

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G.H. Mehring

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Field experiments at Oakes, ND, USA in 2010 and Carrington, ND, USA in 2011 were conducted to evaluate the potential for cover crops grown in the Northern Great Plains, USA in order to reduce weed emergence and density in irrigated potatoes. Treatments included five cover crop treatments and three cover crop termination treatments. Termination of cover crops was done with glyphosate, disk-till, and roto-till. Cover crop biomass accumulation was greatest for rye/canola and triticale at Oakes, and hairy vetch and hairy vetch/rye at Carrington. Cover crop and termination affected weed control 14, 29, and 51 days after planting (DAP at Oakes. Weed control at Carrington was at least 90% for all cover crop and termination treatments at all three evaluation timings. Marketable yield at Oakes was greater when roto-till was used to terminate the cover crops compared with disk-till or herbicide, which is beneficial for organic systems where herbicides are not used. Marketable yield at Carrington was not affected by cover crop or termination treatments. Results suggest that cover crops can successfully be integrated into irrigated potato production for weed control with yields equal to no cover crop, and with attention to potential mechanical difficulties.

Coolidge solar powered irrigation pumping project

Science.gov (United States)

Larson, D. L.

1980-01-01

A 150 kW solar thermal electric power plant which includes over 2100 square meters of parabolic trough type collectors and an organic Rankine cycle turbine engine was constructed on an irrigated farm. The plant is interconnected with the electrical utility grid. Operation is providing an evaluation of equipment performance and operating and maintenance requirements as well as the desirability of an on farm location.

Phenotypic Responses of Twenty Diverse Proso Millet (Panicum miliaceum L. Accessions to Irrigation

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Cedric Habiyaremye

2017-03-01

Full Text Available To date, little research has been conducted on the phenotypic responses of proso millet to drought and deficit irrigation treatments in the dryland wheat-based cropping systems of the Palouse bioregion of the U.S. The objectives of this study were to evaluate critical agronomic traits of proso millet, including emergence, plant height, days to heading, days to maturity, and grain yield, with and without supplemental irrigation. Twenty diverse proso millet accessions, originating from Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Morocco, the former Soviet Union, Turkey, and the United States, were grown in irrigated and non-irrigated treatments under organic conditions in Pullman, WA, from 2012 to 2014. Irrigation was shown to significantly improve emergence and increase plant height at stem extension and to hasten ripening of all the varieties, whereas heading date was not affected by irrigation in two of the three years tested. Irrigation resulted in higher mean seed yield across all varieties, with ‘GR 665’ and ‘Earlybird’ performing best under irrigation. Seed yield was highest in ‘GR 658’ and ‘Minsum’ in the non-irrigated treatment, suggesting the importance of identification and utilization of varieties adapted to low rainfall conditions. The highest yielding varieties in irrigated systems are unlikely be the highest yielding in dryland systems. Our results suggest that millet has potential as a regionally novel crop for inclusion in traditional dryland cropping rotations in the Palouse ecosystem, thereby contributing to increased cropping system diversity.

Review. Deficit irrigation in fruit trees and vines in Spain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruiz-Sanchez, M. C.; Domingo, R.; Castel, J. R.

2010-07-01

Water has become the most precious of natural resources in many areas of Spain and, since agriculture is the major consumer of water, improvements in water use efficiency are increasingly sought. Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) is an irrigation strategy based on applying only a fraction of the plant water requirements during certain periods of plant development. The paper reviews the available information on RDI strategies, in woody tree crops and vines based on studies by Spanish research groups. Both the promising results obtained and the drawbacks are covered. (Author) 130 refs.

EFFECTS OF IRRIGATION WATER QUALITY (DIFFERENT SALINITY LEVELS AND BORON CONCENTRATIONS ON MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GRAFTED AND NON-GRAFTED EGGPLANTS

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İsmail Taş

2016-07-01

Full Text Available High yield cultivars with quite high resistance against pests and diseases, irrigation water salinity and deficit irrigation conditions are significant in plant production activities. Researches have been conducted also to improve the resistance of available cultivars. Since 1990s, researchers have tried to use low quality irrigation waters just because of deficit water resources and current trends in global warming and climate change. The basic target in all these researches is to reduce production costs and to improve quality and yields. Availability of low quality irrigation waters is a basic component of sustainable agricultural production. The present study was conducted in 40 liter pots under greenhouse conditions. Grafted and non-grafted eggplant seedlings were planted into these pots. Then, plants were irrigated with irrigations waters with different salinity levels (0.25, 1, 1.5, 2, 4, 6, 10 and 15 dS/m and boron concentrations (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 ppm. In this way, effects of different irrigation water qualities on plant morphological characteristics were investigated.

Rice Photosynthetic Productivity and PSII Photochemistry under Nonflooded Irrigation

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Haibing He

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Nonflooded irrigation is an important water-saving rice cultivation technology, but little is known on its photosynthetic mechanism. The aims of this work were to investigate photosynthetic characteristics of rice during grain filling stage under three nonflooded irrigation treatments: furrow irrigation with plastic mulching (FIM, furrow irrigation with nonmulching (FIN, and drip irrigation with plastic mulching (DI. Compared with the conventional flooding (CF treatment, those grown in the nonflooded irrigation treatments showed lower net photosynthetic rate (PN, lower maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm, and lower effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (ΦPSII. And the poor photosynthetic characteristics in the nonflooded irrigation treatments were mainly attributed to the low total nitrogen content (TNC. Under non-flooded irrigation, the PN, Fv/Fm, and ΦPSII significantly decreased with a reduction in the soil water potential, but these parameters were rapidly recovered in the DI and FIM treatments when supplementary irrigation was applied. Moreover, The DI treatment always had higher photosynthetic productivity than the FIM and FIN treatments. Grain yield, matter translocation, and dry matter post-anthesis (DMPA were the highest in the CF treatment, followed by the DI, FIM, and FIN treatments in turn. In conclusion, increasing nitrogen content in leaf of rice plants could be a key factor to improve photosynthetic capacity in nonflooded irrigation.

Yield of cherry tomatoes as a function of water salinity and irrigation frequency

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Alexandre N. Santos

2016-02-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The use of brackish water in agriculture can cause salinization of soils and reduce plant yield. This problem can be minimized by hydroponic cultivation, which improves plant development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the yield of cherry tomatoes grown in hydroponic system with substrate under salinity levels of the nutrient solution (NS, exposure time to salinity and irrigation frequency. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, in a randomized complete block design, in a 6 x 2 x 2 factorial scheme with five replicates: six salinity levels of NS prepared with brackish water (3.01; 4.51; 5.94; 7.34; 8.71 and 10.40 dS m-1; two exposure times to NS (60 and 105 days and two irrigation frequencies (one irrigation per day and irrigation every two days. Yield and production components of cherry tomatoes cv. 'Rita' were evaluated. NS salinity affected plant yield, reducing fruit production, which was more significant when plants were subjected to a longer time of exposure to salinity. There was no difference between NS applications on fruit production, when these applications were performed once a day or once every two days.

Relative floral density of an invasive plant affects pollinator foraging behaviour on a native plant

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Amy Marie Iler

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Interactions between invasive and native plants for pollinators vary from competition to facilitation of pollination of native plants. Theory predicts that relative floral densities should account for some of this variation in outcomes, with facilitation at low floral densities and competition at high floral densities of the invader. We tested this prediction by quantifying pollination and female reproductive success of a native herb, Geranium maculatum, in three experimental arrays that varied in floral density of the invasive shrub Lonicera maackii: control (no L. maackii, low floral density of L. maackii, and high floral density of L. maackii. A low density of L. maackii flowers was associated with an increase in pollinator visitation rate to G. maculatum flowers and an increase in conspecific pollen deposition compared to controls and high density arrays. Increased visitation rates were not associated with an increase in the number of visitors to low density arrays, suggesting instead that a behavioural switch in visitation within the array accounted for increased pollen deposition. In contrast, the only evidence of competition in high density arrays was a shorter duration of visits to G. maculatum flowers relative to the other treatments. The number of seeds per flower did not vary among treatments, although trends in seeds per flower were consistent with patterns of pollinator foraging behaviour. Given increased pollinator visits and pollen deposition at a low density of the invader, our study indicates that complete eradication of invasives as a management or restoration technique may have unintended negative consequences for pollination of native plants.

Efeito do manejo da irrigação e de populações de plantas sobre o rendimento do algodoeiro herbáceo Effect of irrigation management and plant population on herbaceous cotton yield

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Francisco Assis de Oliveira

1999-12-01

Full Text Available Objetivou-se estudar, num solo aluvial, franco siltoso, no vale do Açu, no Rio Grande do Norte, o efeito do momento da última irrigação e da população de plantas sobre a altura das plantas e a produtividade do algodoeiro herbáceo (Gossypium hirsutum L.r. latifolium Hutch, cultivar Acala del cerro. Os tratamentos foram definidos pelos momentos da última irrigação aos 65, 80, 95 e 110 dias após a emergência e pela população com 30.000, 60.000, 90.000 e 120.000 plantas/ha. Usou-se o delineamento experimental em blocos ao acaso, com parcelas subdivididas, e quatro repetições. A altura das plantas aumentou com o retardamento da última irrigação e com o tamanho das populações. Houve efeito (P In an alluvial soil, silt loam, of Açu valley, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, a research was carried out to study the effect of time of the last irrigation and plant population on yield and plant height of the herbaceous cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.r. latifolium Hutch cultivar Acala del cerro. Treatments consisted of times of the last irrigation at 65, 80, 95 and 110 days after emergence and populations with 30,000, 60,000, 90,000 and 120,000 plants/ha. The experimental plan was a randomized complete blocks in a split-plot design, with four replications. Delaying time of last irrigation increased height and plant populations. A significant effect (P <= 0.01 of interaction between time of last irrigation and plant population was found for cotton yield. The highest cotton yield (4,090 kg/ha was obtained with the interaction between time of last irrigation at 95 days and in population of 90,000 plants/ha. Irrigation times at 65 and 80 days were considered too early, and at 110 days too late for cotton yields.

Quantifying runoff water quality characteristics from nurseries and avocado groves subjected to altered irrigation and fertilizer regimes

Science.gov (United States)

Samant, S. A.; Beighley, R. E.

2007-12-01

In agriculture, improper, excessive or poorly timed irrigation and fertilizer applications can result in increased pollutants in runoff and degraded water quality. Specifically, the cultivation of salt sensitive plants and nurseries require significant irrigation and fertilizer that leads to high nutrient leaching. In southern California, a large producer of Avocados and nursery plant, waterways are often subjected to elevated nutrient concentrations, which stress the aquatic ecosystem. In this research, the specific objectives are to determine optimal irrigation and fertilizer application rates for minimizing nutrient and sediment export from avocado groves and nurseries. Altered irrigation and fertilizer application experiments will be implemented and monitored at the San Diego State University's Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve, which contains a 12 ha avocado grove and newly constructed 0.4 ha nursery. The study will last for twelve months, with runoff from natural rainfall or irrigation sampled and analyzed for nutrient concentrations on a monthly basis. The growth rate, leaf nutrient content and plant yield will also be monitored monthly. The nursery site is divided into eight plots (13.5-m x 13.5-m), with each plot containing 1200 plants consisting of four commonly used landscaping varieties in southern California. The avocado grove of the Hass variety is divided into four 1-ha plots. The experimental plots represent combinations of irrigation and fertilization practices with different methods and rates. In all cases, irrigation is fully automated based on soil moisture. To assess the effectiveness of the altered irrigation and fertilizer strategies, runoff water quality and plant yield will be compared to controlled treatments. This research is intended to provide a better understanding of how irrigation and fertilizer management can be used for the long-term reduction of nutrients in the Santa Margarita Watershed, which in turn will lead to improved

Effect of Different Methods of Chemical Weed Control Irrigation Regimes on Weed Biomass and Safflower Yield

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M. Matinfar

2011-06-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the effects of different weed control methods and moisture regimes on safflower (Carthamus tinctorius, a field split plot experiment based on randomized complete block design with 4 replications was conducted in Takestan Iran, during growing seasons of 2007-8. Three irrigations regimes (normal irrigation, restricted irrigation at stem elongation and restricted irrigation at  flowering stage were assigned to the main plots and nine chemical weed control method (complete hand weeding, treflan with 2 L/ha as pre plant herbicide, sonalan with 3 L/ha ad pre plant herbicide, estomp with 3 L/ha as pre plant herbicide, gallant super with 0/75 L/ha as post emergence herbicide, treflan with 2 L/ha as pre plant herbicide+ gallant super with 0/75 L/ha as post emergence herbicide, sonalan with 3 L/ha as pre plant herbicide + gallant super with 0/75 L/ha as post emergence herbicide estomp with 3 L/ha as pre plant herbicide + gallant super with 0/75 L/ha as post emergence herbicide and without hand weeding to sub- plots. At the end of growing period traits like number of head   per plant, number of seed per head, 1000 grain weight, percent of seed oil, yield of seed oil and grain yield were measured. Results indicated that treflan + gallant super treatment in restricted irrigation at stem elongation stage had the lowest dry weight of weeds. In this study maximum grain yield (2927 Kg/ha was achieved from hand weeding + usual irrigation treatments. In general treflan + gallant super treatment was the most effective treatment on safflower yield and weed control.

Effects of elevated ozone on leaf δ13C and leaf conductance of plant species grown in semi-natural grassland with or without irrigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaeggi, M.; Saurer, M.; Volk, M.; Fuhrer, J.

2005-01-01

Stable carbon isotope ratios (δ 13 C) and leaf conductance (g s ) were measured (2002, 2003) in Holcus lanatus L., Plantago lanceolata L. Ranunculus friesianus (Jord.), and Trifolium pratense L. at two levels of ozone (O 3 ) with or without irrigation. In non-irrigated control plots, R. friesianus showed the least negative δ 13 C, and the smallest response to the treatments. Irrigation caused more negative δ 13 C, especially in H. lanatus. Irrespective of irrigation, O 3 increased δ 13 C in relationship to a decrease in g s in P. lanceolata and T. pratense. The strongest effect of O 3 on δ 13 C occurred in the absence of irrigation, suggesting that under field conditions lack of moisture in the top soil does not always lead to protection from O 3 uptake. It is concluded that in species such as T. pratense plants can maintain stomatal O 3 uptake during dry periods when roots can reach deeper soil layers where water is not limiting. - Under natural field conditions, lack of precipitation may not protect semi-natural vegetation from O 3 effects on leaf gas exchange

Biological soil attributes in oilseed crops irrigated with oilfield produced water in the semi-arid region

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Ana Clarice Melo Azevedo de Meneses

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Wastewater from oil is the main residue of the oil industry. Studies have shown that wastewater, or produced water, can be treated and used as an alternative source for the irrigation of oilseed crops. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of treated produced water on the biological properties of soil cultivated with the castor bean cv. BRS Energy and the sunflower cv. BRS 321 respectively, for two and three successive cycles of grain production. The first cycle in the sunflower and castor bean corresponds to the dry season and the second cycle to the rainy season. The third crop cycle in the sunflower relates to the dry season. The research was carried out from August 2012 to October 2013, in the town of Aracati, in the State of Ceará (Brazil, where both crops were submitted to irrigation with filtered produced water (FPW, produced water treated by reverse osmosis (OPW, or groundwater water from the Açu aquifer (ACW, and to no irrigation (RFD. The treatments, with three replications, were evaluated during the periods of pre-cultivation and plant reproduction for soil respiration (Rs, total organic carbon (TOC and the population density of bacteria (Bact and filamentous fungi (Fung in the soil. In the sunflower crop, these soil attributes are sensitive to the irrigation water used. Irrigation of the castor bean affects soil respiration. Under the conditions of this study, irrigation with FPW may be a short-term alternative in the castor bean and sunflower crops.

Water saving at the field scale with Irrig-OH, an open-hardware environment device for soil water potential monitoring and irrigation management

Science.gov (United States)

Masseroni, Daniele; Facchi, Arianna; Gandolfi, Claudio

2015-04-01

Sustainability of irrigation practices is an important objective which should be pursued in many countries, especially in areas where water scarcity causes strong conflicts among the different water uses. The efficient use of water is a key factor in coping with the food demand of an increasing world population and with the negative effects of the climate change on water resources availability in many areas. In this complex context, it is important that farmers adopt instruments and practices that enable a better management of water at the field scale, whatever the irrigation method they adopt. This work presents the hardware structure and the functioning of an open-hardware microstation based on the Arduino technology, called Irrig-OH, which allows the continuous and low-cost monitoring of the soil water potential (SWP) in the root zone for supporting the irrigation scheduling at the field scale. In order to test the microstation, an experiment was carried out during the agricultural season 2014 at Lodi (Italy), with the purpose of comparing the farmers' traditional management of irrigation of a peach variety and the scheduling based on the SWP measurements provided by the microstation. Additional measurements of leaf water potential (LWP), stomatal resistance, transpiration (T), crop water stress index (CWSI) and fruit size evolution were performed respectively on leafs and fruits for verifying the plant physiological responses on different SWP levels in soil. At the harvesting time, the peach production in term of quantity and quality (sucrose content was measured by a rifractometer over a sample of one hundred fruits) of the two rows were compared. Irrigation criteria was changed with respect to three macro-periods: up to the endocarp hardening phase (begin of May) soil was kept well watered fixing the SWP threshold in the first 35 cm of the soil profile at -20 kPa, during the pit hardening period (about the entire month of May) the allowed SWP threshold was

Rational Water and Nitrogen Management Improves Root Growth, Increases Yield and Maintains Water Use Efficiency of Cotton under Mulch Drip Irrigation

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Hongzhi Zhang

2017-05-01

Full Text Available There is a need to optimize water-nitrogen (N applications to increase seed cotton yield and water use efficiency (WUE under a mulch drip irrigation system. This study evaluated the effects of four water regimes [moderate drip irrigation from the third-leaf to the boll-opening stage (W1, deficit drip irrigation from the third-leaf to the flowering stage and sufficient drip irrigation thereafter (W2, pre-sowing and moderate drip irrigation from the third-leaf to the boll-opening stage (W3, pre-sowing and deficit drip irrigation from the third-leaf to the flowering stage and sufficient drip irrigation thereafter (W4] and N fertilizer at a rate of 520 kg ha-1 in two dressing ratios [7:3 (N1, 2:8 (N2] on cotton root morpho-physiological attributes, yield, WUE and the relationship between root distribution and dry matter production. Previous investigations have shown a strong correlation between root activity and water consumption in the 40–120 cm soil layer. The W3 and especially W4 treatments significantly increased root length density (RLD, root volume density (RVD, root mass density (RMD, and root activity in the 40–120 cm soil layer. Cotton RLD, RVD, RMD was decreased by 13.1, 13.3, and 20.8%, respectively, in N2 compared with N1 at 70 days after planting (DAP in the 0–40 cm soil layer. However, root activity in the 40–120 cm soil layer at 140 DAP was 31.6% higher in N2 than that in N1. Total RMD, RLD and root activity in the 40–120 cm soil were significantly and positively correlated with shoot dry weight. RLD and root activity in the 40–120 cm soil layer was highest in the W4N2 treatments. Therefore increased water consumption in the deep soil layers resulted in increased shoot dry weight, seed cotton yield and WUE. Our data can be used to develop a water-N management strategy for optimal cotton yield and high WUE.

Web/smart phone based control and feedback systems for irrigation systems

Science.gov (United States)

The role of the internet and mobile devices in the control and feedback of irrigation systems is reviewed. This role is placed in the larger context of four distinct components required for irrigation management, including 1. the control panel; 2. remote control; 3. soil, plant, and weather (SPW) se...

Point irrigation for locality Buchel in the north desert Gobi in Mongolia

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Pavel Spitz

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The design of point irrigation, created by Filip et al. (2007, was worked up as the bilateral projekt in the frame of abroad developing cooperation between the Czech Republic and Mongolia „Rehabilitation of plant production in semiarid territories of northern Gobi”. The period of project realization are years 2006–2009. The responsible institution for the project is Ministery of Agriculture of the Czech Republic and with the realization of the project was encharged Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry in Brno. The task was work irrigation design for experimental plants and vegetables on the choosen land in Gobi desert in Mongolia. To disposition was underground water source – bore with capacity about 2 l / s and temperature about 10 °C, electric power and land about area cca 1 ha. The condition was use simple irrigation equipment. The fundamental limitation was im­pos­si­bi­li­ty using technically more complex and more sophisticated equipment e.g. drip irrigation. The map was not to the disposition, only a judgment of slope 0,2 % in flat terrain. The technical design of surface and subsurface point irrigation are introduced, shortly described are hydrotechnical basis used to created and described the original PC program HYBOZAM (hydraulics of point irrigation for Mongolia developed in table editor of Microsoft Excel for pipe dimensions of point irrigation design. Part of the program is also evaluation of the irrigation uniformity from outflows on irrigation line.

Carbon and hydrogen isotopic effects of stomatal density in Arabidopsis thaliana

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyejung; Feakins, Sarah J.; Sternberg, Leonel da S. L.

2016-04-01

Stomata are key gateways mediating carbon uptake and water loss from plants. Varied stomatal densities in fossil leaves raise the possibility that isotope effects associated with the openness of exchange may have mediated plant wax biomarker isotopic proxies for paleovegetation and paleoclimate in the geological record. Here we use Arabidopsis thaliana, a widely used model organism, to provide the first controlled tests of stomatal density on carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositions of cuticular waxes. Laboratory grown wildtype and mutants with suppressed and overexpressed stomatal densities allow us to directly test the isotope effects of stomatal densities independent of most other environmental or biological variables. Hydrogen isotope (D/H) measurements of both plant waters and plant wax n-alkanes allow us to directly constrain the isotopic effects of leaf water isotopic enrichment via transpiration and biosynthetic fractionations, which together determine the net fractionation between irrigation water and n-alkane hydrogen isotopic composition. We also measure carbon isotopic fractionations of n-alkanes and bulk leaf tissue associated with different stomatal densities. We find offsets of +15‰ for δD and -3‰ for δ13C for the overexpressed mutant compared to the suppressed mutant. Since the range of stomatal densities expressed is comparable to that found in extant plants and the Cenozoic fossil record, the results allow us to consider the magnitude of isotope effects that may be incurred by these plant adaptive responses. This study highlights the potential of genetic mutants to isolate individual isotope effects and add to our fundamental understanding of how genetics and physiology influence plant biochemicals including plant wax biomarkers.

