Quantifying genetic effects of ground cover on soil water evaporation using digital imaging

2010 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Mullan ◽  
Matthew P. Reynolds

Rapid development of leaf area and/or aboveground biomass has the potential to improve water harvest of rain fed wheat in Mediterranean-type environments through reduced soil evaporation. However, quantitative relationships between genetic differences in early ground cover and soil water evaporation have not been established. Furthermore, accurate phenotyping of ground cover and early vigour have typically been achieved via destructive sampling methods, which are too time-consuming to undertake within breeding programs. Digital image analysis has previously been identified as an alternative indirect method of analysis, whereby computer analysis is ued to determine percentage ground cover. This study uses a digital ground cover (DGC) analysis tool for high throughput screening of four large wheat populations. The DGC methodology was validated via comparisons with alternative measures of canopy cover, such as normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) (r2 = 0.69), biomass (r2 = 0.63), leaf area index (r2 = 0.80) and light penetration through the canopy (r2 = 0.70). The wheat populations were utilised to estimate the potential variation in soil evaporation associated with genetic differences in early ground cover, which was validated using established models. Estimates of genetic differences in soil evaporation within the four populations (6.90–24.8 mm) suggest that there is sufficient genetic variation to increase water harvest through targeting faster ground cover. Implications for improved wheat yields and breeding are discussed.

Irriga ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Renata Rocha Pereira ◽  
Guilherme Sasso Ferreira Souza ◽  
Andreia Cristina Peres Rodrigues ◽  
Andre Luiz Melhorança Filho ◽  
Antonio Evaldo Klar

O estudo objetivou avaliar o desempenho de genótipos de plantas de Eucalyptus urograndis (clone 105 e 433) em relação à tolerância à seca, considerando a análise de crescimento das plantas. Para tanto, plantas foram cultivadas em vasos de 8 litros em casa de vegetação. O delineamento foi em inteiramente casualizado, com quatro tratamentos contendo desesseis repetições. O manejo hídrico foi estabelecido com base em dois potenciais mínimos de água (Ψ): -0,03 e -1,5 MPa, através da pesagem diária dos vasos. O desenvolvimento das plantas foi avaliado em coletas a intervalos de 15 dias, iniciando no momento de plantio da muda no vaso até os 60 dias após plantio. Considerando-se o acúmulo de matéria seca total (MS) e o índice de área foliar da planta (IAF) como base para a determinação dos seguintes índices fisiológicos: razão de área foliar (RAF), taxa assimilatória líquida (TAL), área foliar específica (AFE), taxa de crescimento relativo (TCR) e taxa de crescimento absoluto (TCA). Nas condições do experimento, o clone 105 apresentou menor sensibilidade ao déficit hídrico, o que o qualifica como material genético promissor para ambientes sujeitos a estiagem prolongada. Já em condições em que não há restrição hídrica, os dois clones tiveram comportamento semelhantes.   UNITERMOS: Eucaliptus urograndis, índices fisiológicos, potenciais hídricos do solo     PEREIRA, M. R. R.; SOUZA, G. S. F. de; RODRIGUES, A. C. P.; MELHORANÇA FILHO, A. L.; KLAR, A. E. GROWTH ANALYSIS OF CLONE EUCALIPTUS UNDER HYDRIC STRESS     2 ABSTRACT   The aim of this study was to evaluate Eucaliptus grandis genotypes (Clones 105 and 433) in relation to drought  tolerance, through growth plant analysis.  Black PVC pots with 10 liter volume were used for cultivate plants in polyethilene greenhouse oriented east/west. Completely randonmized design with four treatments was used: two clones and two minimum soil water  potentials ( - 0.03 and -1,5 MPa) and sixteen replicates.  Pots were weighed daily in order to evaluate water content and characteristic soli water curve was determined. Plant development was obtained each 15 days from planting until 60 days  through  total dry matter (DM), leaf area index (LAI),  leaf area ratio (LAR), net assimilative ratio (NAR), specific leaf area (SLA), relative growth ratio (RGR) and absolute growth ratio (AGR). Results showed that clone 105 presented less sensibility to water deficit, which qualify it as genetic material for use under dry soil conditons.  On the other hand, both clones had similar behavior with no water restrictions.   KEYWORDS: Eucaliptus grandis, soil water potentials, morphologic measurements.  


Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 453
Author(s):  
Haidong Lu ◽  
Zhenqing Xia ◽  
Yafang Fu ◽  
Qi Wang ◽  
Jiquan Xue ◽  
...  

