Field measurements of water use for irrigation control in Kenya coffee

1957 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 459-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. C. Pereira

The paper presents the results of 10 years of soil moisture studies in arabica coffee in high altitude tropical conditions. Very deep soils and contrasting wet and dry seasons give unusually favourable conditions for soil moisture measurements.Volumetric measurements on soil cores are reported for 10 ft. depth of soil, which is shown to include most of the root system of arabica coffee, and holds 48 in. of water under field conditions when active drainage has ceased. This is shown to correspond to a soil moisture tension of 1/3 atm. Of the 48 in. of water only 12 are available to plants. Wilting points determined by sunflower seedlings on soil samples to 15 ft. depth are shown to agree well with field sampling under wilting conditions in coffee plantations.A series of seasonal factors relating the water use of the coffee crop to the readings of an evaporation pan are presented, and their application over 6 years is shown to check with soil sampling data within the limits of sampling error. This method is proposed for control of supplementary irrigation under conditions of limited water supply, but a distillation-type radiation integrator can with advantage replace the evaporation pan.The balance of the hydrological equation for this crop is demonstrated in each of the 6 years.

1963 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. N. Wallis

The methods proposed by Pereira for unirrigated coffee have been followed in a study of water use by this crop for the 12 years 1950–62. Soil sampling has shown that the procedure provides a reliable measure of evapotranspiration from unirrigated coffee.A modification is proposed which has enabled the rate of water use by irrigated coffee to be followed satisfactorily for the 5 years 1957–62. Occasional soil sampling showed that the modified procedure provided an estimate of the soil moisture status sufficiently reliable and accurate for the regulation of irrigation timing and amount.Irrigation to maintain a favourable soil moisture status has had a marked and beneficial effect on the production of Grade ‘A’ coffee in dry years.The mean daily rate of evapotranspiration from irrigated coffee is estimated to range from 0·15 in. in hot weather to half this rate during the cool and cloudy season.The maximum computed annual totals of supplementary irrigation which were required over a 12-year period ranged from 5·5 in. to 31·5 in. with a mean value of 16·0 in. per year.


2013 ◽  
Vol 807-809 ◽  
pp. 746-749
Author(s):  
Xiao Gang Liu ◽  
Yuan Zhong ◽  
Xin Le Wang ◽  
Qi Liang Yang

The objective of this study was to explore the water and nitrogen coupling use efficiency and optimal control of water and nitrogen environment, Pot experiment was conducted in intelligent greenhouse, and the interactive impact of water and nitrogen on ecological characteristics and water use of arabica coffee was investigated. Using four irrigation levels, i.e. sufficient irrigation (SI, soil moisture content was 75%~85% of soil field capacity), light deficit irrigation (DI1, soil moisture content was 65%~75% of soil field capacity), medium deficit irrigation (DI2, soil moisture content was 55%~65% of soil field capacity) and serious deficit irrigation (DI3, soil moisture content was 45%~55% of soil field capacity), and four fertilizer levels of N, i.e. high nitrogen (NH), medium nitrogen (NM ), low nitrogen (NL), non-nitrogen (NN). The results showed that increase of irrigation or N rate was helpful to improve the ecological and morphological index of arabica coffee (plant height, basal stem, leaf area and shoot length). Compared to the NN treatment, N application could increase dry mass accumulation and water use efficiency (WUE) by 10.88%~37.49% and 24.73%~33.01% respectively. Compared to the DI3 treatment, increase of irrigation could increase dry mass accumulation and WUE by 82.54%~163.27% and 34.40%~39.66% respectively. Low nitrogen combined sufficient irrigation treatment could promote morphological characteristics of arabica coffee seedling and ensure higher dry mass accumulation and WUE simultaneously.


2011 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-22
Author(s):  
Z. Varga-Haszonits ◽  
E. Enzsölné Gerencsér ◽  
Z. Lantos ◽  
Z. Varga

The temporal and spatial variability of soil moisture, evapotranspiration and water use were investigated for winter barley. Evaluations were carried out on a database containing meteorological and yield data from 15 stations. The spatial distribution of soil moisture, evapotranspiration and water use efficiency (WUE) was evaluated from 1951 to 2000 and the moisture conditions during the growth period of winter barley were investigated. The water supply was found to be favourable, since the average values of soil moisture remained above the lower limit of favourable water content throughout the growth period, except for September–December and May–June. The actual evapotranspiration tended to be close to the potential evapotranspiration, so the water supplies were favourable throughout the vegetation period. The calculated values of WUE showed an increasing trend from 1960 to 1990, but the lower level of agricultural inputs caused a decline after 1990. The average values of WUE varied between 0.87 and 1.09 g/kg in different counties, with higher values in the northern part of the Great Hungarian Plain. The potential yield of winter barley can be calculated from the maximum value of WUE. Except in the cooler northern and western parts of the country, the potential yield of winter barley, based on the water supply, could exceed 10 t/ha.