Grower demand for sensor-controlled irrigation

Science.gov (United States)

Lichtenberg, Erik; Majsztrik, John; Saavoss, Monica

2015-01-01

Water scarcity is likely to increase in the coming years, making improvements in irrigation efficiency increasingly important. An emerging technology that promises to increase irrigation efficiency substantially is a wireless irrigation sensor network that uploads sensor data into irrigation management software, creating an integrated system that allows real-time monitoring and control of moisture status that has been shown in experimental settings to reduce irrigation costs, lower plant loss rates, shorten production times, decrease pesticide application, and increase yield, quality, and profit. We use an original survey to investigate likely initial acceptance, ceiling adoption rates, and profitability of this new sensor network technology in the nursery and greenhouse industry. We find that adoption rates for a base system and demand for expansion components are decreasing in price, as expected. The price elasticity of the probability of adoption suggests that sensor networks are likely to diffuse at a rate somewhat greater than that of drip irrigation. Adoption rates for a base system and demand for expansion components are increasing in specialization in ornamental production: growers earning greater shares of revenue from greenhouse and nursery operations are willing to pay more for a base system and are willing to purchase larger numbers of expansion components at any given price. We estimate that growers who are willing to purchase a sensor network expect investment in this technology to generate significant profit, consistent with findings from experimental studies.

Expanding the Annual Irrigation Maps (AIM) Product to the entire High Plains Aquifer (HPA): Addressing the Challenges of Cotton and Deficit-Irrigated Fields

Science.gov (United States)

Rapp, J. R.; Deines, J. M.; Kendall, A. D.; Hyndman, D. W.

2017-12-01

The High Plains Aquifer (HPA) is the most extensively irrigated aquifer in the continental United States and is the largest major aquifer in North America with an area of 500,000 km2. Increased demand for agricultural products has led to expanded irrigation extent, but brought with it declining groundwater levels that have made irrigation unsustainable in some locations. Understanding these irrigation dynamics and mapping irrigated areas through time are essential for future sustainable agricultural practices and hydrological modeling. Map products using remote sensing have only recently been able to track annual dynamics at relatively high spatial resolution (30 m) for a large portion of the northern HPA. However follow-on efforts to expand these maps to the entire HPA have met with difficulty due to the challenge of distinguishing irrigation in crop types that are commonly deficit- or partially-irrigated. Expanding these maps to the full HPA requires addressing unique features of partially irrigated fields and irrigated cotton, a major water user in the southern HPA. Working in Google Earth Engine, we used all available Landsat imagery to generate annual time series of vegetation indices. We combined this information with climate covariables, planting dates, and crop specific training data to algorithmically separate fully irrigated, partially irrigated, and non-irrigated field locations. The classification scheme was then applied to produce annual maps of irrigation across the entire HPA. The extensive use of ancillary data and the "greenness" time series for the algorithmic classification generally increased accuracy relative to previous efforts. High-accuracy, representative map products of irrigation extent capable of detecting crop type and irrigation intensity within aquifers will be an essential tool to monitor the sustainability of global aquifers and to provide a scientific bases for political and economic decisions affecting those aquifers.

Branch Development of Five-Year-Old Betula alnoides Plantations in Response to Planting Density

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Chun-Sheng Wang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Branch development in the lower part of stem is critical to both early stem growth and wood quality of the most valuable section of tree, and its regulation through planting density has always been greatly concerned. Here the effect of planting density on branch development was examined in a five-year-old plantation of Betula alnoides with six planting densities (625, 833, 1111, 1250, 1667, and 2500 stems per hectare (sph in Guangdong Province, South China. Branch quantity (number, proportion, and density, morphology (diameter, length, and angle, position (height and orientation, and branch status (dead or alive were investigated for 54 dominant or co-dominant trees under six treatments of planting density after the growth of each tree was measured. Factors influencing branch development were also explored by mixed modelling. The results showed that the mean tree heights of 1250 and 1667 sph treatments were higher than those of other planting density treatments. The quantity of live branches decreased with increasing planting density. However, planting density had no significant effect on the number of all branches, and there existed no remarkable difference in branch number and proportion among four orientations. As for branch morphology, only the largest branch diameter had a significantly negative correlation with planting density. In addition, high planting density significantly increased the height of the largest branch within the crown. Mixed effects models indicated that branch diameter, length, and angle were closely correlated with each other, and they were all in positively significant correlation to the branch height at the stem section below six meters. It was concluded that properly increasing planting density will promote natural pruning, improve early branch control, and be beneficial for wood production from the most valuable section of the stem.

Upland cotton growth and yield response to timing the initial postplant irrigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steger, A.J.; Silvertooth, J.C.; Brown, P.W.

1998-01-01

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) production in arid and semiarid regions depends on well-managed irrigation systems for optimum yield and production efficiency. Water deficit stress early in the growing season can affect the subsequent growth and development of short-season cotton. A 2-yr field study was conducted in southern Arizona to determine the optimum timing of the initial postplant irrigation for a short-season upland cotton variety based on midday leaf water potential (LWP) measurements, and to evaluate the season-long effects of delayed irrigation on subsequent plant growth patterns. In both years, the short-season upland variety, DPL 20, was planted into a Pima clay loam soil [fine-silty, mixed (calcareous), thermic Typic Torrifluvent] that had received a preplant irrigation of 152 (1993) or 254 mm (1994) approximately 3 wk prior to planting. Treatments, designated T1, T2, and T3, received the initial postplant irrigation when the average midday LWP of the uppermost, fully expanded leaf measured −1.5, −1.9, and −2.3 MPa, respectively. Daily midday LWP measurements were taken using the pressure chamber technique. Soil water was measured at 25-cm depth increments using neutron attenuation. Plant height, number of mainstem nodes, nodes above white flower (NAWF), and canopy closure were measured at weekly intervals. All treatments reached maturity, as measured by NAWF ≤ 5, at approximately the same time during the growing season. Complete canopy closure was delayed in the T3 plots resulting in reduced interception and utilization of available solar radiation early in the growing season. When treatments were initiated, approximately 84% (T1), 62% (T2), and 32% (T3) of the total plant-available water (field capacity less permanent wilting point) was present in the upper 1.5 of the soil profile. Yields were 1263, 1244, and 1110 kg lint ha−1 in 1993 and 1229, 1176, and 1095 kg lint ha −1 in 1994 for T1, T2, and T3, respectively. Lint yields were significantly

Comparison of corn, grain sorghum, soybean, and sunflower under limited irrigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] constitute a large share of the annual total irrigated planted area in the central Great Plains. This study aimed to determine the effect of limited irrigation on grain yield, water use, and profitability of corn and soybean in comparison with ...

Gain-P: A new strategy to increase furrow irrigation efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmitz, G.H.; Wohling, T.; Paly, M. D.; Schutze, N.

2007-01-01

The new methodology GAIN-P combines Genetic Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence techniques and rigorous Process modeling for substantially improving irrigation efficiency. The new strategy simultaneously identifies optimal values of both scheduling and irrigation parameters for an entire growing season and can be applied to irrigation systems with adequate or deficit water supply. In this contribution, GAIN-P is applied to furrow irrigation tackling the more difficult subject of the more effective deficit irrigation. A physically -based hydrodynamic irrigation model is iteratively coupled with a 2D subsurface flow model for generating a database containing all realistically feasible scenarios of water application in furrow irrigation. It is used for training a problem-adapted artificial neural network based on self-organized maps, which in turn portrays the inverse solution of the hydrodynamic furrow irrigation model and thus enormously speeds up the overall performance of the complete optimization tool. Global optimization with genetic algorithm finds the schedule with maximum crop yield for the given water volume. The impact of different irrigation schedules on crop yield is calculated by the coupled furrow irrigation model which also simulates soil evaporation, precipitation and root water uptake by the plants over the whole growing seasons, as well as crop growth and yield. First results with the new optimization strategy show that GAIN-P has a high potential to increase irrigation efficiency. (author)

Guidelines for irrigation scheduling of peach palm for heart-of-palm production in the São Francisco Valley, Brazil

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Bassoi Luís Henrique

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The water consumption, crop coefficient and effective rooting depth of the peach palm cultivated in a Vertisol were evaluated over two years and three months, from planting to fifth harvest, in Juazeiro, Bahia State, Brazil. Plants were irrigated by microsprinklers under two irrigation treatments, full irrigation (FI and reduced irrigation (RI, and the amount of water applied in RI corresponded to 75% of that of FI. Water consumption and crop coefficient has increased markedly at the first harvest (7.3 mm day-1 and 1.2, respectively, in FI treatment in the thirteenth month, as a consequence of plant canopy development. After that, plants were harvested every three or four months, and these values varied a little due to decrease of the stand. The effective rooting depth was shallow (40 cm at 12 months (before the first harvest and it remained the same up to 24 months after planting (after the fourth harvest. Significant response of heart-of-palm yield to the irrigation treatments was not observed.

Irrigation water quality influences heavy metal uptake by willows in biosolids.

Science.gov (United States)

Laidlaw, W Scott; Baker, Alan J M; Gregory, David; Arndt, Stefan K

2015-05-15

Phytoextraction is an effective method to remediate heavy metal contaminated landscapes but is often applied for single metal contaminants. Plants used for phytoextraction may not always be able to grow in drier environments without irrigation. This study investigated if willows (Salix x reichardtii A. Kerner) can be used for phytoextraction of multiple metals in biosolids, an end-product of the wastewater treatment process, and if irrigation with reclaimed and freshwater influences the extraction process. A plantation of willows was established directly onto a tilled stockpile of metal-contaminated biosolids and irrigated with slightly saline reclaimed water (EC ∼2 dS/cm) at a wastewater processing plant in Victoria, Australia. Biomass was harvested annually and analysed for heavy metal content. Phytoextraction of cadmium, copper, nickel and zinc was benchmarked against freshwater irrigated willows. The minimum irrigation rate of 700 mm per growing season was sufficient for willows to grow and extract metals. Increasing irrigation rates produced no differences in total biomass and also no differences in the extraction of heavy metals. The reclaimed water reduced both the salinity and the acidity of the biosolids significantly within the first 12 months after irrigation commenced and after three seasons the salinity of the biosolids had dropped to metal extraction. Reclaimed water irrigation reduced the biosolid pH and this was associated with reductions of the extraction of Ni and Zn, it did not influence the extraction of Cu and enhanced the phytoextraction of Cd, which was probably related to the high chloride content of the reclaimed water. Our results demonstrate that flood-irrigation with reclaimed water was a successful treatment to grow willows in a dry climate. However, the reclaimed water can also change biosolids properties, which will influence the effectiveness of willows to extract different metals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

Effects of plant density on forage production in five populations of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Kleingrass (Panicum coloratum L.) forage yield evaluation plots are often established at a density of 6.0 plants m-2 to accommodate mechanical transplanting and harvesting equipment. However, forage crops are usually established from seed at higher plant densities. Experiments were conducted to determine if ...

Macronutrient uptake, accumulation and export by the irrigated 'vitória' pineapple plant

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Rodinei Facco Pegoraro

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The nutritional state of the pineapple plant has a large effect on plant growth, on fruit production, and fruit quality. The aim of this study was to assess the uptake, accumulation, and export of nutrients by the irrigated 'Vitória' pineapple plant during and at the end of its development. A randomized block statistical design with four replications was used. The treatments were defined by different times of plant collection: at 270, 330, 390, 450, 510, 570, 690, 750, and 810 days after planting (DAP. The collected plants were separated into the following components: leaves, stem, roots, fruit, and slips for determination of fresh and dry matter weight at 65 ºC. After drying, the plant components were ground for characterization of the composition and content of nutrients taken up and exported by the pineapple plant. The results were subjected to analysis of variance, and non-linear regression models were fitted for the significant differences identified by the F test (p N > S > Ca > Mg > P, which corresponded to 898, 452, 134, 129, 126, and 107 kg ha-1, respectively, of total accumulation. The export of macronutrients by the pineapple fruit was in the following decreasing order: K > N > S > Ca > P > Mg, which was equivalent to 18, 17, 11, 8, 8, and 5 %, respectively, of the total accumulated by the pineapple. The 'Vitória' pineapple plant exported 78 kg ha-1 of N, 8 kg ha-1 of P, 164 kg ha-1 of K, 14 kg ha-1 of S, 10 kg ha-1 of Ca, and 6 kg ha-1 of Mg by the fruit. The nutrient content exported by the fruits represent important components of nutrient extraction from the soil, which need to be restored, while the nutrients contained in the leaves, stems and roots can be incorporated in the soil within a program of recycling of crop residues.

CyanoHAB occurrence and water irrigation cyanotoxin contamination: ecological impacts and potential health risks.

Science.gov (United States)

Saqrane, Sana; Oudra, Brahim

2009-12-01

The world-wide occurrence of harmful cyanobacteria blooms "CyanoHAB" in fresh and brackish waters creates problems for all life forms. During CyanoHAB events, toxic cyanobacteria produce cyanotoxins at high levels that can cause chronic and sub-chronic toxicities to animals, plants and humans. Cyanotoxicity in eukaryotes has been mainly focused on animals, but during these last years, data, related to cyanotoxin (mainly microcystins, MCs) impact on both aquatic and terrestrials crop plants irrigated by water containing these toxins, have become more and more available. This last cited fact is gaining importance since plants could in a direct or indirect manner contribute to cyanotoxin transfer through the food chain, and thus constitute a potent health risk source. The use of this contaminated irrigation water can also have an economical impact which appears by a reduction of the germination rate of seeds, and alteration of the quality and the productivity of crop plants. The main objective of this work was to discuss the eventual phytotoxicity of cyanotoxins (microcystins) as the major agricultural impacts induced by the use of contaminated water for plant irrigation. These investigations confirm the harmful effects (ecological, eco-physiological, socio-economical and sanitary risk) of dissolved MCs on agricultural plants. Thus, cyanotoxin phytotoxicity strongly suggests a need for the surveillance of CyanoHAB and the monitoring of water irrigation quality as well as for drinking water.

Nutrition of Tithonia diversifolia and attributes of the soil fertilized with biofertilizer in irrigated system

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Matheus M. Reis

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The fertilization with biofertilizer associated with the use of irrigation favors nutrient uptake by plants and soil chemical properties; however, these effects are little studied in Tithonia diversifolia in semiarid regions. This study evaluated the effect of doses of bovine biofertilizer and irrigation on accumulation of nutrients in the leaves of Tithonia diversifolia plants and on soil chemical attributes. The study was carried out from December 3, 2014 to November 28, 2015, and arranged in a 2 x 5 factorial scheme, consisting of five doses of bovine biofertilizer (0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 m3 ha-1, combined with and without irrigation. The experiment was set in a randomized block design, using three replicates. Irrigation promoted increased accumulation of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu and B in leaves of Tithonia diversifolia in the first cutting. However, the high bicarbonate concentration in the irrigation water and the occurrence of rainfall during the second crop increased the accumulation of Cu in the leaves of Tithonia diversifolia under rainfed condition, compared with irrigated plants. The increase in biofertilizer doses contributed to the increment of base saturation and the contents of organic matter, P and K in soil.

Effects of plant density on recombinant hemagglutinin yields in an Agrobacterium-mediated transient gene expression system using Nicotiana benthamiana plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujiuchi, Naomichi; Matsuda, Ryo; Matoba, Nobuyuki; Fujiwara, Kazuhiro

2017-08-01

Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression systems enable plants to rapidly produce a wide range of recombinant proteins. To achieve economically feasible upstream production and downstream processing, it is beneficial to obtain high levels of two yield-related quantities of upstream production: recombinant protein content per fresh mass of harvested biomass (g gFM -1 ) and recombinant protein productivity per unit area-time (g m -2 /month). Here, we report that the density of Nicotiana benthamiana plants during upstream production had significant impacts on the yield-related quantities of recombinant hemagglutinin (HA). The two quantities were smaller at a high plant density of 400 plants m -2 than at a low plant density of 100 plants m -2 . The smaller quantities at the high plant density were attributed to: (i) a lower HA content in young leaves, which usually have high HA accumulation potentials; (ii) a lower biomass allocation to the young leaves; and (iii) a high area-time requirement for plants. Thus, plant density is a key factor for improving upstream production in Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression systems. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 1762-1770. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An optimization model to design and manage subsurface drip irrigation system for alfalfa

Science.gov (United States)

Kandelous, M.; Kamai, T.; Vrugt, J. A.; Simunek, J.; Hanson, B.; Hopmans, J. W.

2010-12-01

Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) is one of the most efficient and cost-effective methods for watering alfalfa plants. Lateral installation depth and distance, emitter discharge, and irrigation time and frequency of SDI, in addition to soil and climatic conditions affect alfalfa’s root water uptake and yield. Here we use a multi-objective optimization approach to find optimal SDI strategies. Our approach uses the AMALGAM evolutionary search method, in combination with the HYDRUS-2D unsaturated flow model to maximize water uptake by alfalfa’s plant roots, and minimize loss of irrigation and drainage water to the atmosphere or groundwater. We use a variety of different objective functions to analyze SDI. These criteria include the lateral installation depth and distance, the lateral discharge, irrigation duration, and irrigation frequency. Our framework includes explicit recognition of the soil moisture status during the simulation period to make sure that the top soil is dry for harvesting during the growing season. Initial results show a wide spectrum of optimized SDI strategies for different root distributions, soil textures and climate conditions. The developed tool should be useful in helping farmers optimize their irrigation strategy and design.

Studying Geographical Distribution Map of Weeds of Irrigated Wheat Fields of Ardabil Province

OpenAIRE

B Soheili

2013-01-01

In order to identify the density and abundance of weeds in irrigated wheat fields of Ardabil Province, 76 samples of irrigated wheat fields based on cultivation area from all counties of Ardabil province for six years (2001-2006) were selected. The genus and species of weeds from each sampling fields and their population indices density, frequency and uniformity of each species were calculated by using Thomas method. Geographic coordinates of field (Latitude, Altitude and Elevation) were the ...

Effect of Limited Drip Irrigation Regime on Yield and Yield Components of Sesame under Mediterranean Conditions

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Panayiota PAPASTYLIANOU

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Sesame is one of the most important oilseed crops in the world. Irrigation is of great importance to sesame production due to its positive effect on growth parameters. Although sesame has good drought tolerance compared with many other crops, it is particularly susceptible to drought damage during the seedling, flowering and seed filling stages and this can lead to yield loss. The aim of this study was to determine the response of sesame landraces to different irrigation applications during the 2015 growing season. The experiment was set up as a split plot design with three replicates, four main plots (irrigation treatments, designated as 100%, 75% 50% and 0 of the daily crop evapotranspiration and two sub-plots (sesame landraces, Limnos and Evros. Different characteristics such as plant height, number of seeds per capsule, and number of capsules per plant, seed yield, 1000-seed weight and % capsules without seeds, were recorded. The results indicated that all traits except 1000-seed weight were significantly affected by irrigation regimes. Plant height, shattering losses and number of capsules per plant decreased with increasing water shortage. Seed yield and number of seeds per capsule were less affected by irrigation level and showed higher values in the 50% of the daily crop evapotranspiration treatment. Limnos produced higher seed yield and number of seeds per capsule under all irrigation regimes. Evros showed higher plant height and shattering losses than Limnos. The results of this study suggest that sesame landraces can use water efficiently, are locally adapted and associated with traditional farming systems.

Effect of plant population density on the growth and yield of sorghum ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Improvement of resource use efficiency and yields is probably possible through the use of appropriate plant densities. Field trials were therefore conducted to study the effects of four plant densities, varying from 2.0 to 12.5 plants m-2 on water and radiation use and performance of two Masakwa sorghum varieties grown on ...

Morphogenesis of Tanzania guinea grass under nitrogen doses and plant densities

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Thiago Gomes dos Santos Braz

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to evaluate effects of nitrogen fertilization and plant density on morphogenesis of Tanzania guinea grass. It was used a random block design with 12 treatments and two replications in a 4 × 3 factorial arrangement, with four doses of nitrogen (N (without N application, 80, 160 or 320 kg/ha.year and three plant densities (9, 25 or 49 plants/m². Harvest was performed at 25 cm from the ground when the canopy intercepted 95% of the incident light. Rates of leaf appearance and pseudostem elongation were positively and linearly influenced by nitrogen, whereas phillochron and leaf life span were influenced linearly and negatively. Leaf elongation responded positively to two factors, whereas leaf senescence rate and number of live leaves were not influenced by the factors evaluated. Number of total, basal and aerial tillers were greater at the density of 9 plants/m² and at the nitrogen dose of 320 kg/ha.year. Nitrogen increases production of leaves and tillers in Tanzania guinea grass defoliated at 95% of light interception, but high density of plants reduces the number of tiller per bunch.

Crop growth, light utilization and yield of relay intercropped cotton as affected by plant density and a plant growth regulator

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mao, L.; Zhang, L.; Zhao, X.; Liu, S.; Werf, van der W.; Zhang, S.; Spiertz, J.H.J.; Li, Z.

2014-01-01

Modern cotton cultivation requires high plant densities and compact plants. Here we study planting density and growth regulator effects on plant structure and production of cotton when the cotton is grown in a relay intercrop with wheat, a cultivation system that is widespread in China. Field

Estimation of Wheat Plant Density at Early Stages Using High Resolution Imagery

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Shouyang Liu

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Crop density is a key agronomical trait used to manage wheat crops and estimate yield. Visual counting of plants in the field is currently the most common method used. However, it is tedious and time consuming. The main objective of this work is to develop a machine vision based method to automate the density survey of wheat at early stages. RGB images taken with a high resolution RGB camera are classified to identify the green pixels corresponding to the plants. Crop rows are extracted and the connected components (objects are identified. A neural network is then trained to estimate the number of plants in the objects using the object features. The method was evaluated over three experiments showing contrasted conditions with sowing densities ranging from 100 to 600 seeds⋅m-2. Results demonstrate that the density is accurately estimated with an average relative error of 12%. The pipeline developed here provides an efficient and accurate estimate of wheat plant density at early stages.

Predictive Control Applied to a Solar Desalination Plant Connected to a Greenhouse with Daily Variation of Irrigation Water Demand

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Lidia Roca

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The water deficit in the Mediterranean area is a known matter severely affecting agriculture. One way to avoid the aquifers’ exploitation is to supply water to crops by using thermal desalination processes. Moreover, in order to guarantee long-term sustainability, the required thermal energy for the desalination process can be provided by solar energy. This paper shows simulations for a case study in which a solar multi-effect distillation plant produces water for irrigation purposes. Detailed models of the involved systems are the base of a predictive controller to operate the desalination plant and fulfil the water demanded by the crops.

Growth and ionic content of quinoa under saline irrigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riccardi, M.; Pulvento, C.; Lavini, A.

2014-01-01

Drought and salinity are the most important abiotic stresses that affect plant's growth and productivity. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of salt and water deficit on water relations, growth parameters and capacity to accumulate inorganic solutes in quinoa plants. An irriga......Drought and salinity are the most important abiotic stresses that affect plant's growth and productivity. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of salt and water deficit on water relations, growth parameters and capacity to accumulate inorganic solutes in quinoa plants...... incorporated salt ions in the tissues (stems, roots, leaves) preserving seed quality. Treatment with a reduction in the irrigation water to 25 % of full irrigated treatment (Q25) caused an increase in WP and a reduced dry matter accumulation in the leaves. Quinoa plants (Q25) were initially negatively affected...... by severe drought with RGR and NAR reduction, and then, they adapted to it. Quinoa could be considered a drought tolerant crop that adapt photosynthetic rate to compensate for a reduced growth....

A Review of Environmental Contamination and Health Risk Assessment of Wastewater Use for Crop Irrigation with a Focus on Low and High-Income Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Khalid, Sana; Shahid, Muhammad; Bibi, Irshad; Sarwar, Tania; Shah, Ali Haidar; Niazi, Nabeel Khan

2018-05-01

Population densities and freshwater resources are not evenly distributed worldwide. This has forced farmers to use wastewater for the irrigation of food crops. This practice presents both positive and negative effects with respect to agricultural use, as well as in the context of environmental contamination and toxicology. Although wastewater is an important source of essential nutrients for plants, many environmental, sanitary, and health risks are also associated with the use of wastewater for crop irrigation due to the presence of toxic contaminants and microbes. This review highlights the harmful and beneficial impacts of wastewater irrigation on the physical, biological, and chemical properties of soil (pH, cations and anions, organic matter, microbial activity). We delineate the potentially toxic element (PTEs) build up in the soil and, as such, their transfer into plants and humans. The possible human health risks associated with the use of untreated wastewater for crop irrigation are also predicted and discussed. We compare the current condition of wastewater reuse in agriculture and the associated environmental and health issues between developing and developed countries. In addition, some integrated sustainable solutions and future perspectives are also proposed, keeping in view the regional and global context, as well as the grounded reality of wastewater use for crop production, sanitary and planning issues, remedial techniques, awareness among civil society, and the role of the government and the relevant stakeholders.

Effects of Sowing Date and Limited Irrigation on Yield and Yield Components of Five Rainfed Wheat Varieties in Maragheh Region

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A. R. Tavakkoli

2013-03-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the effects of sowing date (SD and single irrigation (SI amounts on yield and yield components of rainfed wheat varieties, a field experiment was conducted as split-split plots arranged in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications during 2002-2004 at main station of Dryland Agricultural Research Institute in Maragheh, Iran. Treatments included three sowing dates (early, normal and late, three levels of single irrigation (rainfed, 50 mm and 100 mm only at planting time and five wheat varieties (three numbered lines, Azar2 and double-cross Shahi. Results revealed that interactions of SD, SI and wheat varieties were significant for grain yield, number of kernels per spike and water productivity (P≤0.01. Single irrigation at normal planting time increased grain yield, straw, biomass, harvest index, and water productivity. Grain yield and water productivity were increased by 131% and 84.8%, respectively. Single irrigation at late planting time was not significant on agronomic traits and produced low water productivity. Regarding the reaction of wheat to planting date and single irrigation, results showed that normal single irrigation can improve yield, yield components and water productivity index. The effectiveness of single irrigation under dryland conditions can be observed in all wheat cultivars. Although this effectiveness on yield and yield components is observable, but it is necessary to select the time of irrigation properly.

[Effects of different irrigations on the water physiological characteristics of Haloxylon ammodendron in Taklimakan Desert hinterland].

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Ting-ting; Zhang, Xi-ming; Liang, Shao-min; Shan, Li-shan; Yang, Xiao-lin; Hua, Yong-hui

2008-04-01

By using heat-balance stem flow gauge and press chamber, the water physiological characteristics of Haloxylon ammodendron under different irrigations in Taklimakan Desert hinterland were measured and analyzed. The results indicated that the diurnal variation curve of H. ammodendron stem sap flow varied with irrigations. When irrigated 35 and 24.5 kg x plant(-1) once time, the diurnal variation of stem sap flow changed in single peak curve and the variation extent was higher; while irrigated 14 kg x plant(-1) once time, the diurnal variation changed in two-peak curve and the variation extent was small. With the decrease of irrigations, the average daily sap flow rate and the daily water consumption of H. ammodendron decreased gradually, the dawn and postmeridian water potential also had a gradual decrease, and the correlations of stem sap flow with total radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed enhanced. Under different irrigations, the correlation between stem sap flow rate and total radiation was always the best.

Evaluating two irrigation controllers under subsurface drip irrigated tomato crop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Ghobari, H.M.; Mohammad, F.S.; El Marazky, M.S.A.

2016-01-01

Smart systems could be used to improve irrigation scheduling and save water under Saudi Arabia’s present water crisis scenario. This study investigated two types of evapotranspiration-based smart irrigation controllers, SmartLine and Hunter Pro-C2, as promising tools for scheduling irrigation and quantifying plants’ water requirements to achieve water savings. The effectiveness of these technologies in reducing the amount of irrigation water was compared with the conventional irrigation scheduling method as a control treatment. The two smart irrigation sensors were used for subsurface irrigation of a tomato crop (cv. Nema) in an arid region. The results showed that the smart controllers significantly reduced the amount of applied water and increased the crop yield. In general, the Hunter Pro-C2 system saved the highest amount of water and produced the highest crop yield, resulting in the highest water irrigation efficiency compared with the SmartLine controller and the traditional irrigation schedule. It can be concluded that the application of advanced scheduling irrigation techniques such as the Hunter controller under arid conditions can realise economic benefits by saving large amounts of irrigation water.

Evaluating two irrigation controllers under subsurface drip irrigated tomato crop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Ghobari, H.M.; Mohammad, F.S.; El Marazky, M.S.A.

2016-07-01

Smart systems could be used to improve irrigation scheduling and save water under Saudi Arabia’s present water crisis scenario. This study investigated two types of evapotranspiration-based smart irrigation controllers, SmartLine and Hunter Pro-C2, as promising tools for scheduling irrigation and quantifying plants’ water requirements to achieve water savings. The effectiveness of these technologies in reducing the amount of irrigation water was compared with the conventional irrigation scheduling method as a control treatment. The two smart irrigation sensors were used for subsurface irrigation of a tomato crop (cv. Nema) in an arid region. The results showed that the smart controllers significantly reduced the amount of applied water and increased the crop yield. In general, the Hunter Pro-C2 system saved the highest amount of water and produced the highest crop yield, resulting in the highest water irrigation efficiency compared with the SmartLine controller and the traditional irrigation schedule. It can be concluded that the application of advanced scheduling irrigation techniques such as the Hunter controller under arid conditions can realise economic benefits by saving large amounts of irrigation water.

Development of fine and coarse roots of Thuja occidentalis 'Brabant' in non-irrigated and drip irrigated field plots

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pronk, A.A.; Willigen, de P.; Heuvelink, E.; Challa, H.

2002-01-01

Aboveground dry mass, total root dry mass and root length density of the fine roots of Thuja occidentalis `Brabant' were determined under non- and drip-irrigated field conditions. Two-dimensional diffusion parameters for dynamic root growth were estimated based on dry mass production of the fine

CyanoHAB Occurrence and Water Irrigation Cyanotoxin Contamination: Ecological Impacts and Potential Health Risks

Science.gov (United States)

Saqrane, Sana; Oudra, Brahim

2009-01-01

The world-wide occurrence of harmful cyanobacteria blooms “CyanoHAB” in fresh and brackish waters creates problems for all life forms. During CyanoHAB events, toxic cyanobacteria produce cyanotoxins at high levels that can cause chronic and sub-chronic toxicities to animals, plants and humans. Cyanotoxicity in eukaryotes has been mainly focused on animals, but during these last years, data, related to cyanotoxin (mainly microcystins, MCs) impact on both aquatic and terrestrials crop plants irrigated by water containing these toxins, have become more and more available. This last cited fact is gaining importance since plants could in a direct or indirect manner contribute to cyanotoxin transfer through the food chain, and thus constitute a potent health risk source. The use of this contaminated irrigation water can also have an economical impact which appears by a reduction of the germination rate of seeds, and alteration of the quality and the productivity of crop plants. The main objective of this work was to discuss the eventual phytotoxicity of cyanotoxins (microcystins) as the major agricultural impacts induced by the use of contaminated water for plant irrigation. These investigations confirm the harmful effects (ecological, eco-physiological, socio-economical and sanitary risk) of dissolved MCs on agricultural plants. Thus, cyanotoxin phytotoxicity strongly suggests a need for the surveillance of CyanoHAB and the monitoring of water irrigation quality as well as for drinking water. PMID:22069535

Water dephts and macronutrients accumulation in 'pérola' pineapple irrigated by drip

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uirá do Amaral

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Brazil is one of the largest pineapple producers worldwide, and those fruits are for the juice industry and the in natura market. Its cultivation requires high technology investment by using irrigation and balanced fertilization. However, little is known about the influence of drip irrigation on nutrient uptake by pineapple plants. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different irrigation depths on nutrients accumulation by 'Pérola' pineapples grown in northern region of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with five treatments referring to: 30% of Class A Evaporation Pan (ECA; 50% of ECA; 70% of ECA; 100% of ECA; and 150% of ECA. To determine the levels of macronutrients and dry matter, the plants were separated in root, stem, leaves, 'D' leaf, crown, fruit and whole plant. The sequence of macronutrients accumulated in the whole plant was K>N>Ca>P>Mg. The fruits exported from the cultivated area the following amounts of macronutrients: 17.52 kg ha-1 of K (12.8%; 16.91 kg ha-1 of N (20.7%; 10.77 kg ha-1 of Ca (15.9%, 1.29 kg ha-1 of P (12.4% and 1.04 kg ha-1 of Mg (20.5%. The irrigation depths that provided the maximum N, P, K and Ca accumulation in the whole plant are 53.6, 61.6, 54.5 and 60.2% of ECA, respectively.

Purple Phototrophic Bacterium Enhances Stevioside Yield by Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni via Foliar Spray and Rhizosphere Irrigation

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jing; Wang, Yiming; Lin, Xiangui

2013-01-01

This study was conducted to compare the effects of foliar spray and rhizosphere irrigation with purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB) on growth and stevioside (ST) yield of Stevia. rebaudiana. The S. rebaudiana plants were treated by foliar spray, rhizosphere irrigation, and spray plus irrigation with PPB for 10 days, respectively. All treatments enhanced growth of S. rebaudiana, and the foliar method was more efficient than irrigation. Spraying combined with irrigation increased the ST yield plant -1 by 69.2% as compared to the control. The soil dehydrogenase activity, S. rebaudiana shoot biomass, chlorophyll content in new leaves, and soluble sugar in old leaves were affected significantly by S+I treatment, too. The PPB probably works in the rhizosphere by activating the metabolic activity of soil bacteria, and on leaves by excreting phytohormones or enhancing the activity of phyllosphere microorganisms. PMID:23825677

Optimization of irrigation water in stone fruit and table grapes

Science.gov (United States)

de la Rosa, Jose Mª; Castillo, Cristina; Temnani, Abdel; Pérez-Pastor, Alejandro

2017-04-01

In water scarcity areas, it must be highlighted that the maximum productions of the crops do not necessarily imply maximum profitability. Therefore, during the last years a special interest in the development of deficit irrigation strategies based on significant reductions of the seasonal ET without affecting production or quality has been observed. The strategies of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) are based on the reduction of water supply during non critical periods, the covering of water needs during critical periods and maximizing, at the same time, the production by unit of applied water. The main objective of this experiment was to implement, demonstrate and disseminate a sustainable irrigation strategy based on deficit irrigation to promote its large scale acceptance and use in woody crops in Mediterranean agroecosystems, characterized by water scarcity, without affecting the quality standards demanded by exportation markets. Five demonstration plots were established in representative crops of the irrigating community of Campotejar (Murcia, Spain): i) Peach trees, cv. catherina in the "Periquitos" farm; ii) Apricot trees, cv. "Red Carlet" in "La Hoya del Fenazar" farm; iii) Nectarine trees, cv. Viowhite in "Agrícola Don Fernando" farm; iv) Table grape, cv "Crimson Seedless" in "La Hornera" farm; and v) Paraguayan cv. carioca in "The Hornera" farm. In each demonstration plot, at least two irrigation treatments were established: i) Control (CTL), irrigated to ensure non-limiting water conditions (120% of crop evapotranspiration) and ii) Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) irrigated as CTL during critical periods and decreasing irrigation in non-critical periods. The plant water status indicators evaluated were midday stem water potential and Trunk Diameter Fluctuation derived indices: maximum daily shrinkage (MDS) and trunk daily growth rate (TGR); vegetative growth of the different crops from trunk diameter and pruning dry weight, fruit growth and fruit

Go Grey - A Laundry to Landscape Irrigation System

Science.gov (United States)

Rajmohan, S.

2017-12-01

California residents have dealt with severe drought and high water bills for the few past years[1]. The objective of our project is to use the concept of greywater irrigation to build a low cost, adaptable, and easy to install irrigation system to collect the greywater from the washing machine and use it to water the plants. This system can reduce a household's water usage, extend the life of a septic system, and save time on watering plants by recycling the water from the washing machine. Our simple system requires PVC pipes, a three-way water diverter (valve), a mesh coffee filter, and a water (rain) barrel. The water from the washing machine travels through the three-way valve, which diverts it either to the garden or to the sewer. The PVC pipes lead outside to the garden, where the water barrel is located. The water goes through the mesh coffee filter that is attached on top of the barrel, so that lint and other impurities can be filtered out. The water collected in the barrel will travel through drip irrigation or through a hose to directly water the roots of the plants. This fully functional greywater system was successfully constructed and tested through various trails. We used a Kenmore standard 4.5 cubic feet front load high efficiency washer which uses less water compared to the traditional washers and measured the water collected in water barrel after each wash. Irrespective of the size of the load, the amount of water collected from each wash remained almost the same.. However, we collected enough grey water from each washer load to fill the rain barrel and water the plants in the garden. We were able apply the concept of greywater irrigation successfully to build our own low cost, adaptable, and easy to install greywater system that can be used in any household to water plants in the garden. Our system recycles the water from the washer instead of just wasting it thereby reducing a household's water usage and water bill especially during the time of

The determination of bulk (apparent) density of plant fibres by density method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharifah Hanisah Syed Abd Aziz; Raja Jamal Raja hedar; Zahid Abdullah

2004-01-01

The absolute density of plant fibres excludes all pores and lumen and therefore is a measure of the solid matter of the fibres. On the other hand the bulk density, which is being discussed here, includes all the solid matter and the pores of the fibres. In this work, the apparent density of the fibre was measured by using the Archimedes principle, which involves the immersion of a known weight of fibre into a solvent of lower density than the fibre. Toluene with a density of about 860 kg/m3 was chosen as a solvent. A tuft of fibre was weighed and recorded as W fa . The fibre was then immersed in toluene, which wetted the fibre, and made to rest on the weighing pan submerged in the solvent and the weight of the immersed fibre was recorded as W fs . The apparent density was then calculated using the equation. All the measurements were taken at room temperature. The fibre samples were not oven dried prior to measurement. (Author)

Predicting deep percolation with eddy covariance under mulch drip irrigation

Science.gov (United States)

Ming, Guanghui; Tian, Fuqiang; Hu, Hongchang

2016-04-01

Water is essential for the agricultural development and ecological sustainability of the arid and semi-arid oasis with rare precipitation input and high evaporation demand. Deep percolation (DP) defined as excess irrigation water percolating below the plant root zone will reduce irrigation water use efficiency (WUE). But the DP was often ignored in mulch drip irrigation (MDI) which has reached the area of 1.6 million hectares in Xinjiang, the northwest of China. In this study DP experiments were conducted at an agricultural experiment station located within an irrigation district in the Tarim River Basin for four cotton growing periods. First it was detected the irrigation water infiltrated into the soil layers below 100cm and the groundwater level responded to the irrigation events well. Then DP below 100cm soil layers was calculated using the soil water balance method with the aid of eddy covariance (with the energy balance closure of 0.72). The negative DP (groundwater contribution to the crop-water use through capillary rising) at the seedling and harvesting stages can reach 77mm and has a good negative correlation with the groundwater level and positive correlation with potential evaporation. During the drip irrigation stage approximately 45% of the irrigation became DP and resulted in the low irrigation WUE of 0.6. The DP can be 164mm to 270mm per year which was positive linearly correlated to irrigation depth and negative linear correlated to irrigation interval. It is better to establish the irrigation schedule with small irrigation depth and given frequently to reduce deep percolation and meet crop needs.

Optimization of modern irrigation for biosaline agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shahid, S.A.; Hasbini, B.

2007-01-01

Supplementation water is a must to offset the water requirement to produce profitable crops in most arid and semiarid zones, where fresh water resources are insufficient to meet the pressure of irrigated agriculture. This necessitates the use of poor quality water resources. These waters if not properly managed and used can cause serious soil related problems (salinity, sodicity, destruction of soil structure) in addition to decline in crop yields. Biosaline agriculture (using saline water on saline soils to grow salt-tolerant crops) becomes the only option for the farmer when both soil and water resources are saline and the water resource is scarce. In this regards key design considerations must be taken into account when irrigating with salty waters to optimize water uses and to reduce subsequent soil salinity development. Sprinkler irrigation systems are commonly used in irrigation of large-scale irrigational production systems. However they tend to concentrate salts on the leaves of plants. For this reason discharge and degree of overlap between consecutive sprinkler heads, are key design parameters when applying salty waters. Trickle irrigation is the most efficient system and is gaining importance in the GCC countries in the agriculture and landscape irrigation. The objective of this study was to optimize modern irrigation systems through development of design standards for drip (emitters spacing) and sprinkler irrigation systems (single head jet and overlapping) by applying saline water. The effect of emitter spacing (drip) and overlapping (sprinkler) were tested for the formation of salt contours in soil. The leaching ratio (LR) is the overall soil sanity within rhizosphere divided by the average irrigation water salinity. In this study LR is used to evaluate the effectiveness of irrigation systems in developing soil sanity. From the present investigations it is concluded that when using saline water for irrigation, the soil sanity development can be

Drip and Surface Irrigation Water Use Efficiency of Tomato Crop Using Nuclear Techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mellouli, H.J.; Askri, H.; Mougou, R.

2003-01-01

Nations in the arid and semi-arid regions, especially the Arab countries, will have to take up an important challenge at the beginning of the 21 st century: increasing food production in order to realise food security for growing population, wile optimising the use of limited water resources. Using and adapting management techniques like the drip irrigation system could obtain the later. This would allow reduction in water losses by bare soil evaporation and deep percolation. Consequently improved water use efficiency could be realised. In this way, this work was conducted as a contribution on the Tunisian national programs on the optimisation of the water use. By mean a field study at Cherfech Experimental Station (30 km from Tunis), the effect of the irrigation system on the water use efficiency (WUE)-by a season tomato crop-was monitored by comparing three treatments receiving equivalent quantities of fertiliser: Fertigation, Drip irrigation and Furrow irrigation. Irrigation was scheduled by mean calculation of the water requirement based on the agro meteorological data, the plant physiological stage and the soil water characteristics (Clay Loam). The plant water consumption (ETR) was determined by using soil water balance method, where rainfall and amount of irrigation water readily measured

Medicinal Plants Density Along an Altitudinal Gradient in and Around Ayubia National Park

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tariq, A.; Adnan, M.; Begum, S.

2016-01-01

Medicinal plants are an essential source of livelihood for many rural populations and are currently facing several threats of extinction in temperate Himalaya, such as excessive grazing and collection along altitudinal gradients. The present study was designed to investigate the species density of medicinal plants at different mid-altitude levels (2200, 2300, 2400, and 2500 m above the sea level (a.s.l.) between two forest-use types and to examine the possible association between medicinal plant densities and forest-stand structural variables along the altitudinal gradient. Factorial design analysis of variance showed that the densities of all medicinal plants differed significantly between the forest-use types (p<0.00) and elevation (p<0.00). Moreover, a significant interaction (p<0.04) was also observed between the forest-use types and elevation. In the old-growth forest, density of medicinal plants was 290/40 m/sup 2/ at the higher altitude (2500 m a.s.l.), approximately 1.5-fold less than the 475/40 m/sup 2/ density observed at lower altitude (2200 m a.s.l.). However, in derived woodland, density of medicinal plants at higher altitude was approximately 4-fold less than that at the lower altitude. At these altitudinal levels, medicinal plants densities, such as Valeriana jatamansi, were significantly higher under old-growth forest compared to derived woodland, where they were almost nonexistent. A rapid vulnerability assessment has also shown that Valeriana jatamansi and Viola canescens were highly vulnerable species. Litter cover was the influential variable that was most likely related to medicinal plant density. In conclusion, abundance of medicinal plants decreased along mid-altitude levels in both of the forest-use types. However, this decrease was extremely marked in the derived woodland, and this decline may be due to human activity. Hence, these factors must be considered in future studies to suggest protective measures that can be applied along

Local variation in conspecific plant density influences plant-soil feedback in a natural grassland

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kos, M.; Veendrick, Johan; Bezemer, T.M.

2013-01-01

Several studies have argued that under field conditions plant–soil feedback may be related to the local density of a plant species, but plant–soil feedback is often studied by comparing conspecific and heterospecific soils or by using mixed soil samples collected from different locations and plant

Ecophysiological Evaluation of Three Maize (Zea mays L. Cultivars under Irrigation Regimes and Use of Super Absorbent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Allahyar Hassanzadeh

2016-03-01

Full Text Available To evaluate the effects of using super absorbent and irrigation regimes on seed yield and yield components of maize cultivars a split plot experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was performed at the Research Field of Malekan Islamic Azad University. Main factor consisted of three irrigation regimes (irrigation after 70, 110 and 150 mm evaporation from pan and subfactor of two levels of super absorbent applications (application and without application and three maize cultivars (704, Iranian maxima and overseas maxima. Based on the results obtained it was revealed that highest seed yield (985 g/m2 belonged to the plants irrigated after 70 mm evaporation from the pan without using super absorbent. Irrigation after evaporation of 150 mm from the pan decreased both seed numbers per plant and 100 seed weight, and seed yield loss amounted to be 46.1% as compared with irrigation after 70 mm evaporation from the pan. Without using super absorbent and irrigation after 150 mm evaporation from the pan decreased seed number per ear by 38.8% and 100 seed weight by 13.8%. However, application of super absorbent and irrigation of plants after 150 mm evaporation from the pan increased by grain yield 38% as compared with out using super absorbent. There were not significant difference between cultivars for seed yield and yield components. It could be concluded that application of super absorbent under water shortage conditions may reduce crop yield losses.

Effect Of Cowpea Planting Density On Growth, Yield And ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effect Of Cowpea Planting Density On Growth, Yield And Productivity Of Component Crops In Cowpea/Cassava Intercropping System. ... Similarly, fresh root yield (t/ha) of cassava was influenced by cropping system and population density in 2005/2006, but not in 2004/2005 cropping season. Cassava tuber yield was ...