2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 287-298
Author(s):  
Ruixiu Sui ◽  
Jonnie Baggard

HighlightsWe developed and evaluated a variable-rate irrigation (VRI) management method for five crop years in the Mississippi Delta.VRI management significantly reduced irrigation water use in comparison with uniform-rate irrigation (URI). There was no significant difference in grain yield and irrigation water productivity between VRI and URI management.Soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) was used to delineate irrigation management zones and generate VRI prescriptions.Sensor-measured soil water content was used in irrigation scheduling.Abstract. Variable-rate irrigation (VRI) allows producers to site-specifically apply irrigation water at variable rates within a field to account for the temporal and spatial variability in soil and plant characteristics. Developing practical VRI methods and documenting the benefits of VRI application are critical to accelerate the adoption of VRI technologies. Using apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) and soil moisture sensors, a VRI method was developed and evaluated with corn and soybean for five crop years in the Mississippi Delta. Soil ECa of the study fields was mapped and used to delineate VRI management zones and create VRI prescriptions. Irrigation was scheduled using soil volumetric water content measured by soil moisture sensors. A center pivot VRI system was employed to deliver irrigation water according to the VRI prescription. Grain yield, irrigation water use, and irrigation water productivity in the VRI treatment were determined and compared with that in a uniform-rate irrigation (URI) treatment. Results showed that the grain yield and irrigation water productivity between the VRI and URI treatments were not statistically different with both corn and soybean crops. The VRI management significantly reduced the amount of irrigation water by 22% in corn and by 11% in soybean (p = 0.05). Adoption of VRI management could improve irrigation water use efficiency in the Mississippi Delta. Keywords: Soil electrical conductivity, Soil moisture sensor, Variable rate irrigation, Water management.


1995 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. S. Tan ◽  
B. R. Buttery

Using heat-balance stem flow gauges, we were able to measure directly and continuously the sap flow rates in two pairs of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] isolines differing in stomatal frequency. Plants with high stomatal frequency transpired significantly more water than the low stomatal frequency plants at high soil moisture levels. Under low soil moisture levels, the water use rate decreased greatly for the high stomatal frequency plants. Plants with low stomatal frequency were able to maintain greater sap flow rates than those with high stomatal frequency. Higher leaf temperatures associated with the low stomatal frequency plants were likely due to lower transpiration rates which reduced evaporative cooling especially under well-watered conditions. Key words:Glycine max (L.) Merr., transpiration, water deficits


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 1465-1468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naveen Kumar ◽  
Suresh Kumar ◽  
Parveen Kumar ◽  
Meena Sewhag

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season 2011-2012 at Research Farm, CCS Haryana Agri-cultural University, Hisar, Haryana (India) to study the periodic soil moisture depletion and ground water use by bed planted barley as influenced by cultivars, crop geometry and moisture regimes under shallow water table conditions. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications keeping combinations of three cultivars viz., BH 393, BH 902 and BH 885 and two crop geometries viz 2 rows per bed and 3 rows per bed (70 cm wide with 40 cm top and 30 cm furrow) in main plots and three moisture regimes (irrigation at IW/CPE 0.3, 0.4 & 0.5) in sub plots. The results revealed that maximum soil moisture depletion (105 mm) and ground water contribution (62 mm) were recorded in BH 902, followed by BH 393 and BH 885. Among crop geometries, soil moisture depletion (96.6 mm) and ground water contribution (61 mm) were recorded higher in 3 rows per bed than 2 rows per bed. Among three moisture regimes, the soil moisture depletion (108 mm) and ground water contribution (65 mm) decreased with increase in moisture regime from irrigation at IW/CPE 0.3 to irrigation at IW/CPE 0.4 or 0.5.


Food Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (S2) ◽  
pp. 107-112
Author(s):  
A. Assa ◽  
J.E. Loppies ◽  
A.N. Amalia ◽  
D. Indriana ◽  
Mamang ◽  
...  

Specialty coffee is generally found in areas with an altitude around 1000 meters above sea level (m a.s.l.) and is known to have a different distinctive flavor. One of the coffee plantations in South Sulawesi that has the potential to upgrade its status as a specialty coffee is the Sinjai regency. The sensory quality and chemical characteristics are the most important component of specialty coffee. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the chemical compounds and sensory quality in Manipi coffee beans in South Sulawesi, which has the potential to be classified as specialty coffee. The coffee cherries were collected from two locations based on different altitudes namely MA1 = 1200 m a.s.l. and MA2 = 1400 m a.s.l. The coffee cherries directly processed the wet method referring to Enrekang Arabica as a reference sample EA1 = 1200 m a.s.l. and EA2 = 1400 m a.s.l. The results showed that the chemical content and quality of sensory in Manipi Arabica coffee beans were affected by altitude. MA2 had the highest protein content (13.26%), lipid (7.67%), and caffeine (1.42%), whereas green arabica coffee beans with the highest carbohydrate content was MA1 (23.38%). The Enrekang Arabica were similar in terms of Manipi Arabica coffee beans had the highest protein, lipid, and caffeine content at an altitude of 1400 m a.s.l. respectively (12.41%), (10.73%), and (1.32%). The sensory quality of MA1 is 85.75, relatively similar to MA2 is 85.25. The Manipi Arabica coffee beans showed a specific flavor, namely brown sugar and vanilla notes from both altitudes. It had the potential to be developed into specialty coffee with a cup test score > 80.


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