Transfer mechanisms in cultivated soils of waste radionuclides from electronuclear power plants in the system river--irrigated soil--underground water level

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saas, A; Grauby, A

1974-12-31

From symposinm on environmentl behavior of radionuclides released in the nuclear industry; Aix-en-Provence, France (14 May 1973). The location of nuclear power plants by rivers whose waters are used for irrigation and industrial and domestic consumption necessities a profound study of the river-irrigated soil- ground water system. Mechanisms of radionuclide transport in cultivated soil are considered under three principal aspects: the effect of the quality of the river water, of the irrigation channels, and of the ground water level on the mobility of the radionuclides in the soil; the influence of the type of soil (the four types of soils considered are acid brown soil, calcic brown soil, chalky brown soil, and chalky alluvial soil); and the distribution of radionuclides in the soil (hydrosoluble forms can contminate the ground water level and these are the forms in which they are taken up by plants. A study was made on the following nuclides: /sup 22/Na, /sup 137/Cs, /sup 85/Sr, /Sup 54/Mn, /Sup 59/Fe, /Sup 60/ Co, /sup 65/Zn, /sup 124/Sb, /sup 141 in the cultivated soils permit the evaluation of the risks of contmination of the food chain and of the underground water. This study also showed new perspectives of the behavior of radionuclides as a function of their contmination of the organo-mineral wastes of industrial and domestic origin. This pollution interfers largely with the formation of stble complexes carried by the river to irrigated soils. The quality of the water determines the distribution of the radionuclides in the profile. The hydrosoluble complex persists in the soil and migrates toward the underground water level if they are not biodegradable. The stability of these forms as a function of the soil pH and of its physicochemical characteristics, as well as that of the radionuclides considered, permit the formulation of a new balance of the radionuclides in soils. The formulation of new proposals for the contml of nuclear sites is discussed. (tr-auth)

Effect of planting density on fruit size, light-interception and photosynthetic activity of vertically trained watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. et Nakai) plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, S.; Nakano, Y.; Okano, K.

2003-01-01

Summary The effect of planting density on fruit size of vertically trained watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. et Nakai) plants was investigated with regard to light - interception characteristics and photosynthetic production. Watermelon plants, grafted on bottle gourd, were grown in a glasshouse at different planting densities. Two vines per plant were allowed to grow and trained vertically. One hand-pollinated fruit per plant was set around the 15th node on either vine. The solar radiation and photosynthetic rate of individual leaves during fruit development period were determined by an integrated solarimeter film and a portable photosynthesis system, respectively. Fruit size was significantly decreased as the planting density increased, whereas soluble solids content of the fruits was affected little. The solar radiation and the photosynthetic rate of the individual leaves gradually decreased as the leaf position became lower at all planting densities on account of shading; those at lower leaves tended to decrease as the planting density increased. Fruit size was closely related to both the total solar radiation and the photosynthetic production per plant. In conclusion, the difference in fruit size among the planting densities is attributed to the photosynthetic productivity of the whole plant, which is mainly a function of the total solar radiation. This paper appears to be the first trial relating the influence of light interception and photosynthetic rates in high density plantings of vertically trained watermelon plants on fruit size

The Effect of Different Levels of Irrigation and Nitrogen Fertilizer on Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Potato in Subsurface Drip Irrigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Jolaini

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: After wheat, rice and corn, potato is the fourth most important food plant in the world. In comparison with other species, potato is very sensitive to water stress because of its shallow root system: approximately 85% of the root length is concentrated in the upper 0.3-0.4 m of the soil. Several studies showed that drip irrigation is an effective method for enhancing potato yield. Fabeiro et al. (2001 concluded that tuber bulking and ripening stages were found to be the most sensitive stages of water stress with drip irrigation. Water deficit occurring in these two growth stages could result in yield reductions. Wang et al. (2006 investigated the effects of drip irrigation frequency on soil wetting pattern and potato yield. The results indicated that potato roots were not limited in wetted soil volume even when the crop was irrigated at the highest frequency while high frequency irrigation enhanced potato tuber growth and water use efficiency (WUE. Though information about irrigation and N management of this crop is often conflicting in the literature, it is accepted generally that production and quality are highly influenced by both N and irrigation amounts and these requirements are related to the cropping technique. Researches revealed that nitrogen fertilizers play a special role in the growth, production and quality of potatoes. Materials and Methods: A factorial experiment in randomized complete block design with three replications was carried out during two growing seasons. Studied factors were irrigation frequency (I1:2 and I2:4 days interval and nitrogen fertilizer levels (applying 100 (N1, 75 (N2 and 50 (N3 % of the recommended amount. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied through irrigation water. In each plot two rows with within-and between-row spacing of 45 and 105 cm and 20 m length. The amount of nitrogen fertilizer for the control treatment was determined by soil analysis (N1. In all treatments, nitrogen fertilizer

Effects of elevated ozone on leaf {delta}{sup 13}C and leaf conductance of plant species grown in semi-natural grassland with or without irrigation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jaeggi, M. [Agroscope FAL Reckenholz, Swiss Federal Research Station for Agroecology and Agriculture, Air Pollution/Climate Group, CH-8046 Zurich (Switzerland)]. E-mail: maya.jaeggi@psi.ch; Saurer, M. [Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Volk, M. [Agroscope FAL Reckenholz, Swiss Federal Research Station for Agroecology and Agriculture, Air Pollution/Climate Group, CH-8046 Zurich (Switzerland); Fuhrer, J. [Agroscope FAL Reckenholz, Swiss Federal Research Station for Agroecology and Agriculture, Air Pollution/Climate Group, CH-8046 Zurich (Switzerland)

2005-03-01

Stable carbon isotope ratios ({delta}{sup 13}C) and leaf conductance (g{sub s}) were measured (2002, 2003) in Holcus lanatus L., Plantago lanceolata L. Ranunculus friesianus (Jord.), and Trifolium pratense L. at two levels of ozone (O{sub 3}) with or without irrigation. In non-irrigated control plots, R. friesianus showed the least negative {delta}{sup 13}C, and the smallest response to the treatments. Irrigation caused more negative {delta}{sup 13}C, especially in H. lanatus. Irrespective of irrigation, O{sub 3} increased {delta}{sup 13}C in relationship to a decrease in g{sub s} in P. lanceolata and T. pratense. The strongest effect of O{sub 3} on {delta}{sup 13}C occurred in the absence of irrigation, suggesting that under field conditions lack of moisture in the top soil does not always lead to protection from O{sub 3} uptake. It is concluded that in species such as T. pratense plants can maintain stomatal O{sub 3} uptake during dry periods when roots can reach deeper soil layers where water is not limiting. - Under natural field conditions, lack of precipitation may not protect semi-natural vegetation from O{sub 3} effects on leaf gas exchange.

Modeling root length density of field grown potatoes under different irrigation strategies and soil textures using artificial neural networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmadi, Seyed Hamid; Sepaskhah, Ali Reza; Andersen, Mathias Neumann

2014-01-01

) of the eight input variables: soil layer intervals (D), percentages of sand (Sa), silt (Si), and clay (Cl), bulk density of soil layers (Bd), weighted soil moisture deficit during the irrigation strategies period (SMD), geometric mean particle size diameter (dg), and geometric standard deviation (σg......). The results of the study showed that all the nine ANN models predicted the target RLD values satisfactorily with a correlation coefficient R2>0.98. The simplest and most complex ANN architectures were 3:2:1 and 5:5:1 consisting of D, SMD, dg, and D, Bd, SMD, σg, dg as the input variables, respectively. Low...

Impact of Wood Biochar and Its Interactions with Mycorrhizal Fungi, Phosphorus Fertilization and Irrigation Strategies on Potato Growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, C.; Liu, F.; Ravnskov, S.

2017-01-01

Biochar amendment to soil has the potential to improve soil quality and increase crop yield. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) provide beneficial plant services of stress alleviation with respect to phosphorus (P) deficiency and drought. The aim of this study was to explore interactive effects...... of biochar with AMF, P fertilization levels and irrigation strategies on growth of potato plants. Potato plants were amended with wood biochar of 0.74 % w/w (B+) or not (B−), fertilized with phosphorus of 0.11 mg P g−1 soil (P1) or not (P0), irrigated with full irrigation (FI) or partial root-zone drying...... irrigation (PRD) and inoculated with AMF of Rhizophagus irregularis (M+) or not (M−) in split-root pots in a sandy loam soil. Plants were analysed for growth performance, P and nitrogen (N) uptake and water use efficiency (WUE). Biochar adsorption of mineral P and N in aqueous solution was tested...

Changes of Chlorophyll Index (SPAD, Relative Water Content, Electrolyte Leakage and Seed Yield in Spring Safflower Genotypes under Irrigation Termination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B.E. Moosavifar

2012-04-01

Full Text Available In order to evaluate the effect of irrigation termination and genotype on chlorophyll index (SPAD, relative water content, electrolyte leakage and seed yield in spring safflower, an experiment was conducted, in a spilt plot arrangement based on randomized complete block design with four replications at Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, the University of Birjand, during 2008. Irrigation regimes (full irrigation (whole season irrigation, irrigation until grain filling, flowering and heading-bud and genotypes (Mahali Isfahan (a local variety, Isfahan28 and IL111 were arranged in main and subplots, respectively. Results showed chlorophyll content, relative water content, cell membrane stability and seed yield were influenced by irrigation termination. Provided that with terminating irrigation at an earlier stage, an increase in electrolyte leakage and reduction in relative water content and seed yield was observed in plants. There were negative relations between electrolyte leakage from plants leaf cells and seed yield. Plants which experienced irrigation termination in an earlier growth stage, suffered more damage to their cell membranes, leading to depression of their production potential. Based on the results, Mahali Isfahan and Isfahan28 can be introduced as drought resistant genotypes, because of their lower electrolyte leakage and higher relative water content. But, in general, Mahali Isfahan had the highest seed yield due to its nativeness and high adaptation to arid conditions southern of Khorasan, and therefore this genotype suggests for planting in the region.

Dealing with drought in irrigated agriculture through insurance schemes: an application to an irrigation district in Southern Spain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruiz, M.; Bielza, J.; Garrido, A.; Iglesias, A.

2015-07-01

Hydrological drought is expected to have an increasing impact on both crop and fruit yields in arid and semi-arid regions. Some existing crop insurance schemes provide coverage against water deficits in rain-fed agriculture. The Prevented Planting Program in the USA covers against drought for irrigated agriculture. However, drought insurance for irrigated agriculture is still a challenge for companies and institutions because of the complexity of the design and implementation of this type of insurance. Few studies have attempted to evaluate the risk of loss due to irrigation water scarcity using both stand-alone production functions and crop simulation models. This paper’s contributions are that it evaluates the suitability of AquaCrop for calculating drought insurance premiums for irrigated agriculture and that it discusses contract conditions and insurance design for hydrological drought risk coverage as part of a traditional insurance product, with on-field loss assessment in combination with a trigger index. This method was applied to an irrigation district in southern Spain. Our insurance premium calculation showed that it is feasible to apply this method provided that its data requirements are met, such as a large enough set of reliable small-scale yield and irrigation time series data, especially soil data, to calibrate AquaCrop. The choice of a trigger index should not be underestimated because it proved to have a decisive influence on insurance premiums and indemnities. Our discussion of the contract conditions shows that hydrological drought insurance must comply with a series of constraints in order to avoid moral hazard and basis risk. (Author)

Dealing with drought in irrigated agriculture through insurance schemes: an application to an irrigation district in Southern Spain

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Jorge Ruiz

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Hydrological drought is expected to have an increasing impact on both crop and fruit yields in arid and semi-arid regions. Some existing crop insurance schemes provide coverage against water deficits in rain-fed agriculture. The Prevented Planting Program in the USA covers against drought for irrigated agriculture. However, drought insurance for irrigated agriculture is still a challenge for companies and institutions because of the complexity of the design and implementation of this type of insurance. Few studies have attempted to evaluate the risk of loss due to irrigation water scarcity using both stand-alone production functions and crop simulation models. This paper’s contributions are that it evaluates the suitability of AquaCrop for calculating drought insurance premiums for irrigated agriculture and that it discusses contract conditions and insurance design for hydrological drought risk coverage as part of a traditional insurance product, with on-field loss assessment in combination with a trigger index. This method was applied to an irrigation district in southern Spain. Our insurance premium calculation showed that it is feasible to apply this method provided that its data requirements are met, such as a large enough set of reliable small-scale yield and irrigation time series data, especially soil data, to calibrate AquaCrop. The choice of a trigger index should not be underestimated because it proved to have a decisive influence on insurance premiums and indemnities. Our discussion of the contract conditions shows that hydrological drought insurance must comply with a series of constraints in order to avoid moral hazard and basis risk.

A rule-based smart automated fertilization and irrigation systems

Science.gov (United States)

Yousif, Musab El-Rashid; Ghafar, Khairuddin; Zahari, Rahimi; Lim, Tiong Hoo

2018-04-01

Smart automation in industries has become very important as it can improve the reliability and efficiency of the systems. The use of smart technologies in agriculture have increased over the year to ensure and control the production of crop and address food security. However, it is important to use proper irrigation systems avoid water wastage and overfeeding of the plant. In this paper, a Smart Rule-based Automated Fertilization and Irrigation System is proposed and evaluated. We propose a rule based decision making algorithm to monitor and control the food supply to the plant and the soil quality. A build-in alert system is also used to update the farmer using a text message. The system is developed and evaluated using a real hardware.

Comparison of dwarf bamboos (Indocalamus sp.) leaf parameters to determine relationship between spatial density of plants and total leaf area per plant.

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Shi, Pei-Jian; Xu, Qiang; Sandhu, Hardev S; Gielis, Johan; Ding, Yu-Long; Li, Hua-Rong; Dong, Xiao-Bo

2015-10-01

The relationship between spatial density and size of plants is an important topic in plant ecology. The self-thinning rule suggests a -3/2 power between average biomass and density or a -1/2 power between stand yield and density. However, the self-thinning rule based on total leaf area per plant and density of plants has been neglected presumably because of the lack of a method that can accurately estimate the total leaf area per plant. We aimed to find the relationship between spatial density of plants and total leaf area per plant. We also attempted to provide a novel model for accurately describing the leaf shape of bamboos. We proposed a simplified Gielis equation with only two parameters to describe the leaf shape of bamboos one model parameter represented the overall ratio of leaf width to leaf length. Using this method, we compared some leaf parameters (leaf shape, number of leaves per plant, ratio of total leaf weight to aboveground weight per plant, and total leaf area per plant) of four bamboo species of genus Indocalamus Nakai (I. pedalis (Keng) P.C. Keng, I. pumilus Q.H. Dai and C.F. Keng, I. barbatus McClure, and I. victorialis P.C. Keng). We also explored the possible correlation between spatial density and total leaf area per plant using log-linear regression. We found that the simplified Gielis equation fit the leaf shape of four bamboo species very well. Although all these four species belonged to the same genus, there were still significant differences in leaf shape. Significant differences also existed in leaf area per plant, ratio of leaf weight to aboveground weight per plant, and leaf length. In addition, we found that the total leaf area per plant decreased with increased spatial density. Therefore, we directly demonstrated the self-thinning rule to improve light interception.

Heliconia cv. Golden Torch cultivated under different irrigation depths in protected environment

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Alcilane Arnaldo Silva

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The genus Heliconia is commercially detached by the exotic appearance of the inflorescences but is susceptible to lack of moisture in the soil, being necessary the irrigation management. In this sense, the objective was to evaluate the effect of different irrigation levels on the plant growth and productive characters of Heliconia psittacorum cv. Golden Torch cultivated in vase. The experiment was conducted from March to October 2014, in a randomized blocks design. Five treatments corresponding to the different irrigation levels were used [50, 75, 100, 125 and 150% of the evaporation measured in Class A (ECA] with four replicates and two plants per replicate. The following evaluations were carried out: number of days for the emergence of the first tiller, number of days for the emergence of the first inflorescence, number of days for the inflorescence harvest, crop cycle, diameter of the flower stem, length of the flower stem, inflorescence length, plant high, number of tillers and productivity of flower stems. Chlorophyll and leaf area measurements were performed. The irrigation levels tested significantly influenced the number of days for the first inflorescence harvest, length of the flower stem and inflorescence length. The irrigation level of 150% ECA provided better results for the length of the flower stem, inflorescence length and for leaf area but without differences from 75%, 100% and 125% ECA. Thus, for the cultivation of the heliconia cv. Golden Torch in pot can be recommended the level corresponding from 75% to 150% ECA.

Ambit determination method in estimating rice plant population density

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Abu Bakar, B.,

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Rice plant population density is a key indicator in determining the crop setting and fertilizer application rate. It is therefore essential that the population density is monitored to ensure that a correct crop management decision is taken. The conventional method of determining plant population is by manually counting the total number of rice plant tillers in a 25 cm x 25 cm square frame. Sampling is done by randomly choosing several different locations within a plot to perform tiller counting. This sampling method is time consuming, labour intensive and costly. An alternative fast estimating method was developed to overcome this issue. The method relies on measuring the outer circumference or ambit of the contained rice plants in a 25 cm x 25 cm square frame to determine the number of tillers within that square frame. Data samples of rice variety MR219 were collected from rice plots in the Muda granary area, Sungai Limau Dalam, Kedah. The data were taken at 50 days and 70 days after seeding (DAS. A total of 100 data samples were collected for each sampling day. A good correlation was obtained for the variety of 50 DAS and 70 DAS. The model was then verified by taking 100 samples with the latching strap for 50 DAS and 70 DAS. As a result, this technique can be used as a fast, economical and practical alternative to manual tiller counting. The technique can potentially be used in the development of an electronic sensing system to estimate paddy plant population density.

Moderate irrigation intervals facilitate establishment of two desert shrubs in the Taklimakan Desert Highway Shelterbelt in China.

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Li, Congjuan; Shi, Xiang; Mohamad, Osama Abdalla; Gao, Jie; Xu, Xinwen; Xie, Yijun

2017-01-01

Water influences various physiological and ecological processes of plants in different ecosystems, especially in desert ecosystems. The purpose of this study is to investigate the response of physiological and morphological acclimation of two shrubs Haloxylon ammodendron and Calligonum mongolicunl to variations in irrigation intervals. The irrigation frequency was set as 1-, 2-, 4-, 8- and 12-week intervals respectively from March to October during 2012-2014 to investigate the response of physiological and morphological acclimation of two desert shrubs Haloxylon ammodendron and Calligonum mongolicunl to variations in the irrigation system. The irrigation interval significantly affected the individual-scale carbon acquisition and biomass allocation pattern of both species. Under good water conditions (1- and 2-week intervals), carbon assimilation was significantly higher than other treatments; while, under water shortage conditions (8- and 12-week intervals), there was much defoliation; and under moderate irrigation intervals (4 weeks), the assimilative organs grew gently with almost no defoliation occurring. Both studied species maintained similar ecophysiologically adaptive strategies, while C. mongolicunl was more sensitive to drought stress because of its shallow root system and preferential belowground allocation of resources. A moderate irrigation interval of 4 weeks was a suitable pattern for both plants since it not only saved water but also met the water demands of the plants.

Physiology of ‘Paluma’ guava under irrigation with saline water and nitrogen fertilization

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Evandro Manoel da Silva

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The use of saline water in irrigation causes osmotic and toxic effects and nutritional imbalance in plants, leading to morphophysiological modifications in the leaves and compromising the production of photosynthetic pigments, which negatively reflects in the growth and development of the crops. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of irrigation water salinity on the content of photosynthetic pigments and leaf morphophysiology of guava seedlings cv. ‘Paluma’ under nitrogen (N fertilization. A randomized block design was used, testing five levels of irrigation water electrical conductivity - ECw (0.3, 1.1, 1.9, 2.7, and 3.5 dS m-1 and four N doses (541.1, 773.0, 1,004.9, and 1,236.8 mg of N dm-3 of soil in a 5 x 4 factorial scheme with three replicates and five plants per plot. The contents of photosynthetic pigments in the leaves of the guava seedlings cv. ‘Paluma’ were inhibited by the increase in irrigation water salinity at 190 days after emergence, and the salt stress was lessened with the N dose of 1,004.9 mg dm-3 up to an ECw level of 1.2 dS m-1. Leaf morphophysiology of guava seedlings was not compromised by irrigation water salinity up to 1.5 dS m-1, and the highest values were obtained in plants fertilized with 541.1 mg of N dm-3.

Character Association and Path Analysis of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L. Genotypes under Different Irrigation Regimes

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Kaosar BARDIDEH

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Character association and path analysis were performed for black seed cultivars using a split-plots design based on RCBD with three replications. Three cultivars (‘Varzaneh’, ‘Semirom’ and ‘Mobarakeh’ were studied under three levels of irrigation (normal irrigation, irrigation with drought stress before and after flowering. Under normal and abnormal irrigations the relation of seed yield and three characters biological yield, number of capsule per plant and thousand seed weight were high, positive significantly (p≤0.01; the relation between yield and number of sub branch was positive significantly (p≤0.05. In terms of abnormal irrigation there was a positive significant correlation between essence percent and yield (p≤0.05. Under normal irrigation the most direct effect of traits on yield was obtained from biological yield (0.778 followed the number of capsules per plant (0.245. The most indirect effect of traits on yield was obtained from biological yield through thousand seed weight (0.576 followed stem diameter through biological yield (0.468. Under water deficiency conditions the most direct effect of traits on yield was obtained from biological yield (0.811 followed the number of capsules per plant (0.231. The most indirect effect of traits on yield was obtained from biological yield through thousand seed weight (0.562.

Alternate partial root-zone irrigation improves fertilizer-N use efficiency in tomatoes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Yaosheng; Liu, Fulai; Jensen, Lars Stoumann

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the comparative effects of alternative partial root-zone irrigation (PRI) and deficit irrigation (DI) on fertilizer-N use efficiency in tomato plants under mineral N and organic N fertilizations. The plants were grown in split-root pots in a climate......-controlled glasshouse and were subjected to PRI and DI treatments during early fruiting stage. When analyzed across the N fertilizer treatments, PRI treatment led to significantly higher N yield, agronomic N use efficiency (ANUE), and apparent N recovery efficiency (ANRE) as compared with the DI treatment, indicating...... significantly higher fertilizer-N use efficiency and soil N availability as well as enhanced plant’s N acquisition ability in the PRI treatment. Analysis across the irrigation treatments showed that the mineral N fertilizer treatment (MinN) significantly increased N yield, ANUE and ANRE relative to the organic...

White mold intensity on common bean in response to plant density, irrigation frequency, grass mulching, Trichoderma spp., and fungicide Intensidade do mofobranco em feijão em função de densidade de plantas, freqüência de irrigação, cobertura vegetal do solo, Trichoderma spp. e fungicida

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Trazilbo José de Paula Júnior

2009-02-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of integrated managements on white mold control on common bean. Initially, in vitro testing was made to assess the antagonism of 11 Trichoderma isolates against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and to investigate fungicides (fluazinam and procymidone inhibitory effects on those fungi. In two field experiments the following combinations were tested: irrigation frequencies (seven or 14 days, plant densities (six or 12 plants per meter, and three disease controls (untreated control, fungicide or Trichoderma spp.. In a third experiment plant densities were replaced by grass mulching treatments (with or without mulching. Fluazinam was applied at 45 and 55 days after emergence (DAE. The antagonists T. harzianum (experiments 1 and 3 and T. stromatica (experiment 2 were applied through sprinkler irrigation at 10 and 25 DAE, respectively. Most of the Trichoderma spp. were effective against the pathogen in vitro. Fluazinam was more toxic than procymidone to both the pathogen and the antagonist. Fungicide applications increased yield between 32 % and 41 %. In field one application of Trichoderma spp. did not reduce disease intensity and did not increase yield. The reduction from 12 to six plants per meter did not decrease yield, and disease severity diminished in one of the two experiments. It is concluded that of the strategies for white mold control just reduction of plant density and applications of fungicide were efficient.Objetivou-se estudar a eficácia de técnicas de manejo integrado no controle do mofo-branco em feijão. Inicialmente, foram feitos testes in vitro para avaliar o antagonismo de 11 isolados de Trichoderma contra Sclerotinia sclerotiorum e investigar os efeitos de fungicidas (fluazinam e procymidone sobre esses fungos. Em dois ensaios de campo, foram testadas estas combinações: freqüências de irrigação (sete ou 14 dias, densidades de plantas (seis ou 12 por metro e três controles

[Optimal irrigation index for cotton drip irrigation under film mulching based on the evaporation from pan with constant water level].

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Xiao-Jun; Zhang, Ji-Yang; Sun, Jing-Sheng; Gao, Yang; Li, Ming-Si; Liu, Hao; Yang, Gui-Sen

2013-11-01

A field experiment with two irrigation cycles and two irrigating water quotas at squaring stage and blossoming-boll forming stage was conducted in Urumqi of Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Northwest China in 2008-2009, aimed to explore the high-efficient irrigation index of cotton drip irrigation under film mulching. The effects of different water treatments on the seed yield, water consumption, and water use efficiency (WUE) of cotton were analyzed. In all treatments, there was a high correlation between the cotton water use and the evaporation from pan installed above the plant canopy. In high-yield cotton field (including the treatment T4 which had 10 days and 7 days of irrigation cycle with 30.0 mm and 37.5 mm of irrigating water quota at squaring stage and blossoming-boll forming stage, respectively in 2008, and the treatment T1 having 7 days of irrigation cycle with 22.5 mm and 37.5 mm of irrigating water quota at squaring stage and blossoming-boll forming stage, respectively in 2009), the pan-crop coefficient (Kp) at seedling stage, squaring stage, blossoming-boll forming stage, and boll opening stage was 0.29-0.30, 0.52-0.53, 0.74-0.88, and 0.19-0.20, respectively. As compared with the other treatments, T4 had the highest seed cotton yield (5060 kg x hm(-2)) and the highest WUE (1.00 kg x m(-3)) in 2008, whereas T1 had the highest seed cotton yield (4467 kg x hm(-2)) and the highest WUE (0.99 kg x m(-3)) in 2009. The averaged cumulative pan evaporation in 7 days and 10 days at squaring stage was 40-50 mm and 60-70 mm, respectively, and that in 7 days at blossoming-boll forming stage was 40-50 mm. It was suggested that in Xinjiang cotton area, irrigating 45 mm water for seedling emergence, no irrigation both at seedling stage and at boll opening stage, and irrigation was started when the pan evaporation reached 45-65 mm and 45 mm at squaring stage and blossoming-boll stage, respectively, the irrigating water quota could be determined by multiplying cumulative

Crop and irrigation management strategies for saline-sodic soils and waters aimed at environmentally sustainable agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Qadir, M; Oster, J D

2004-05-05

Irrigation has long played a key role in feeding the expanding world population and is expected to play a still greater role in the future. As supplies of good-quality irrigation water are expected to decrease in several regions due to increased municipal-industrial-agricultural competition, available freshwater supplies need to be used more efficiently. In addition, reliance on the use and reuse of saline and/or sodic drainage waters, generated by irrigated agriculture, seems inevitable for irrigation. The same applies to salt-affected soils, which occupy more than 20% of the irrigated lands, and warrant attention for efficient, inexpensive and environmentally acceptable management. Technologically and from a management perspective, a couple of strategies have shown the potential to improve crop production under irrigated agriculture while minimizing the adverse environmental impacts. The first strategy, vegetative bioremediation--a plant-assisted reclamation approach--relies on growing appropriate plant species that can tolerate ambient soil salinity and sodicity levels during reclamation of salt-affected soils. A variety of plant species of agricultural significance have been found to be effective in sustainable reclamation of calcareous and moderately sodic and saline-sodic soils. The second strategy fosters dedicating soils to crop production systems where saline and/or sodic waters predominate and their disposal options are limited. Production systems based on salt-tolerant plant species using drainage waters may be sustainable with the potential of transforming such waters from an environmental burden into an economic asset. Such a strategy would encourage the disposal of drainage waters within the irrigated regions where they are generated rather than exporting these waters to other regions via discharge into main irrigation canals, local streams, or rivers. Being economically and environmentally sustainable, these strategies could be the key to future

Condensation irrigation a system for desalination and irrigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindblom, J.; Nordell, B

2006-01-01

condensation irrigation is a system for both desalination and irrigation. The principles is that humidified air is let into an underground horizontal pipe system, where the air is cooled by the ground and humidity falls out as fresh water. The humidification could e.g. be achieved by evaporation of seawater in solar stills or any other heat source. By using drainage pipes for underground air transportation the water percolates into the soil, thereby irrigating the land. This study focuses on drinking water production, which means that humid air is led into plan pipes where the condensed water is collected at the pipe endings. Numerical simulations gave a study-state diurnal mean water production of 1.8 kg per meter of pipe over a 50 m pipe. Shorter pipes result in a greater mean production rate. Since the heat transfer of drainage pipes would be greater, current study indicates that condensation irrigation is a promising method for desalination and irrigation. Performed studies in condensation irrigation started at LTU in 2003. Current paper reports the initial theoretical work on the system.(Author)

Effects of plant density and proportion on the interaction between wheat with alexandergrass plants

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Leonardo Bianco de Carvalho

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Determination of competitive relationships among plant species requires appropriate experimental designs and method of analysis. The hypothesis of this research was that two species growing in coexistence show different growth and development due to their relative competitiveness. This research aims to measure the relative competitiveness of wheat crop compared to Alexandergrass by the interpretation of plant density and proportional effects using replacement series experiments. Monocultures were cultivated in densities of 1, 3, 5, 10 and 15 plants per pot and analyzed by regression of dry mass data. Mixture experiment was cultivated in wheat:Alexandergrass proportions of 0:6, 1:5, 2:4, 3:3, 4:2, 5:1 and 6:0 plants per pot and analyzed by graphical interpretation of growth and production characteristics. Both experiments were carried out in randomized complete block design with four replicates. Alexandergrass was more sensitive to intraspecific competition than wheat. Alexandergrass was lightly more competitive than wheat. Number and weight of spikes and number of tillers were the wheat characteristics more affected by Alexandergrass interference.

Experimental study of the radio-active contamination of certain cultivated plants by irrigation water; Etude experimentale de la contamination radioactive par l'eau d'irrigation de certaines plantes cultivees

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michon, G [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires; Barbier, G; Le Blaye, P; Brossard, M [Station Centrale d' Agronomie, 78 - Versailles (France); Fioramonti, S; Marty, J R [Station Agronomique de Toulouse, 31 (France); Benard, P; Flanzy, M [Station Centrale de Technologie des Produits Vegetaux, 11 - Narbonne (France); Delas, J; Delmas, J; Demias, Ch [Station d' Agronomie de Bordeaux (Pont de la Maye), 33 (France); Huguet, C [Station Agronomique d' Avignon, 84 (France)

1964-07-01

This report follows on to the CEA reports no 1860 and 2159 and gives the results obtained during the years 1961 and 1962. These results confirm for the most part those obtained previously and deal also with a larger variety of vegetables. Vines and artificial prairies were also dealt with during the course of this work. The large dispersion of the limiting values of the coefficient r (the ratio between the amount of radio-elements in a kilogram of product harvested, to the amount of radio-elements present in a litre of irrigation water) with different types of soil, different plant types, etc... , makes it impossible to draw any general conclusions. Each case of rejection requires a special study of which the outlive is given. At all events it is to be expected that in the majority of cases these studies will lead to a decrease in the norms now in force. (authors) [French] Ce rapport fait suite aux rapports CEA no 1860 et 2159 et rapporte les resultats obtenus pendant les annees 1961 et 1962. Ces resultats confirment dans l'ensemble ceux precedemment obtenus tout en augmentant la variete des legumes etudies. La vigne et les prairies artificielles ont egalement fait l'objet d'etudes. La grande dispersion des valeurs limites du coefficient r (rapport entre la quantite de radioelements dans un kg de produits recoltes a la quantite de radioelements presente dans un litre d'eau d'irrigation) en rapport avec la nature des sols, le type vegetal, etc.., ne permet pas de degager de conclusions generales. Chaque cas de rejet necessite une etude particuliere dont le schema est donne. En tout etat de cause l'on doit s'attendre a ce que dans la plupart des cas ces etudes conduisent a une diminution des normes actuellement utilisees. (auteurs)

PRODUCTION COMPONENTS OF Vigna unguiculata (L. Walp IRRIGATED WITH BRACKISH WATER UNDER DIFFERENT LEACHING FRACTIONS

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JOSÉ FRANCISCO DE CARVALHO

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to evaluate the production components of cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata L. Walp subjected to irrigation with brackish water and different leaching fractions. The experiment was conducted in a lysimeter system of the Department of Agricultural Engineering of the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife campus. The treatments, consisting of two water salinity levels (ECw (1.2 and 3.3 dS m - 1 and five leaching fractions (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%, were evaluated using a completely randomized design in a 2x5 factorial arrangement with four replications. The variables evaluated were: number of pods per plant, 100 - grain weight, number of grains per pod, grain and shoot dry weight, grain yield and harvest index. The soil salinity increased with increasing salinity of the water used for irrigation, and reduced with increasing leaching fraction. The salinity of the water used for irrigation influenced only the variables number of pods per plant and grain yield. The estimated leaching fractions of 9.1% and 9.6% inhibited the damage caused by salinity on the number of pods per plant and grain yield, respectively. Therefore, the production of V. unguiculata irrigated with brackish water, leaching salts from the plant root environment, is possible under the conditions evaluated.

Review of ultrasonic irrigation in endodontics: increasing action of irrigating solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Mozo, Sandra; Llena, Carmen

2012-01-01

Introduction: Effective irrigant delivery and agitation are prerequisites for successful endodontic treatment. Ultrasonic irrigation can be performed with or without simultaneous ultrasonic instrumentation. Existing literature reveals that ultrasonic irrigation may have a very positive effect on chemical, biological and physical debridement of the root canal system as investigated in many in vitro studies. Objective: The purpose of this review article was to summarize and discuss the available information concerning ultrasonic irrigation in endodontics. Methods: This article presents an overview of ultrasonic irrigation methods and their debridement efficacy. In this paper the relevant literature on passive ultrasonic irrigation is reviewed. Information from original scientific papers or reviews listed in MEDLINE and Cochrane were included in the review. Results: The use of ultrasound in the irrigation procedure results in improved canal cleanliness, better irrigant transfer to the canal system, soft tissue debridement, and removal of smear layer and bacteria. There are many in vitro studies, but there is a need to standardize protocols, and correlate the clinical efficacy of ultrasonic devices with improved treatment outcomes. Understanding the basis of ultrasonic irrigation is fundamental for clinicians and researchers to improve the design and use of ultrasonic irrigation. Key words:Ultrasonic irrigation, ultrasound, smear layer, endodontics. PMID:22143738

Adapting irrigation management to water scarcity: constraints of plant growth, hydraulics and carbon assimilation.

Science.gov (United States)

Water shortages are responsible for the greatest crop losses around the world and are expected to worsen. In arid areas where agriculture is dependent on irrigation, various forms of deficit irrigation management have been suggested to optimize crop yields for available soil water. The relationshi...

Decoupling factors affecting plant diversity and cover on extensive green roofs.

Science.gov (United States)

MacIvor, J Scott; Margolis, Liat; Puncher, Curtis L; Carver Matthews, Benjamin J

2013-11-30

Supplemental irrigation systems are often specified on green roofs to ensure plant cover and growth, both important components of green roof performance and aesthetics. Properties of the growing media environment too can alter the assemblage of plant species able to thrive. In this study we determine how plant cover, above ground biomass and species diversity are influenced by irrigation and growing media. Grass and forb vegetative cover and biomass were significantly greater in organic based growing media but there was no effect of supplemental irrigation, with two warm season grasses dominating in those treatments receiving no supplemental irrigation. On the other hand, plant diversity declined without irrigation in organic media, and having no irrigation in inorganic growing media resulted in almost a complete loss of cover. Sedum biomass was less in inorganic growing media treatments and species dominance shifted when growing media organic content increased. Our results demonstrate that supplemental irrigation is required to maintain plant diversity on an extensive green roof, but not necessarily plant cover or biomass. These results provide evidence that planting extensive green roofs with a mix of plant species can ensure the survival of some species; maintaining cover and biomass when supplemental irrigation is turned off to conserve water, or during extreme drought. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving efficiencies of irrigation and nitrogen uptake in wheat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bazza, M.

2000-01-01

Three years of field studies and lysimeter experiments on irrigated wheat had the objective of finding ways of managing irrigation and N fertilization to minimize losses and reduce contamination of groundwater. Applied N had significant positive effects on crop-water consumptive use. The highest N losses occurred during early growth. Irrigation had little effect on N loss when it was practiced efficiently. Under the prevailing conditions, it is recommended that no N be applied to wheat at planting, in order to limit N losses by leaching caused by the high precipitation that usually occurs during early development when crop-N requirements are small. No more than 120 kg N ha -1 should be applied in total to minimize groundwater pollution and maximize N-uptake efficiency and economic returns. Also, for economic and environmental reasons, irrigation should be limited to 80% of the total requirement and to depths of 40 to 60 mm. (author)

The Effects of Different Irrigation Regimes on the Morphological and Physiological Characteristics of Three Soybean Cultivars (Glycine max

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N. Razmi

2013-11-01

Full Text Available To study the effect of different irrigation regimes on morphological and physiological characteristics of soybean cultivars, this experiment was conducted at Moghan Agricultural Research Center during 2009-2010 in Iran. The experiment was split plot based on randomized complete block design, with 3 replications. The main plots consisted of four irrigation regimes: I1, I2, I3 and I4 indicating irrigation after 60, 100, 140 and 180 mm evaporation from class A pan respectively and 3 soybean cultivars named Linford, L17 and Williams assigned in the sub plots. Results of combined analysis showed that with increasing irrigation intervals from I1 to I4 reduced growth period, plant height and leaf area index (LAI, number of nodes, branches and internodes significantly. Physiologic characteristics such as chlorophyll contain of leaves and relative water content (RWC were also affected by irrigation regimes. LAI in I1 was 4.94 reduced inI4to 3.70.Plant height of soybean cultivars were declined by 21% in I4 (irrigation after 180 mm evaporation as compared to I1 (irrigation after 60 mm evaporation. Soluble proline content of the leaves and electric conduction (EC on the other hand increases significantly. There was significant differences among cultivars concerning the vegetative and physiological characteristics. Willams and L17 cultivars produced the highest numbers of nodes (15.5 and internode length (4.95cm receptivity. The maximum proline content (65.6 µmol/F.W and relative water content (67.65% belonged to Linford cultivar. Interaction of irrigation regimes and cultivars was significant on plant hieght, LAI and proline content. Linford cultivar had more soluble proline under water limited condition and maintained higher LAI and plant height in I4 treatment as compared other treatments.

HEAVY METALS AND MICRONUTRIENTS IN THE SOIL AND GRAPEVINE UNDER DIFFERENT IRRIGATION STRATEGIES

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Vanessa de Souza Oliveira

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Soils under natural conditions have heavy metals in variable concentrations and there may be an increase in these elements as a result of the agricultural practices adopted. Transport of heavy metals in soil mainly occurs in forms dissolved in the soil solution or associated with solid particles, water being their main means of transport. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the heavy metal and micronutrient content in the soil and in the grapevine plant and fruit under different irrigation strategies. The experiment was carried out in Petrolina, PE, Brazil. The treatments consisted of three irrigation strategies: full irrigation (FI, regulated deficit irrigation (RDI, and deficit irrigation (DI. During the period of grape maturation, soil samples were collected at the depths of 0-10, 10-20, 20-40, 40-60, and 60-80 cm. In addition, leaves were collected at the time of ripening of the bunches, and berries were collected at harvest. Thus, the heavy metal and micronutrient contents were determined in the soil, leaves, and berries. The heavy metal and micronutrient contents in the soil showed a stochastic pattern in relation to the different irrigation strategies. The different irrigation strategies did not affect the heavy metal and micronutrient contents in the vine leaves, and they were below the contents considered toxic to the plant. In contrast, the greater availability of water in the FI treatment favored a greater Cu content in the grape, which may be a risk to vines, causing instability and turbidity. Thus, adoption of deficit irrigation is recommended so as to avoid compromising the stability of tropical wines of the Brazilian Northeast.

Effect of planting density and growing media on growth and yield of strawberry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tariq, R.; Qureshi, K.M.; Hassan, I.; Rasheed, M.; Qureshi, U.S.

2013-01-01

Strawberry (Fragaria ananasa), belonging to Rosaceae family, is a rich source of vitamins and minerals with delicate flavors. It is perishable crop which is exceedingly in demand for its taste, profitability, high yield and good quality. To make the plant growth successful in the container, the requirement of special media is very important step because plant growth is largely depended on the physiochemical properties of the growing media used. Winter strawberry production in a greenhouse using high plant densities and various media may be a viable alternative to open-field production system. Planting density can be increased thrice by using different production systems. Studies were conducted to see the impact of different planting densities and media on growth and yield of strawberry. The treatments were T 1 = Control, with normal planting distance of 30 cm x 60 cm and growing media silt, sand and farm yard manure (FYM); T 2 = 15 cm 2 x 30 cm and silt, sand and FYM; T 3 = 30 cm x 60 cm and coir; T 4 = 15 cm x 30 cm and coir; T 5 = 30 cm x 60 cm and peat moss; T 6 = 15 cm x 30 cm and 5 6 peat moss. Results showed that plants grown at low planting distance on all growth media showed more pronounced results as compared to high planting distance. Plants grown in peat moss at both planting densities moderately increased the plant height, canopy size, leaf area, number of fruits, fruit size, fruit weight and titratable acidity. A significant increase in fresh and dry weight of leaves, number of leaves, fruit yield in term of fruit number, fruit size and fruit weight, and fruit quality with high ascorbic acid contents were observed. On the other hand, plants grown in silt, sand and FYM (1 : 1 : 1) at both planting densities showed significant increment in vegetative growth resulting in early flowering with more flowers per plant, better fruit setting and fruit set percentage, greater fruit size and weight but fruit number per plant was reduced which lowered the overall

Behaviour Of Saline Irrigation Water Components In Pakistani Barley And Calcareous Soil Under Scheduling Irrigation Using Neutron Scattering Technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

RIZK, M.A.

2010-01-01

This study aims to investigate the behaviour of cation uptake by Pakistani barley (genotype PK-30163) as affected by saline irrigation water, as well as cation distribution within the soil profile. This experiment was carried out at Soil and Water Research Department, Nuclear Research Centre, Atomic Energy Authority, Inshas, Egypt. The soil was transferred from Wadi Sudr (South Sinai, Egypt). It is salted affected soil (calcareous soil, EC = 4.3 dS/m) and was irrigated using ground water irrigation (12.5 dS/m). Nine used lysimeters were irrigated with three artificial saline water (0.3, 4 and 8 dS/m) using drip irrigation system. The irrigation schedule was carried out using neutron scattering technique according to the hydro physical properties of the soil. Pakistani barley (halophytic plant) was used to remove salts from the soil especially sodium cations. The cation uptake and cation distribution (Na, K, Ca, Mg) within the soil profile were studied.The data indicated that roots of barley collected within 0-15 cm layer showed high cation uptake that made the salt concentrations in this layer low. Sodium uptake ratio was 43, 37 and 47% from total cation uptake by using fresh water (0.3 dS/m), 4 and 8 dS/m, respectively. The maximum uptake for Na, K, Ca and Mg was 20.51, 19.13, 3.98 and 12.81 g/lys at 5.69, 3.05, 6.56 and 4.15 dS/m, respectively. It was found that Pakistani barley preferred Mg uptake rather than Ca uptake.

Practical salinity management for leachate irrigation to poplar trees.

Science.gov (United States)

Smesrud, Jason K; Duvendack, George D; Obereiner, James M; Jordahl, James L; Madison, Mark F

2012-01-01

Landfill leachate can be beneficially reused for irrigation of fiber crops with appropriate attention to nutrient and salinity management. The Riverbend Landfill in Western Oregon has been effectively practicing irrigation of landfill leachate to poplar trees since 1993. Over that time, the site has been adaptively managed to control salinity impacts to the tree crop while beneficially utilizing the applied water and nutrients during each growing season. Representative leachate irrigation water has ranged in concentration of total dissolved solids from 777 to 6,940 mg/L, chloride from 180 to 1,760 mg/L and boron from 3.2 to 7.3 mg/L. Annual leachate irrigation applications have also ranged between 102 and 812 mm/yr. Important conclusions from this site have included: 1) Appropriate tree clone selection and tree stand spacing, thinning, and harvest rotations are critical to maintaining a productive tree stand that is resilient and resistant to salt stress. The most effective combinations have included clones DN-34, OP-367, 184-411, 49-177, and 15-29 planted at spacing of 3.7-m x 1.8-m to 3.7-m x 3.7-m; 2) Leaf tissue boron levels are closely correlated to soil boron levels and can be managed with leaching. When leaf tissue boron levels exceed 200 to 250 mg/kg, signs of salt stress may emerge and should be monitored closely; 3) Salinity from leachate irrigation can be managed to sustain a healthy tree crop by controlling mass loading rates and providing appropriate irrigation blending if necessary. Providing freshwater irrigation following each leachate irrigation and targeting freshwater irrigation as 30 percent of total irrigation water applied has successfully controlled salt impacts to vegetation; and 4) Drip irrigation generally requires more careful attention to long-term soil salinity management than spray irrigation. Moving drip irrigation tubes periodically to prevent the formation of highly saline zones within the soil profile is important. In this paper, a

Organic cultivation of onion under castor cake fertilization and irrigation depths

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Gabriel Alves Botelho de Mello

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects that different doses of castor bean (0, 200, and 300 g m-2 and irrigation levels (204, 224, 278, and 321 mm in 2014, and 278, 302, 397, and 444 mm in 2015 have on both the productivity and quality of onion bulbs. In the experiments, the experimental design was randomized blocks (4 x 3 factorial scheme, with five replicates. Irrigation management was performed using a Simplified Irrigation Device (SID in response to soil water tension in the treatment of highest irrigation depth. The following variables were evaluated: plant dry biomass (PDB, bulb dry biomass (BDB, total yield (TY, mean bulb fresh weight (MBFW, mean bulb dry weight (MBDW, mean bulb diameter (MBD and water use efficiency (WUE. The highest irrigation depths positively influenced the mean production of onion bulbs, regardless of the applied dose of castor cake. The doses of castor cake positively influenced the production of onion bulbs when higher irrigation depths were applied.

Application of drip irrigation technology for producing fruit of Salak ‘Gula Pasir’ (Salacca zalacca var. Gula Pasir off season on dry land

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I N Rai

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Naturally, Salak Gula Pasir (Salacca zalacca var. Gula Pasir is flowering every three months or four times a year, but only one or two flowering seasons that the flowers can develop into fruit. The condition causes Salak Gula Pasir is available in the market in a short period (only 2-3 months i.e. at the time of harvest (on-season from December to February. This seasonal nature of Salak Gula Pasir occurs because Salak Gula Pasir is planted on dry land where irrigation depends only on rainfall, and drought occurs when water is shortage so that the plant internal water content is low that causes a high failure development rate of flower to become fruit (fruit-set failure. This study was aimed to overcome the fruit-set failure by providing drip irrigation. Two treatments (with drip irrigation and without drip irrigation/control with sixteen replicates were tested at Salak Gula Pasir production centre (at Sibetan village, Bebandem District, of Karangasem Regency, Bali at two harvest seasons, i.e. Gadu (July and Sela II (October. The results showed that the plant provided with drip irrigation significantly yielded fruit-set percentage higher that that without drip irrigation, both in Gadu and Sela II seasons. The percentages of fruit-set in Gadu and Sela II seasons provided with drip irrigation were 75.30% and 93.13%, respectively, while those without drip irrigation were only 59.94% and 61.67%, respectively. The increase of fruit-set observed for drip irrigation treatment associated with the increase of leaf chlorophyll content, relative water content (RWC of leaves, and leaf N, P, and K contents. The increase of fruit-set led to higher number of fruits and fruit weight per plant under drip irrigation than that without drip irrigation. Based on the results of this study, drip irrigation can be applied to produce Salak Gula Pasir planted out of season on dry land.

Effect of Irrigation Intervals, Type of Fertilizers and Harvesting Time on Essence Content and Yield of Three Medicinal Plants: Lavender (lavandula angustifolia, Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis and Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis in Mashhad Condition.

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A Koocheki

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the effect of fertilizer types and irrigation regimes on quality criteria of three medicinal plants: Lavander, Rosemary and Hyssop, an experiment was conducted at Research Field of Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, during two growing years of 2007-2009. A split plot design with three replications was used. Treatments were three irrigation intervals (10, 20, 30 days as main plots and six fertilizers: including (control, Nitroxin (5lit/ha, nitrogen fertilizer (50 and 100 (kg/ha, cow manure (10 and 20 ton/ha and three medicinal plants as sub-subplots. Animal manure and chemical fertilizer were applied at the time of transferring seedlings to the field and Nitroxin was used with the first irrigation. Results indicated that the effect of irrigation intervals on yield of essential oil in all species was significant (p≤0.01. The highest essential oil content was from Rosemary (1.5% but the highest yield of essential oil was obtained from three species, Lavander (10kg/ha, Rosemary (7kg/ha and Hyssop (12kg/ha with application of biological fertilizer. Application of fertilizer affected significantly (P

Effect of Plant Density and Nitrogen Fertilizeron Morphological Traits, Seed and Essential Oil Yield and Essential Oil Content of Ajowan (Carum copticum L.

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S.Ali Tabatabaei

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Ajowan (Carum copticum Benth. & Hook. is an annual herbaceous essential oil bearing plant belonging to the Apiaceae family, which grows in India, Iran, and Egypt. Ajowan seeds have essential oil as an active substance, which is used in pharmaceutical industry as a diuretic, antivomiting, analgesic, antiasthma, antispasmodic and a carminative. Nitrogen is a part of all living cells and is a necessary part of all proteins, enzymes and metabolic processes involved in the synthesis and transfer of energy. Also, nitrogen is a part of chlorophyll, the green pigment of the plant that is responsible for photosynthesis. Generally, proper agronomic management including suitable plant density has a high influence on growth and yield of medicinal plants. In this regard, Kloss et al., (2012 highlighted the need for strategies to improve crop growth, make irrigation more efficient and sustainable and conserve farmlands. In addition, yield is influenced by inter-row spacing and sowing density. Ghilavizadeh et al., (2013 have reported that application of suitable amount of nitrogen fertilizer and plant density of 25 plan/m2 increased seed yield, essential oil yield and essential oil content of ajowan. In another research, Borumand Rezazadeh et al., (2009 reported that the plant density of 50 plant/m2 have produced the highest seed yield, essential oil yield and essential oil content. Generally, with regard to importance of medicinal plants and the necessity of understanding their crop and the impact of plant density and nitrogen fertilizer on the performance of these plants, this study was conducted to investigate the impact of these factors on some traits of ajowan. Materials and Methods: In order to evaluate the effect of plant density and nitrogen fertilizer on different traits of ajowan (Carum copticum L., an experiment was conducted using factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications at Agricultural and Natural

Scheduling irrigation for jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

USER

2010-08-30

Aug 30, 2010 ... indicators for diagnosing plant water information, but it is troublesome to measure leaf water potential using a pressure chamber (Turner, 1981). It is also difficult to achieve automatic and continuous records with the pressure chamber. Definition of threshold values of soil moisture for irrigation management ...

Irrigation and Autocracy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bentzen, Jeanet Sinding; Kaarsen, Nicolai; Wingender, Asger Moll

We show that societies with a history of irrigation-based agriculture have been less likely to adopt democracy than societies with a history of rainfed agriculture. Rather than actual irrigation, the empirical analysis is based on how much irrigation potentially can increase yields.Irrigation pot...

Agronomic and environmental aspects of diazotrophic bacteria in irrigated rice fields

Science.gov (United States)

This article provides an overview of the free-living and plant-associated nitrogen-fixing bacterial communities in irrigated rice fields, with a focus on describing the drivers affecting community assemblages in this soil-water-plant-atmosphere system. Theoretical and technical advances in non-legu...

Fruit yield and root system distribution of 'Tommy Atkins' mango under different irrigation regimes

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Marcelo R. dos Santos

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to evaluate the fruit yield and the distribution of 'Tommy Atkins' mango root system under different irrigation regimes in the semiarid region of Bahia. The experimental design was completely randomized with five treatments and three replicates: 1 - Irrigation supplying 100% of ETc in phases I, II and III; 2 - Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI supplying 50% of ETc in phase I (beginning of flowering to early fruit growth; 3 - RDI supplying 50% ETc in phase II (start of expansion until the beginning of physiological maturity; 4 - RDI supplying 50% ETc in phase III (physiological mature fruits; 5 - No irrigation during all three phases. The regulated deficit irrigation supplying 50% of the ETc during phase I and II provided larger root length density of 'Tommy Atkins' mango. Regardless of management strategy, the roots were developed in all evaluated soil volume and the highest density is concentrated from 0.50 to 1.50 m distance from the trunk and in 0.20 to 0.90 m depth in the soil, that suggests this region to be the best place for fertilizer application as well for soil water sensor placement. The application of RDI during fruit set does not influence either root distribution or production. Root system and crop production is significantly reduced under no irrigation conditions.

Effect of Organic Fertilizers and Plant Density on Qualititative Characteristics of Balangu (Lallenamntia royleana Benth.

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A Roohi Nogh

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction Recently, the impact of chemical farming and the negative consequences on the environment and human health are on rise in Iran. Organic farming is gaining attention and increasing globally because it is eco-friendly, safe and has benefits for human health. The use of organic fertilizers in agriculture improves soil structure. Plant spacing and fertilizer applications have significant influence on the growth and yield in crop production. Optimum plant spacing ensures the proper use of land, as well as growth and nutrition in plants. Balangu (Lallemantia royleana Benth. is a medicinal plant from Lamiaceae family, containing essential oils and mucilage. The most important feature of this plant is the mucilage of the seeds. The seeds are a good source of fiber, oil and protein, and have medicinal and nutritional properties. Using the appropriate plant density and environmental friendly methods like organic fertilizers can improve the quality and quantity of medicinal plants production. Materials and Methods In order to study the effect of organic fertilizers and plant density on the qualitative characteristics of Balangu (Lallemantia royleana Benth. as a medicinal plant, an experiment was conducted at the Research Station of Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, during the growing season of 2011-2012. Soil samples were collected from the 15 cm depth of each experimental plots for laboratory analysis. This experiment was carried out as factorial layout based on randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatments were included five levels of fertilizer (cow manure, sheep manure, chicken manure, municipal solid waste compost and control and three levels of plant density (20, 30 and 40 plant m-2. The studied traits were included amount of mucilage, swelling factor, swelling per gram mucilage, mucilage and seed yield. Data were analyzed with SAS software. The F test was used to test the significance

[Influence of water deficit and supplemental irrigation on nitrogen uptake by winter wheat and nitrogen residual in soil].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhaohui; Wang, Bing; Li, Shengxiu

2004-08-01

Pot experiment in greenhouse showed that water deficit at all growth stages and supplemental irrigation at tillering stage significantly decreased the nitrogen uptake by winter wheat and increased the mineral N residual (79.8-113.7 mg x kg(-1)) in soil. Supplemental irrigation at over-wintering, jointing or filling stage significantly increased the nitrogen uptake by plant and decreased the nitrogen residual (47.2-60.3 mg x kg(-1)) in soil. But, the increase of nitrogen uptake caused by supplemental irrigation did not always mean a high magnitude of efficient use of nitrogen by plants. Supplemental irrigation at over-wintering stage didn't induce any significant change in nitrogen content of grain, irrigation at filling stage increased the nitrogen content by 20.9%, and doing this at jointing stage decreased the nitrogen content by 19.6%, as compared to the control.

Drip irrigation using a PLC based adaptive irrigation system

OpenAIRE

Shahidian, S.; Serralheiro, R. P.; Teixeira, J. L.; Santos, F. L.; Oliveira, M. R. G.; Costa, J. L.; Toureiro, C.; Haie, Naim; Machado, R. M.

2009-01-01

Most of the water used by man goes to irrigation. A major part of this water is used to irrigate small plots where it is not feasible to implement full-scale Evapotranspiration based irrigation controllers. During the growth season crop water needs do not remain constant and varies depending on the canopy, growth stage and climate conditions such as temperature, wind, relative humidity and solar radiation. Thus, it is necessary to find an economic irrigation controller that can adapt the dail...

Influencing Factors and Simplified Model of Film Hole Irrigation

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Yi-Bo Li

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Film hole irrigation is an advanced low-cost and high-efficiency irrigation method, which can improve water conservation and water use efficiency. Given its various advantages and potential applications, we conducted a laboratory study to investigate the effects of soil texture, bulk density, initial soil moisture, irrigation depth, opening ratio (ρ, film hole diameter (D, and spacing on cumulative infiltration using SWMS-2D. We then proposed a simplified model based on the Kostiakov model for infiltration estimation. Error analyses indicated SWMS-2D to be suitable for infiltration simulation of film hole irrigation. Additional SWMS-2D-based investigations indicated that, for a certain soil, initial soil moisture and irrigation depth had the weakest effects on cumulative infiltration, whereas ρ and D had the strongest effects on cumulative infiltration. A simplified model with ρ and D was further established, and its use was then expanded to different soils. Verification based on seven soil types indicated that the established simplified double-factor model effectively estimates cumulative infiltration for film hole irrigation, with a small mean average error of 0.141–2.299 mm, a root mean square error of 0.177–2.722 mm, a percent bias of −2.131–1.479%, and a large Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient that is close to 1.0.

Drip irrigation and fertigation of potato under light-textured soils of cappadocia region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halitgil, M. B.; Onaran, H.; Munsuz, N.; Kislal, H.; Akin, A.; Unlenen, A. L.; Cayci, G.; Kutuk, C.

2002-01-01

In order to evaluate potato response to drip irrigation and N fertigation; and also to improve nitrogen and water use efficiencies of potato and eventually to obtain less nitrogen polluted surface and water, 10 field experiments were carried out at three different locations in Cappadocia Region of Turkey in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 growing seasons. Nitrogen as ammonium sulphate ((NH 4 ) 2 So 4 ), was supplied by drip irrigation water (fertigation) at rates of 0, 30, 60 and 90 kg N/da. Also, soil N application treatment equivalent to the fertigation treatment of 60kg N/da was included. These five treatments were investigated in a completely randomized block design with four replicants. Agria potato variety was used in all experiments and potato was planted in mid May and harvested at the end of October.''1''5N-labelled ammonium sulphate fertilizer were applied in isotope-sub plots within the macroplots for each treatment, in order to determine the amount of nitrogen taken up by the plant, nitrogen use efficiency and the distribution of residual nitrogen at different depths in the soil profile. Each year, during the growth period, total 12 irrigations were done and 50 mm of water was applied at each irrigation. At harvest, plant samples (tuber and leaf+vein) and soil samples were taken from each plot and N%, ''1''5N% atom excess (''1''5N% a.e.) and Ndff% determinations were done. Soil water contents at differrent soil depths were determined by soil moisture neutron probe at plantingand at harvest period so that water contents at different soil layers and water use efficiencies were calculated for each treatment. The results obtained showed that 3350 kg/da mean total marketable tuber yield was obtained with application of 600 mm irrigation water. Also,it was found that water did not move below 90 cm of soil layer in drip irrigation-fertigation system, which showed clearly that no nitrogen movement occured beyond 90 cm soil depth. Tuber yields and %Ndff increased when

Integrating Water Supply Constraints into Irrigated Agricultural Simulations of California

Science.gov (United States)

Winter, Jonathan M.; Young, Charles A.; Mehta, Vishal K.; Ruane, Alex C.; Azarderakhsh, Marzieh; Davitt, Aaron; McDonald, Kyle; Haden, Van R.; Rosenzweig, Cynthia E.

2017-01-01

Simulations of irrigated croplands generally lack key interactions between water demand from plants and water supply from irrigation systems. We coupled the Water Evaluation and Planning system (WEAP) and Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) to link regional water supplies and management with field-level water demand and crop growth. WEAP-DSSAT was deployed and evaluated over Yolo County in California for corn, rice, and wheat. WEAP-DSSAT is able to reproduce the results of DSSAT under well-watered conditions and reasonably simulate observed mean yields, but has difficulty capturing yield interannual variability. Constraining irrigation supply to surface water alone reduces yields for all three crops during the 1987-1992 drought. Corn yields are reduced proportionally with water allocation, rice yield reductions are more binary based on sufficient water for flooding, and wheat yields are least sensitive to irrigation constraints as winter wheat is grown during the wet season.

Estimating irrigation water use in the humid eastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Levin, Sara B.; Zarriello, Phillip J.

2013-01-01

Accurate accounting of irrigation water use is an important part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Use Information Program and the WaterSMART initiative to help maintain sustainable water resources in the Nation. Irrigation water use in the humid eastern United States is not well characterized because of inadequate reporting and wide variability associated with climate, soils, crops, and farming practices. To better understand irrigation water use in the eastern United States, two types of predictive models were developed and compared by using metered irrigation water-use data for corn, cotton, peanut, and soybean crops in Georgia and turf farms in Rhode Island. Reliable metered irrigation data were limited to these areas. The first predictive model that was developed uses logistic regression to predict the occurrence of irrigation on the basis of antecedent climate conditions. Logistic regression equations were developed for corn, cotton, peanut, and soybean crops by using weekly irrigation water-use data from 36 metered sites in Georgia in 2009 and 2010 and turf farms in Rhode Island from 2000 to 2004. For the weeks when irrigation was predicted to take place, the irrigation water-use volume was estimated by multiplying the average metered irrigation application rate by the irrigated acreage for a given crop. The second predictive model that was developed is a crop-water-demand model that uses a daily soil water balance to estimate the water needs of a crop on a given day based on climate, soil, and plant properties. Crop-water-demand models were developed independently of reported irrigation water-use practices and relied on knowledge of plant properties that are available in the literature. Both modeling approaches require accurate accounting of irrigated area and crop type to estimate total irrigation water use. Water-use estimates from both modeling methods were compared to the metered irrigation data from Rhode Island and Georgia that were used to

Morphophysiology of guava under saline water irrigation and nitrogen fertilization

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Idelfonso L. Bezerra

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth of grafted guava cv. ‘Paluma’ subjected to different concentrations of salts in irrigation water and nitrogen (N fertilization. The plants were transplanted to 150 L lysimeters and under field conditions at the Science and Agri-food Technology Center of the Federal University of Campina Grande, in the municipality of Pombal - PB. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design in a 5 x 4 factorial scheme, with three replicates, and the treatments corresponded to five levels of electrical conductivity of irrigation water - ECw (0.3; 1.1; 1.9; 2.7 and 3.5 dS m-1 and four N doses (70, 100, 130 and 160% of the N dose recommended for the crop. The doses equivalent to 100% corresponded to 541.1 mg of N dm-3 of soil. Irrigation water salinity above 0.3 dS m-1 negatively affects the number of leaves, leaf area, stem diameter, dry phytomass of leaves, branches and shoots . A significant interaction between irrigation water salinity and N fertilization was observed only for the number of leaves and leaf area at 120 days after transplanting. N dose above 70% of the recommendation (378.7 mg N dm-3 soil did not mitigate the deleterious effects caused by salt stress on plant growth.

Effect of partial root zone drying and deficit irrigation on nitrogen and phosphorus uptake in potato

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Caixia; Rubæk, Gitte Holton; Liu, Fulai

2015-01-01

Better understanding of the effects of deficit irrigation regimes on phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) uptake dynamics is necessary for sustainable water, P and N management. The effects of full (FI), deficit (DI) and partial root-zone drying (PRD) irrigation on potato P and N uptake with P fertili...... was superior to DI in terms of N uptake, but not P uptake. Challenges remain how to maintain crop yield and P uptake under reduced irrigation regimes. Utilization of water and N fertilizer was low when the soil was deficient in P.......Better understanding of the effects of deficit irrigation regimes on phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) uptake dynamics is necessary for sustainable water, P and N management. The effects of full (FI), deficit (DI) and partial root-zone drying (PRD) irrigation on potato P and N uptake with P...... fertilization (P1) or without (P0) were investigated in two split-root pot experiments in a soil with low plant available P. Under FI, the plants were irrigated to pot water holding capacity while under DI and PRD, 70% of the water amount of FI was applied on either both or one side of the pots, respectively...

Vegetative growth and yield of strawberry under irrigation and soil mulches for different cultivation environments

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Pires Regina Célia de Matos

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The vegetative growth and yield of strawberry in relation to irrigation levels and soil mulches are still not well known, mainly for different environmental conditions. Two experiments were carried out in Atibaia, SP, Brazil, during 1995, one in a protected environment and the other in an open field, to evaluate the cultivar Campinas IAC-2712, under different irrigation levels and soil mulches (black and clear polyethylene. Three water potential levels in the soil were used in order to define irrigation time, corresponding to -0.010 (N1, -0.035 (N2, and -0.070 (N3 MPa, measured through tensiometers installed at the 10 cm depth. A 2 x 3 factorial arrangement was adopted, as randomized complete block, with 5 replicates. In the protected cultivation, the irrigation levels of -0.010 and -0.035 MPa and the clear plastic mulch favored the vegetative growth, evaluated through plant height, maximum horizontal dimension of the plant, leaf area index, as well as by total marketable fruit yield and its components (mean number and weight of fruits per plant. In the open field cultivation, no effect of treatments due to rainfall were observed.

Field Comparison of Fertigation Vs. Surface Irrigation of Cotton Crop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janat, M.

2004-01-01

Based on previous results of the same nature, one nitrogen rate 180 kg N ha -1 was tested under two-irrigation methods, surface irrigation and drip fertigation of cotton (Cultivar Rakka-5) for two consecutive seasons 2000 and 2001. The study aimed to answer various questions regarding the applicability of drip fertigation at farm level and the effect of its employment on yield and growth parameters, compared to surface irrigation. Nitrogen fertilizer was either injected in eight equally split applications for the drip fertigated cotton or divided in four unequally split applications as recommend by Ministry of Agriculture (20% before planting, 40% at thinning, 20% after 60 days from planting and 20% after 75 days after planting). 15 N labeled urea was used to evaluate nitrogen fertilizer efficiency. The experimental design was randomized block design with seven replicates. Results showed that drip fertigation led to water saving exceeding 50% in some cases. Field germination percentage was highly increased under drip- fertigated cotton relative to surface-irrigated cotton. Dry matter and seed cotton yield of surface-irrigated cotton was slightly higher than that of drip-fertigated cotton in the first growing season. The reason for that was due to the hot spill that occurred in the region, which exposed the cotton crop to water stress and consequently pushed the cotton into early flowering. Lint properties were not affected by the introduction of drip-fertigation. Actually some properties were improved relative to the standard properties identified by the cotton Bureau.Nitrogen uptake was slightly increased under drip fertigation whereas nitrogen use efficiencies were not constant along the growing seasons. The reason for that could be lateral leaching and root proliferation into the labeled and unlabeled subplots. Field water use efficiency was highly increased for both growing seasons under drip fertigation practice. The rate of field water use efficiencies

Narrow row and crossed lines associated with different plant densities of soybean

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Alvadi Antonio Balbinot Junior

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The spatial arrangement of soybean plants affects the intraspecific competition for light, water and nutrients, which can change the biomass production, incidence of pests, diseases and weeds, plant lodging, and grain yield. This work aimed to evaluate the agronomic performance under different row spacing, plant densities and crossed rows. Two field experiments were carried out in Campo Mourão, Paraná State, Southern Brazil, using the randomized complete block experimental design, in a 3x3x2 factorial arrangement, with four replications. The treatments were formed by the combination of three row spacings (0.30, 0.45, and 0.60 m, three plant densities (300,000; 450,000; and 600,000 plants ha-1, and two row design (crossed or parallel rows. For all variables, interaction of the experimental factors was not significant. The row spacing of 0.45 m provided the highest grain yield in relation to 0.30 and 0.60 m. The density of 300,000 plants ha-1 showed higher yield of soybeans in late sowing. The crossed lines did not increase the productive performance in soybean.

Salinity and cationic nature of irrigation water on castor bean cultivation

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Geovani S. de Lima

Full Text Available ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the water relations, cell damage percentage and growth of the castor bean cv. ‘BRS Energia’ as a function of salinity and cationic nature of the water used in irrigation. The experiment was conducted in drainage lysimeters under greenhouse conditions in eutrophic Grey Argisol of sandy loam texture. Six combinations of water salinity and cations were studied (S1 - Control; S2 - Na+, S3 - Ca2+, S4 - Na+ + Ca2+; S5 - K+ and S6 - Na+ + Ca2+ + Mg2+, in a randomized block design with four replicates. In the control (S1, plants were irrigated with 0.6 dS m-1 water, whereas the other treatments received 4.5 dS m-1 water, obtained by adding different salts, all in the chloride form. Higher relative water content in the leaf blade of plants irrigated with K+-salinized water associated with leaf succulence are indicative of tolerance of the castor bean cv. ‘BRS Energia’ to salinity. Saline stress negatively affected castor bean growth, regardless of cationic nature of water. Among the ions studied, ‘BRS Energia’ castor bean was more sensitive to the presence of sodium in the irrigation water, in terms of both water relations and leaf succulence.

Health risks of heavy metals in contaminated soils and food crops irrigated with wastewater in Beijing, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, S.; Cao, Q.; Zheng, Y.M.; Huang, Y.Z.; Zhu, Y.G.

2008-01-01

Consumption of food crops contaminated with heavy metals is a major food chain route for human exposure. We studied the health risks of heavy metals in contaminated food crops irrigated with wastewater. Results indicate that there is a substantial buildup of heavy metals in wastewater-irrigated soils, collected from Beijing, China. Heavy metal concentrations in plants grown in wastewater-irrigated soils were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.001) than in plants grown in the reference soil, and exceeded the permissible limits set by the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) in China and the World Health Organization (WHO). Furthermore, this study highlights that both adults and children consuming food crops grown in wastewater-irrigated soils ingest significant amount of the metals studied. However, health risk index values of less than 1 indicate a relative absence of health risks associated with the ingestion of contaminated vegetables. - Long-term wastewater irrigation leads to buildup of heavy metals in soils and food crops

Maximizing plant density affects broccoli yield and quality

Science.gov (United States)

Increased demand for fresh market bunch broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) has led to increased production along the United States east coast. Maximizing broccoli yields is a primary concern for quickly expanding southeastern commercial markets. This broccoli plant density study was carr...

Conserving energy through new irrigation technologies. Technical briefing report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1982-07-01

The benefits and applications of five irrigation technologies are explored: mobile drop-tube irrigation, computerized scheduling, reduced-pressure center pivots, well design and development, and automated gated-pipe systems. Perhaps the most promising of the new irrigation technologies is the low-energy, precision-application (LEPA) system. This mobile system used one-half the energy of conventional sprinkler systems and distributes water with greater efficiency through a series of low-pressure drop tubes suspended above the crop. Computerized methods of irrigation scheduling have been developed to help farmers conserve water and energy. Special computer programs determine when a crop needs water and how much to apply for optimal plant growth, thus preventing the unnecessary costs of pumping more water than the crop needs. Field test results show that replacing traditional scheduling methods of irrigation with computerized scheduling can reduce energy and water use by as much as 35%. The irrigation industry is actively promoting reduced-pressure water application methods, particularly for center-pivot systems. Reduced-pressure systems expend less energy but produce the same crop yields as conventional high-pressure systems, as long as excessive water runoff does not occur. If well design and development techniques are applied when a well is drilled into an unconsolidated acquifer, the well's life expectancy, as well as its operating efficiency, can increase, the later by as much as 40%.

Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizae on tomato yield, nutrient uptake, water relations, and soil carbon dynamics under deficit irrigation in field conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowles, Timothy M; Barrios-Masias, Felipe H; Carlisle, Eli A; Cavagnaro, Timothy R; Jackson, Louise E

2016-10-01

Plant strategies to cope with future droughts may be enhanced by associations between roots and soil microorganisms, including arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. But how AM fungi affect crop growth and yield, together with plant physiology and soil carbon (C) dynamics, under water stress in actual field conditions is not well understood. The well-characterized mycorrhizal tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) genotype 76R (referred to as MYC+) and the mutant nonmycorrhizal tomato genotype rmc were grown in an organic farm with a deficit irrigation regime and control regime that replaced evapotranspiration. AM increased marketable tomato yields by ~25% in both irrigation regimes but did not affect shoot biomass. In both irrigation regimes, MYC+ plants had higher plant nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations (e.g. 5 and 24% higher N and P concentrations in leaves at fruit set, respectively), 8% higher stomatal conductance (gs), 7% higher photosynthetic rates (Pn), and greater fruit set. Stem water potential and leaf relative water content were similar in both genotypes within each irrigation regime. Three-fold higher rates of root sap exudation in detopped MYC+ plants suggest greater capacity for water uptake through osmotic driven flow, especially in the deficit irrigation regime in which root sap exudation in rmc was nearly absent. Soil with MYC+ plants also had slightly higher soil extractable organic C and microbial biomass C at anthesis but no changes in soil CO2 emissions, although the latter were 23% lower under deficit irrigation. This study provides novel, field-based evidence for how indigenous AM fungi increase crop yield and crop water use efficiency during a season-long deficit irrigation and thus play an important role in coping with increasingly limited water availability in the future. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Arsenic accumulation in irrigated agricultural soils in Northern Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Casentini, B; Hug, S J; Nikolaidis, N P

2011-10-15

The accumulation of arsenic in soils and food crops due to the use of arsenic contaminated groundwater for irrigation has created worldwide concern. In the Chalkidiki prefecture in Northern Greece, groundwater As reach levels above 1000μg/L within the Nea Triglia geothermal area. While this groundwater is no longer used for drinking, it represents the sole source for irrigation. This paper provides a first assessment of the spatial extent of As accumulation and of As mobility during rainfall and irrigation periods. Arsenic content in sampled soils ranged from 20 to 513mg/kg inside to 5-66mg/kg outside the geothermal area. Around irrigation sprinklers, high As concentrations extended horizontally to distances of at least 1.5m, and to 50cm in depth. During simulated rain events in soil columns (pH=5, 0μg As/L), accumulated As was quite mobile, resulting in porewater As concentrations of 500-1500μg/L and exposing plant roots to high As(V) concentrations. In experiments with irrigation water (pH=7.5, 1500μg As/L), As was strongly retained (50.5-99.5%) by the majority of the soils. Uncontaminated soils (500mg/kg) could not retain any of the added As. Invoked mechanisms affecting As mobility in those soils were adsorption on solid phases such as Fe/Mn-phases and As co-precipitation with Ca. Low As accumulation was found in collected olives (0.3-25μg/kg in flesh and 0.3-5.6μg/kg in pits). However, soil arsenic concentrations are frequently elevated to far above recommended levels and arsenic uptake in faster growing plants has to be assessed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of maize intercrop plant densities on yield and β-carotene ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effect of maize intercrop plant densities on yield and β-carotene contents of orange-fleshed sweetpotatoes. ... African Crop Science Journal ... 88,888 plants ha-1), at Ngetta Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute in Uganda.

Yield and water use efficiency of irrigated soybean in Vojvodina, Serbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pejić Borivoj

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Research was carried out at Rimski Šančevi experiment field of Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad in the period 1993-2004. The experiment included an irrigated and non-irrigated control treatment. Irrigation water use efficiency (Iwue and evapotranspiration water use efficiency (ETwue were determined in order to assess the effectiveness of irrigation on soybean yield. The average yield increases of soybean due to irrigation practice was 0.82 t ha-1, ranging from 2.465 t ha-1 in years with limited precipitation and higher than average seasonal temperatures (2000 to 0 t ha-1 in rainy years (1996, 1997, 1999. Evapotranspiration water use efficiency (ETwue of soybean ranged from 0.11 kg m-3 to 1.36 kg m-3 with an average value of 0.66 kg m-3, while irrigation water use efficiency (Iwue varied from 0.11 kg m-3 to 1.04 kg m-3 with an average value of 0.56 kg m-3. Effect of irrigation on yield of soybean and results of both ETwue and Iwue which were similar to those obtained from the literature indicate that irrigation schedule of soybean in the study period was properly adapted to plant water requirements and water-physical soil properties. Determined values of ETwue and Iwue could be used for the planning, design and operation of irrigation systems, as well as for improving the production technology of soybean in the region.

Insect density-plant density relationships: a modified view of insect responses to resource concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Petter; Löfstedt, Christer; Hambäck, Peter A

2013-12-01

Habitat area is an important predictor of spatial variation in animal densities. However, the area often correlates with the quantity of resources within habitats, complicating our understanding of the factors shaping animal distributions. We addressed this problem by investigating densities of insect herbivores in habitat patches with a constant area but varying numbers of plants. Using a mathematical model, predictions of scale-dependent immigration and emigration rates for insects into patches with different densities of host plants were derived. Moreover, a field experiment was conducted where the scaling properties of odour-mediated attraction in relation to the number of odour sources were estimated, in order to derive a prediction of immigration rates of olfactory searchers. The theoretical model predicted that we should expect immigration rates of contact and visual searchers to be determined by patch area, with a steep scaling coefficient, μ = -1. The field experiment suggested that olfactory searchers should show a less steep scaling coefficient, with μ ≈ -0.5. A parameter estimation and analysis of published data revealed a correspondence between observations and predictions, and density-variation among groups could largely be explained by search behaviour. Aphids showed scaling coefficients corresponding to the prediction for contact/visual searchers, whereas moths, flies and beetles corresponded to the prediction for olfactory searchers. As density responses varied considerably among groups, and variation could be explained by a certain trait, we conclude that a general theory of insect responses to habitat heterogeneity should be based on shared traits, rather than a general prediction for all species.

Morphological analysis of plant density effects on early leaf area growth in maize

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bos, H.J.; Vos, J.; Struik, P.C.

2000-01-01

The mechanisms of density-related reduced leaf area per plant in non-tillering maize (Zea mays) were investigated. Maize cv. Luna crops with a wide range of plant densities were grown in the field at Wageningen for two years. Half of the plots were shaded (50% transmittance). Detailed measurements

Performances du goutte à goutte enterré pour l’irrigation de jeunes palmiers dattiers

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R. BOURZIZA

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In oasis areas, surface water resources are becoming increasingly scarce. Groundwater resources are often overexploited, and are of poor quality for their high salinity degree. Water conservation and economy have therefore become imperative for better oases durability. If localized irrigation is currently recommended in Morocco for saving water, its use in the sub-desert areas does not keep water safe from high evaporation rates. An alternative to this system would be the use of subsurface drip irrigation. This technique is defined as an application of water under soil surface through drippers, which discharge water at generally similar rates as the surface drip irrigation. As subsurface drip irrigation is a newly introduced technique in Morocco, a better understanding in local conditions of the infiltration process around a buried source, and its impact on plant growth is necessarily required. This study aims to contribute to improving the efficiency of water use by testing the performance of subsurface drip irrigation system, especially in areas where water is a limited resource. The objectives of this research are performance evaluation in arid conditions of the subsurface drip irrigation system for young date palms compared to the surface drip, as well as determining the appropriate method of flow measurement for a buried dripper. In this context, an experimental plot was installed on a farm in the region of Erfoud (Errachidia Province, Southeast Morocco to characterize the respective performances of surface and subsurface drip irrigation on young date palm. Flow measurement to calculate the uniformity of the application of water was done through two methods: a flow measurement of drippers above the surface and another one underground. The latter method has also helped us to estimate losses through evaporation for both irrigation techniques. In addition, in order to compare the effect of two irrigation modes, plants were identified at random

Gas exchange in ‘BRS Princesa’ banana (Musa spp. under partial rootzone drying irrigation in the north of Minas Gerais, Brazil

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Marcelo Rocha dos Santos

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This research aimed to evaluate physiological characteristics of 'BRS Princesa' banana under Partial Rootzone Drying irrigation, PRD. The five treatments, 1 - 50% of reduction in water depth (WD with a frequency alternation of irrigation side (FA of seven days during the whole production cycle; 2 - 50% of WD and FA of 14 days in the cycle; 3 - 50% of WD and FA of 21 days; 4 - 50% of WD with a fixed irrigation (only one lateral line on one side of the plant; and 5 - full irrigation (two lateral lines with open shutoff valve throughout the cycle, they were arranged in a randomized block design with five replicates. There is a reduction in photosynthetic rates and water use efficiency as a result of enzymatic impairment or stomatal closure, due to the increased of leaf temperature. The stomatal conductance - gs was lower in plants irrigated with 50% of ETc with fixed irrigation in one side of the plant. Even with water deficit in the soil, using the PRD with 50% of ETc, Photosynthesis - A Transpiration - E; Leaf temperature - Tleaf, internal concentration of CO2 - Ci; stomatal conductance - gs; photosynthetically active radiation - Qleaf; carboxylation efficiency - A/Ci; Quantum efficiency of Photosynthesis - A/Qleaf; and instantaneous water use efficiency - WUE 'BRS Princesa' banana were similar among strategies, highlighting the possibility of use of the irrigation management technique with PRD, saving water, and no physiological changes in the plants.

The Effect of Planting Pattern and Density on Yield and Yield Components of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.

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A Koocheki

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction Crop density enhancement is a method to increase yield per unit area. The spatial distribution of plants is related to radiation absorption. Therefore, it could play an effective role in photosynthesis and yield, since Crop Growth Rate (CGR is a function of used radiation energy in photosynthesis. Totally, increasing radiation absorption efficiency and yield need sufficient leaf area and suitable distribution of leaves in canopy. Ahmad et al., (2002 planted sesame with different inter row- spacing (30, 45 and 60 cm, they reported that the maximum plant height and economic yield were obtained from inter row- spacing of 45 cm. Rahnama and Bakhshandeh (2006 planted sesame with different inter row- spacing (37.5, 50 and 60 cm and the results showed that the number of capsules per plant, seed weight as well as seed oil per plant, increased with increasing inter row- spacing. Karasan et al., (2007 reported that decreasing inter row- spacing resulted in seed yield enhancement and reduction in number of capsules per plant. Material and Methods An experiment using split-plot based on randomized complete blocks design was performed. The experiment was carried with three replications in two years (2012 and 2013 at the agricultural research station of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. For this purpose, the main plot was the density per square meter with three levels (30, 40 and 50 plants per square meter and the sub main plot was planting pattern (rectangle, square and rhombic. The size of each plot was 2×3 meters. The distance between plots and blocks were 0.5 and 1 meter, respectively. Intra row- spacing for rectangle planting pattern for densities of 30, 40 and 50 plants per square meter was 6, 5 and 4 cm, respectively. In square and rhombic planting patterns, 2 lines was planted in each row and inter row- spacing for densities of 30, 40 and 50 plants per square meter were 18, 16 and 14 cm. economic yield measured at the end of growth season

ROOT CANAL IRRIGANTS AND IRRIGATION TECHNIQUES: A REVIEW

OpenAIRE

Aniketh; Mohamed; Geeta; Nandakishore; Gourav Kumar; Patrick Timothy; Jayson Mathew; Sahle Abdul

2015-01-01

Root canal irrigation is not much emphasised in endodontic therapy. Most articles discussed are on root canal shaping and obturation not much emphasis is given for irrigation. There are many irrigation solutions which are introduced into market. The primary objective of root canal therapy is the ret ention of the pulpless or pulpally involved tooth with its associated periapical tissues in a healthy state. Achievement of this objective requires that the pulpal spaces and con...

Forage yield and nutritive value of Tanzania grass under nitrogen supplies and plant densities

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Fabrício Paiva de Freitas

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the nitrogen and plant density influence on the yield, forage dissection and nutritive value of Tanzania grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.. The design was of completely randomized blocks with three replications in a factorial arrangement with four nitrogen levels (0, 80, 160 or 320 kg/ha N and three plant densities (9, 25 or 49 plants/m². The plots were cut at 25 cm from soil level when the canopy reached 95% of light interception. The total dry matter forage yield and dry matter forage yield per harvest increased linearly with the nitrogen fertilization. The leaf and stem yield had the same response. The senesced forage yield was quadratically influenced by the nitrogen. The stems ratio in the morphologic composition was high in the high nitrogen levels and in the low plant densities. The leaf:stem ratio showed high values in this trial, but it was increased in plots without nitrogen and high plant density. The pre-grazing height was reduced with the increase in plant density. The nutritive value was favored by the nitrogen fertilization, which increased the crude protein level and reduced neutral detergent fiber and lignin. These factors increased the leaf and stem in vitro digestibility of organic matter. Nitrogen fertilization increases the forage yield of Tanzania grass under rotational grazing. After the establishment, plant density has little influence on the Tanzania grass yield and its forage dissection. The harvest with 95% light interception improves the structure and nutritive value of Tanzania grass pastures.

Effect of Deficit irrigation on the Productivity of Processing Potato

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darwish, T.M.; Atallah, T.W.

2003-01-01

The area under potatoes in Lebanon has extended to over 15.000 ha to form 17% of irrigated arable land. More farmers rely on processing varieties for prices and marketing reasons. Studies focused so far on irrigation and fertilization of table potatoes. The current recommendations indicate excess N fertilizer input exceeding 600 kg N/ha in the form of compound fertilizers. Potato is irrigated with macro sprinklers with a water input reaching 850 mm/season. Water mismanagement and shortage eventually influence the yield quantity and quality of processing potatoes. Therefore, deficit irrigation is an important water saving tool regarding the increasing pressure on limited water resources in the dry areas. Information on potato response to water stress imposed at different crop stages is available. The aim of this paper is to study the impact of continuous deficit irrigation imposed from the stage of maximum plant development-flowering stage until physiological maturity on the performance of processing potato (Santana) and water and fertilizer use efficiency. Fertilizer placement and irrigation were done through fertigation using drip system. A neutron probe was used to assess water consumption from the soil. The 15 N methodology was used to follow the N recovery as affected by water deficit

Reuse of reclaimed wastewater for golf course irrigation in Tunisia.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahri, A; Basset, C; Oueslati, F; Brissaud, F

2001-01-01

In Tunisia, golf courses are irrigated with secondary treated effluent stored in landscape impoundments. The impact of the conveyance and storage steps on the physical-chemical and biological quality of irrigation water was evaluated on three golf courses over two years. It was found that the water quality varies all along the water route, from the wastewater treatment plant up to the irrigation site: nutrient and bacteria contents decreased along the route in the three cases. This variation depends on the wastewater quality, the length of the pipes conveying water, the number of regulation reservoirs and ponds, the water residence time in pipes, reservoirs and ponds, and the operation of the ponds. The bacteriological quality of irrigation water deteriorates during the irrigation period in the three golf courses as the ponds are operated as continuous flow reactors. The results obtained in this study indicate the inability of golf water supplies, as currently managed, to properly sanitize reclaimed wastewater and meet target quality criteria recommended by WHO (1989) for water intended for recreational use. For a safe reuse of reclaimed wastewater for golf course irrigation, changes in the design and operation of the ponds should be planned or additional treatment steps provided.

Nitrogen dose and plant density effects on popcorn grain yield ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

and plant densities on grain yield and yield-related plant characteristics of popcorn in Hatay, located at Southern Mediterranean region of Turkey, during 2002 and 2003. The experiment was designed in a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement with three replications. Nitrogen doses of 0, 120, 180 ...

Effect of Irrigation Intervals on Some Morphophysiological Traits of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L. Ecotypes

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M Goldani

2012-10-01

Full Text Available In order to determine the effect of different irrigation intervals on some morphophysiological traits of basil (Ocimum basilicum L., an experiment was conducted as factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications under greenhouse conditions during 2010. Treatments included five irrigation intervals with 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 days intervals and two ecotypes of basil (green and purple. The results showed that by increasing irrigation interval plant height, spike number, spike weight and shoot dry weight between irrigation intervals decreased. Purple basil was more tolerant than basil green ecotype to drought stress. Interaction between irrigation intervals and ecotypes showed that the best treatment related to four days irrigation interval and purple basil ecotype. The effect of irrigation intervals on root area, root diameter mean, total length, root volume and dry weight of root was significant. In all irrigation intervals, purple basil had better performance compared to green ecotype. The results showed that by increasing in irrigation interval decreased root surface area, but increased total root length. It was concluded that increasing irrigation interval up to 12 days decreased shoot and root surface areas. Increasing irrigation interval decreased chlorophyll- a, b and increased prolin amino acid content of basil leaf.

Interaction Effects between Light Level and Plant Density on Plant Growth, Development and External Quality in Year-around Cut Chrysanthemum

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lee, J.H.; Heuvelink, E.; Bakker, M.J.

2009-01-01

Aims of this study are to analyze growth pattern and development Of Cut chrysanthemum and test simple regression models in relation to light level and plant density. Cut chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium), cv. Reagan Improved, was grown at four different plant densities of 16, 32, 64 or 80

DEFICIT IRRIGATION TECHNIQUE FOR REDUCING WATER USE OF TOMATO UNDER POLYTUNNEL CONDITIONS

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Sladjana SAVIC

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of paper was to asses the use of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI for production of two tomato cultivars (Cedrico and Abellus in polytunnels in Serbia. RDI plants received 60% of the water that was applied to FI plants and significant saving of water for irrigation and increased in irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE were achieved. Yield data for Cedrico cultivar showed no differences between RDI and FI, while due to the bigger sensitivity to drought, yield of Abellus was reduced under RDI. In general, fruit quality (soluble solids, titrable acidity was sustained or improved in both cultivars under RDI. Economic analyses showed that due to the current low prices of water and electricity in Serbia, the profit increase of Cedrico, similarly to the previously trialed cultivar Amati, was not high under RDI comparing to FI. Reduction of yield and consequent profit for Abellus, indicated that for future commercial growing of tomato under RDI should be used drought resistant cultivars.

Development of High Resolution Data for Irrigated Area and Cropping Patterns in India

Science.gov (United States)

K a, A.; Mishra, V.

2015-12-01

Information of crop phenology and its individual effect on irrigation is essential to improve the simulation of land surface states and fluxes. We use moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) - Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) at 250 m resolution for monitoring temporal changes in irrigation and cropping patterns in India. We used the obtained dataset of cropping pattern for quantifying the effect of irrigation on land surface states and fluxes by using an uncoupled land surface model. The cropping patterns are derived by using the planting, heading, harvesting, and growing dates for each agro-ecological zone separately. Moreover, we developed a high resolution irrigated area maps for the period of 1999-2014 for India. The high resolution irrigated area was compared with relatively coarse resolution (~ 10km) irrigated area from the Food and Agricultural Organization. To identify the seasonal effects we analyzed the spatial and temporal change of irrigation and cropping pattern for different temporal seasons. The new irrigation area information along with cropping pattern was used to study the water budget in India using the Noah Land surface Model (Noah LSM) for the period of 1999-2014.

Nitrogen uptake efficiency of irrigated wheat in Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel Monem, M.A.S.

2000-01-01

Egypt's current wheat production would be impossible without N fertilizers, the consumption of which has increased more than 75% in the last 20 years. The efficiency of uptake of applied N is low, and better management of both fertilizer and irrigation is needed to improve N recovery by crops and reduce losses from the plant/soil system. Field trials were conducted over a 3-year period, on Egypt's three main soil types: old irrigated land of the Nile valley, newly reclaimed sandy and calcareous soils, and salt-affected soil of the north delta. The responses of wheat cultivars to N, and patterns of N uptake and N loss, as affected by irrigation regime, were examined using 15 N. Cultivar Sakha 69 was more responsive to applied N and assimilated N more efficiently than other varieties under different soil types. Nitrogen loss from the sandy soil was as high as 57% whereas average loss in the clay soil was 17%. A higher water table in the salt-affected soil negatively affected N uptake. Irrigation with 75% of the required water for wheat had no effect on yield or N-uptake. (author)

Impacts of Ridge-Furrow Planting on Salt Stress and Cotton Yield under Drip Irrigation

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Chitao Sun

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Flat (F, mini-ditch (MD, and ridge-furrow (RF are three conventional cotton planting patterns that are usually adopted around the world, yet soil and crop responses to these three patterns are poorly studied, as is their suitability for increasing yield for coastal areas in Eastern China. The effects of three planting methods on water and salt dynamics as well as on growth and lint yield of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. were investigated in a saline field in Bohai Rim, China, to select the best planting pattern for cultivating coastal saline fields of Eastern China. Soil moisture in the root zone with RF was 11.9% and 12.1% higher than with F and MD, whereas the electrical conductivity of a saturated soil extract (ECe in the root zone with RF was 18.0% and 13.8% lower than with MD and F, respectively, during the growth period, which indicated that RF could efficiently collect rainfall and leach salt in the root zone. After drip irrigation, the infiltration and salt-leaching depth with RF were both deeper than that with F and MD. The stand establishment of MD was the highest (80.3% due to the greenhouse effect from film mulching, and was 12.8% and 4.6% higher than that with F and RF, respectively. Growth indicators and lint yield demonstrated that RF was superior to F and MD because of the higher soil moisture and lower ECe. The lint yield was significantly higher in RF, suggesting that RF can be an optimal planting pattern for agricultural reclamation in similar saline-alkaline areas around the world.

A model exploring whether the coupled effects of plant water supply and demand affect the interpretation of water potentials and irrigation management

OpenAIRE

Spinelli, GM; Shackel, KA; Gilbert, ME

2017-01-01

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. Water potential is a useful predictive tool in irrigation scheduling as it, or a component, is associated with physiological responses to water deficit. Increasing atmospheric demand for water increases transpiration and decreases water potential for the same stomatal conductance. However, based on supply by the soil-plant-atmosphere-continuum, decreasing soil water potential should decrease stomatal conductance and thus transpiration but also decrease water potential. Su...

Analysis of Irrigation Water Quality at Kadawa Irrigation Project for Improved Productivity

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AR Sanda

2014-09-01

Full Text Available In the face of water scarcity and the several negative consequences, such as water wastage, flooding, water logging, soil losses and production losses, conserving the finite amount of fresh water is a must. The quality of irrigation water must therefore be ascertained. The chemical quality of three sources of irrigation water from canal and drainage water, namely drainage water, fresh irrigation water from canal, and drainage/irrigation water mixture, were analyzed from Kadawa irrigation Project for year 2013 and 2014 cropping seasons, with the view to evaluating the potential risks associated with their use in irrigation and hence their suitability or otherwise for irrigation purposes. The analysis revealed that the use of drainage water alone for irrigation may result in problems associated with salinity, while a blend of drainage/irrigation water in the ratio of 1:1 is a viable means of water conservation and a good means of crop production. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i3.11082 International Journal of Environment Vol.3(3 2014: 235-240

Effects of ten years treated wastewater drip irrigation on soil ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SWEET

soil contamination and the cumulative impact of wastewater, we compared two plots, all under orange- ... A slight increase in the concentration of soil enteric bacteria and soil fungal densities was ..... could be used for fruit tree irrigation.

Yield and quality responses of drip-irrigated spinach to different irrigation quantities in a semi-arid region with a high altitude

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Yasemin KUSLU

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The effect of different irrigation quantities on the growth, marketable yield, crop quality (antioxidant activity, mineral and total phenolic content and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE of spinach grown in a semi-arid region of high altitude (1795 m a.s.l. was determined. Plants were irrigated with three different irrigation quantities which determined considering 100 (I1, 85 (I2 and 70% (I3 of the evaporation obtained from a Class A pan. Irrigation quantities in the I1, I2 and I3 treatments as two years average were 290, 264.3 and 238.6 mm, respectively. The I1 treatment provided the highest growth, marketable yield (28.06 t*ha-1 and IWUE (9.7 kg*m-3. However, mineral and total phenolic content and antioxidant activity in the leaves of spinach were significantly higher under lower water application conditions. The I2 treatment resulted with the highest antioxidant activity and content of N, K, Mg, Na, Fe, Cu and total phenolics. As a result of the study, I1 treatment in spinach production could be suitable for water sufficient regions due to higher yield and IWUE. However, I2 treatment may be more appropriate for water scarce semi-arid regions of high altitude for obtaining higher minerals and antioxidant activity.

Integrating Growth Stage Deficit Irrigation into a Process Based Crop Model

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Jose R.; Winter, Jonathan M.; Elliott, Joshua; Ruane, Alex C.; Porter, Cheryl; Hoogenboom, Gerrit

2017-01-01

Current rates of agricultural water use are unsustainable in many regions, creating an urgent need to identify improved irrigation strategies for water limited areas. Crop models can be used to quantify plant water requirements, predict the impact of water shortages on yield, and calculate water productivity (WP) to link water availability and crop yields for economic analyses. Many simulations of crop growth and development, especially in regional and global assessments, rely on automatic irrigation algorithms to estimate irrigation dates and amounts. However, these algorithms are not well suited for water limited regions because they have simplistic irrigation rules, such as a single soil-moisture based threshold, and assume unlimited water. To address this constraint, a new modeling framework to simulate agricultural production in water limited areas was developed. The framework consists of a new automatic irrigation algorithm for the simulation of growth stage based deficit irrigation under limited seasonal water availability; and optimization of growth stage specific parameters. The new automatic irrigation algorithm was used to simulate maize and soybean in Gainesville, Florida, and first used to evaluate the sensitivity of maize and soybean simulations to irrigation at different growth stages and then to test the hypothesis that water productivity calculated using simplistic irrigation rules underestimates WP. In the first experiment, the effect of irrigating at specific growth stages on yield and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) in maize and soybean was evaluated. In the reproductive stages, IWUE tended to be higher than in the vegetative stages (e.g. IWUE was 18% higher than the well watered treatment when irrigating only during R3 in soybean), and when rainfall events were less frequent. In the second experiment, water productivity (WP) was significantly greater with optimized irrigation schedules compared to non-optimized irrigation schedules in

Physiological quality of soybean seeds under different yield environments and plant density

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Felipe A. Baron

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Yield potential of agricultural fields associated with plant spatial arrangement could determine the physiological quality of soybean (Glycine max L. seeds. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the physiological quality of soybean seeds from different yield environments and plant densities. Experiments were carried out in Boa Vista das Missões-RS, Brazil, during the 2014/2015 growing season. Yield environments were delineated by overlapping yield maps from the 2008, 2009/2010 and 2011/2012 growing seasons. The experimental design was a randomized complete block in a 2 x 5 factorial arrangement with two yield environments (low and high and five plant densities, with four replicates. Two varieties were tested: Brasmax Ativa RR (10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 plants m-1 and Nidera 5909 RR (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 plants m-1. After harvested, the seeds were analysed as following: first count index, germination, abnormal seedlings, dead seeds, electrical conductivity, accelerate aging test, root length, hypocotyl length and seedling length. The spatial variability of seed vigor in the production field could be reduced by adjusting plant density, but the adjustment should consider the variety. Harvest according to yield environment is a strategy to separate lots of seeds with higher vigor, originated from high-yield environments.

Integrating Field Spectra and Worldview-2 Data for Grapevine Productivity in Different Irrigation Treatments

Science.gov (United States)

Maimaitiyiming, M.; Bozzolo, A.; Wulamu, A.; Wilkins, J. L.

2015-12-01

Precision farming requires high spectral, spatial and temporal resolution remote sensing data to detect plant physiological changes. The higher spatial resolution is particularly as important as the spectral resolution for crop monitoring. It is important to develop data integration techniques between field or airborne hyperspectral data with spaceborne broad band multispectral images for plant productivity monitoring. To investigate varying rootstock and irrigation interactions, different irrigation treatments are implemented in a vineyard experimental site either i) unirrigated ii) full replacement of evapotranspiration (ET) iii) irrigated at 50 % of the potential ET. In summer 2014, we collected leaf and canopy spectra of the vineyard using field spectroscopy along with other plant physiological and nutritional variables. In this contribution, we integrate the field spectra and the spectral wavelengths of WorldView-2 to develop a predictive model for plant productivity,i.e., fruit quality and yield. First, we upscale field and canopy spectra to WorldView-2 spectral bands using radiative transfer simulations (e.g., MODTRAN). Then we develop remote sensing techniques to quantify plant productivity in different scenarios water stress by identifying the most effective and sensitive wavelengths, and indices that are capable of early detection of plant health and estimation of crop nutrient status. Finally we present predictive models developed from partial least square regression (PLSR) for plant productivity using spectral wavelengths and indices derived from integrated field and satellite remote sensing data.

Performance of cotton crop grown under surface irrigation and drip fertigation. I. seed cotton yield, dry matter production, and lint properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janat, M.; Somi, G.

2002-01-01

Drip fertigation is a key factor in modern irrigated agriculture, where water and fertilizers are the most expensive inputs for this irrigation method. Drip fertigation experiments were carried out a Hama, north of Syria (Tezeen's Irrigation Research Station), for four consecutive years 1995 - 1998. Cotton (Gossypium hirsutim L.) variety Aleppo 33/1 was planted after unfertilized maize in order to deplete as much as possible the available N and reduce the field variability on the corresponding experimental units and irrigated thereafter. Treatments consisted of two irrigation methods (Surface irrigation and drip fertigation) and five N rates within drip fertigated cotton, including the control (N 0 = 0, N 1 = 60, N 2 = 120, N 3 = 180, N 4 240 kg N ha -1 ). The N fertilizer treatment for surface irrigated cotton was 180 kg N ha -1 in accordance with the recommended rate of ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform. The experimental design was randomized block design with six replicates. Fertigation resulted in large water saving, and highly improved field water-use efficiency. Further, increasing N application rates under drip fertigation increased dry matter yield. The principal benefit of drip fertigation was the achievement of higher field water-use efficiencies, which were increased more than three-fold for both dry matter and seed cotton yield, relative to surface irrigation. The highest water-use efficiencies were obtained with the addition of 180 and 240 kg N ha -1 in 1995 and 1996 and 120 kg N ha -1 in 1997 and 1998. Dry matter production and partitioning among different plant parts at physiological maturity stage varied due to N input and irrigation methods. The overall dry matter distribution among different plant structures for drip fertigated-treatments was: Stems, 20.3 - 21.3%; leaves 26.3 - 28.7%; and fruiting forms, 50 - 53.2%. For the surface-irrigated treatment, the partitioning was stems, 23.1%; leaves, 28.3%; and fruiting form, 48.6%. The

Methods to estimate irrigated reference crop evapotranspiration - a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, R; Jat, M K; Shankar, V

2012-01-01

Efficient water management of crops requires accurate irrigation scheduling which, in turn, requires the accurate measurement of crop water requirement. Irrigation is applied to replenish depleted moisture for optimum plant growth. Reference evapotranspiration plays an important role for the determination of water requirements for crops and irrigation scheduling. Various models/approaches varying from empirical to physically base distributed are available for the estimation of reference evapotranspiration. Mathematical models are useful tools to estimate the evapotranspiration and water requirement of crops, which is essential information required to design or choose best water management practices. In this paper the most commonly used models/approaches, which are suitable for the estimation of daily water requirement for agricultural crops grown in different agro-climatic regions, are reviewed. Further, an effort has been made to compare the accuracy of various widely used methods under different climatic conditions.

Experimental effects of herbivore density on above-ground plant biomass in an alpine grassland ecosystem

OpenAIRE

Austrheim, Gunnar; Speed, James David Mervyn; Martinsen, Vegard; Mulder, Jan; Mysterud, Atle

2014-01-01

Herbivores may increase or decrease aboveground plant productivity depending on factors such as herbivore density and habitat productivity. The grazing optimization hypothesis predicts a peak in plant production at intermediate herbivore densities, but has rarely been tested experimentally in an alpine field setting. In an experimental design with three densities of sheep (high, low, and no sheep), we harvested aboveground plant biomass in alpine grasslands prior to treatment and after five y...

Experimental study of the radio-active contamination of certain cultivated plants by irrigation water; Etude experimentale de la contamination radioactive par l'eau d'irrigation de certaines plantes cultivees

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michon, G. [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires; Barbier, G.; Le Blaye, P.; Brossard, M. [Station Centrale d' Agronomie, 78 - Versailles (France); Fioramonti, S.; Marty, J.R. [Station Agronomique de Toulouse, 31 (France); Benard, P.; Flanzy, M. [Station Centrale de Technologie des Produits Vegetaux, 11 - Narbonne (France); Delas, J.; Delmas, J.; Demias, Ch. [Station d' Agronomie de Bordeaux (Pont de la Maye), 33 (France); Huguet, C. [Station Agronomique d' Avignon, 84 (France)

1964-07-01

This report follows on to the CEA reports no 1860 and 2159 and gives the results obtained during the years 1961 and 1962. These results confirm for the most part those obtained previously and deal also with a larger variety of vegetables. Vines and artificial prairies were also dealt with during the course of this work. The large dispersion of the limiting values of the coefficient r (the ratio between the amount of radio-elements in a kilogram of product harvested, to the amount of radio-elements present in a litre of irrigation water) with different types of soil, different plant types, etc... , makes it impossible to draw any general conclusions. Each case of rejection requires a special study of which the outlive is given. At all events it is to be expected that in the majority of cases these studies will lead to a decrease in the norms now in force. (authors) [French] Ce rapport fait suite aux rapports CEA no 1860 et 2159 et rapporte les resultats obtenus pendant les annees 1961 et 1962. Ces resultats confirment dans l'ensemble ceux precedemment obtenus tout en augmentant la variete des legumes etudies. La vigne et les prairies artificielles ont egalement fait l'objet d'etudes. La grande dispersion des valeurs limites du coefficient r (rapport entre la quantite de radioelements dans un kg de produits recoltes a la quantite de radioelements presente dans un litre d'eau d'irrigation) en rapport avec la nature des sols, le type vegetal, etc.., ne permet pas de degager de conclusions generales. Chaque cas de rejet necessite une etude particuliere dont le schema est donne. En tout etat de cause l'on doit s'attendre a ce que dans la plupart des cas ces etudes conduisent a une diminution des normes actuellement utilisees. (auteurs)

Heavy metal accumulation imparts structural differences in fragrant Rosa species irrigated with marginal quality water.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahsan, Muhammad; Younis, Adnan; Jaskani, Muhammad Jafar; Tufail, Aasma; Riaz, Atif; Schwinghamer, Timothy; Tariq, Usman; Nawaz, Fahim

2018-09-15

Wastewater is an alternative to traditional sources of renewable irrigation water in agriculture, particularly in water-scarce regions. However, the possible risks due to heavy metals accumulation in plant tissues are often overlooked by producers. The present study aimed to identify heavy metals-induced structural modifications to roots of scented Rosa species that were irrigated with water of marginal quality. The chemical and mineral contents from the experimental irrigation canal water (control) and treated wastewater were below the limits recommended by the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) for medicinal plants. The experimentally untreated wastewater contained electrical conductivity (EC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and heavy metals (Co, Cu, Cd, Pb) that were above the recommended limits. The responses by wastewater-treated Rosa species (Rosa damascena, R. bourboniana, R. Gruss-an-Teplitz, and R. centifolia) were evaluated. The experimental data revealed that treated wastewater significantly increased the thickness of collenchyma (cortex and pith) and parenchyma tissues (vascular bundle, xylem, and phloem) of R. Gruss-an-Teplitz. Root dermal tissues (epidermis) of R. bourboniana also responded to treated wastewater. R. damascena and R. centifolia were the least affected species, under the experimental irrigation conditions. Collenchyma and dermal tissues were thicker in R. damascena and R. Gruss-an-Teplitz under untreated wastewater conditions. In parenchyma tissues, vascular bundles were thicker in R. damascena in untreated wastewater conditions, while the xylem and phloem of R. Gruss-an-Teplitz were thicker where treated wastewater was applied. In tissues other than the vascular bundle, the differences in anatomical metrics due to the experimental irrigation treatments were greater during the second year of the experiment than in the first year. The contents of metals other than chromium in the roots and

Yield loss and economic thresholds of yellow nutsedge in irrigated rice as a function of the onset of flood irrigation

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Nixon da Rosa Westendorff

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus is adapted to flooding and reduces yield in irrigated rice. Information on the competitive ability of this weed with the crop and the size of the economic damage caused is lacking. Mathematical models quantify the damage to crops and support control decision-making. This study aimed to determine yield losses and economic thresholds (ET of this weed in the culture according to weed population and time of onset of irrigation of the crop. The field study was conducted in the agricultural year of 2010/2011 in Pelotas/RS to evaluate the competitive ability of BRS Querência in competition with different population levels of yellow nutsedge and two periods of onset of flood irrigation (14 and 21 days after emergence. The hyperbolic model satisfactorily estimated yield losses caused by yellow nutsedge. Population of yellow nutsedge was the variable most fitted to the model. The delay of seven days for the beginning of rice irrigation causes decrease in competitive ability of BRS Querência, and based on the ET calculated to the price paid for rice, it is necessary between two and thirteen plants m-2 weed to justify the control in the first and second period of irrigation, respectively. Increases in yield, price paid for rice and control efficiency of the herbicide, besides reduction of costs of controlling promote reduction of ET of yellow nutsedge in rice crops, justifying the adoption of control measures even at smaller weed population.

How Planting Density Affects Number and Yield of Potato Minitubers in a Commercial Glasshouse Production System

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veeken, van der A.J.H.; Lommen, W.J.M.

2009-01-01

Commercial potato minituber production systems aim at high tuber numbers per plant. This study investigated by which mechanisms planting density (25.0, 62.5 and 145.8 plants/m2) of in vitro derived plantlets affected minituber yield and minituber number per plantlet. Lowering planting density

Cokriging of Electromagnetic Induction Soil Electrical Conductivity Measurements and Soil Textural Properties to Demarcate Sub-field Management Zones for Precision Irrigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, R.; Cruz, L.; Whitney, J.; Telenko, D.; Oware, E. K.

2017-12-01

There is the growing need for the development of efficient irrigation management practices due to increasing irrigation water scarcity as a result of growing population and changing climate. Soil texture primarily controls the water-holding capacity of soils, which determines the amount of irrigation water that will be available to the plant. However, while there are significant variabilities in the textural properties of the soil across a field, conventional irrigation practices ignore the underlying variability in the soil properties, resulting in over- or under-irrigation. Over-irrigation leaches plant nutrients beyond the root-zone leading to fertilizer, energy, and water wastages with dire environmental consequences. Under-irrigation, in contrast, causes water stress of the plant, thereby reducing plant quality and yield. The goal of this project is to leverage soil textural map of a field to create water management zones (MZs) to guide site-specific precision irrigation. There is increasing application of electromagnetic induction methods to rapidly and inexpensively map spatially continuous soil properties in terms of the apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) of the soil. ECa is a measure of the bulk soil properties, including soil texture, moisture, salinity, and cation exchange capacity, making an ECa map a pseudo-soil map. Data for the project were collected from a farm site at Eden, NY. The objective is to leverage high-resolution ECa map to predict spatially dense soil textural properties from limited measurements of soil texture. Thus, after performing ECa mapping, we conducted particle-size analysis of soil samples to determine the textural properties of soils at selected locations across the field. We cokriged the high-resolution ECa measurements with the sparse soil textural data to estimate a soil texture map for the field. We conducted irrigation experiments at selected locations to calibrate representative water-holding capacities of each

The Effect of Plant Density on Photosynthesis and Growth Indices of Henna (Lowsonia inermis L. Ecotypes

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A Pasandi Pour

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction One of the most important factors to obtain the maximum performance or yield in every climatic condition and for each plant varieties is determining the optimum plant density. Henna (Lowsonia inermis L. is a perennial plant with high value in terms of having medicinal properties and industrial applications. The dye which is derived from green leaves of henna is used for decorating the body with intricate designs and the principle coloring matter is lawsone, 2-hydroxy-1, 4-naphthoqunone. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the agro-physiological reaction of different henna ecotypes to different planting densities in Kerman weather conditions. Materials and Methods The study was carried out as a factorial experiment based on complete randomized block design with three replications in Shahid Bahonar University in 2015. The experiment consisted of four plant densities (25, 33, 50 and 100 plants m-2 and three ecotypes (Shahdad, Roodbar and Bam. Due to its small seeds and germination problems the planting method used was transplanting. In this study, growth indices such as leaf area index (LAI, crop growth rate (CGR, relative growth rate (RGR, leaf area ratio (LAR, specific leaf area (SLA, specific leaf weight (SLW, leaf area duration (LAD and biomass duration (BMD were calculated. The net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate were measured in the middle of growing period by photosynthesis meter (CI-340 model, CID Bio- Science companies, USA. At the end, the results were analyzed using the SAS v. 9.1 and MSTATC software’s and diagrams were drawn by Excel software. Results and Discussion The results showed that the studied ecotypes were significantly different in terms of CGR, RGR and stomatal conductance. The highest average of CGR belonged to Shahdad ecotype while there was no significant difference between Roodbar and Bam ecotypes in this case. Shahdad ecotype with the RGR of 0.018 g.g.day had the

Can plastic mulching replace irrigation in dryland agriculture?

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, L.; Daryanto, S.; Jacinthe, P. A.

2017-12-01

Increasing water use efficiency (WUE) is a key strategy to maintaining crops yield without over-exploiting the scarce water resource. Plastic mulching technology for wheat and maize has been commonly used in China, but their effect on yield, soil moisture, evapotranspiration (ET), and WUE has not been compared with traditional irrigation method. Using a meta-analysis approach, we quantitatively examined the efficacy of plastic mulching in comparison with traditional irrigation in dryland agriculture. Our results showed that plastic mulching technique resulted in yield increase comparable to irrigated crops but used 24% less water. By covering the ridges with plastic and channeling rainwater into a very narrow planting zone (furrow), plastic mulching increased WUE and available soil moisture. Higher WUE in plastic-mulched croplands was likely a result of greater proportion of available water being used for transpiration than evaporation. If problems related to production costs and residual plastic pollution could be managed, plastic mulching technology would become a promising strategy for dryland farming in other regions.

Biomass of tree species as a response to planting density and interspecific competition

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Paulo Sérgio Lima e Silva