Adaptive highly efficient mulching technologies for use on dryland agricultural ecosystems are crucial to improving crop productivity and water-use efficiency (WUE) under climate change. Little information is available on the effect of using different types of mulch on soil water thermal conditions, or on root/shoot trait, leaf area index (LAI), leaf area duration (LAD), yield, and WUE of spring maize. Hence, in this study, white transparent plastic film (WF), black plastic film (BF), and maize straw (MS) was used, and the results were compared with a non-mulched control (CK). The results showed that the mean soil temperature throughout the whole growth period of maize at the 5–15 cm depth under WF and BF was higher than under MS and CK, but under BF, it was 0.6 °C lower than WF. Compared with CK, the average soil water storage (0–200 cm) over the whole growth period of maize was significantly increased under WF, BF, and MS. WF and BF increased the soil water and temperature during the early growth stages of maize and significantly increased root/shoot biomass, root volume, LAI, LAD, and yield compared with MS. Higher soil temperatures under WF obviously reduced the duration of maize reproductive growth and accelerated root and leaf senescence, leading to small root/shoot biomass accumulation post-tasseling and to losses in yield compared with BF


HortScience ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 916-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Said A. Hamido ◽  
Kelly T. Morgan ◽  
Robert C. Ebel ◽  
Davie M. Kadyampakeni

Because of the decline in production and negative economic effects, there is an urgent need for strategies to reduce the impact of Huanglongbing (HLB) on citrus [Citrus ×sinensis (L.) Osbeck]. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of different irrigation schedules on total available soil water (TAW) and water uptake characteristics of citrus trees affected by HLB in central and southwest Florida. The study was initiated in Jan. 2014 for 2 years on 5-year-old sweet orange trees located in three commercial groves at Arcadia, Avon Park, and Immokalee, FL. Each grove had three irrigation scheduling treatments including the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recommendations, Daily irrigation, and an Intermediate treatment. All groves received similar volumes of water per week based on evapotranspiration (ETo) reported by the Florida Automated Weather Network. Sap flow (SF) measurements were taken for two trees per treatment for at least 10 days per site (twice/year). During those periods, leaf area, leaf area index (LAI), and stem water potential (Ψ) were determined. Also, TAW was determined using drainage curve and capacitance soil moisture sensors installed at incremental soil depths of 0–15, 15–30, and 30–45 cm. Results showed significant differences in average SF, LAI, Ψ, and TAW measurements among treatments. Diurnal SF value under daily irrigation treatment increased by 91%, 51%, and 105% compared with UF/IFAS irrigation in Arcadia, Avon Park, and Immokalee, respectively. Soil water contents (WCs) under daily treatment increased by 59%, 59%, and 70% compared with UF/IFAS irrigation treatment in Arcadia, Avon Park, and Immokalee, respectively. Our results indicated that daily irrigation improved tree water dynamics compared with IFAS or Intermediate irrigation scheduling treatments and reduced tree stress with the same volume of water.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (16) ◽  
pp. 6603
Author(s):  
Li Ma ◽  
Ming’an Shao ◽  
Tongchuan Li

Earthworms have an important influence on the terrestrial ecological environment. This study assesses the effect of different earthworm densities on soil water content (SWC) and evaporation in a laboratory experiment. Four earthworm densities (0 no-earthworm, control [C]; 207 earthworms m−2, low density [LDE]; 345 earthworms m−2, medium density [MDE]; and 690 earthworms m−2, high density [HDE]) are tested in soil columns. Results show that cumulative evaporation occurs in the decreasing order of densities: C (98.6 mm) > LDE (115.8 mm) > MDE (118.4 mm) > HDE (124.6 mm). Compared with the control, earthworm activity decreases cumulative soil evaporation by 5.0–20.9%, increases soil temperature to 0.46 °C–0.63 °C at 8:00, and decreases soil temperature to 0.21 °C–0.52 °C at 14:00 on the soil surface. Temperature fluctuations reduce with increasing earthworm densities. A negative correlation is found between cumulative soil evaporation and earthworm density (R2 = 0.969, p < 0.001). Earthworms significantly (p < 0.05) decrease the surface SWC loss (0–20 cm) soil layer but increase the subsoil SWC loss (60–100 cm) by adjusting the soil temperature and reducing soil water evaporation. Earthworm activities (burrows, casts…) improve the soil water holding ability by adjusting soil temperature and reducing soil water evaporation. Thus, the population quantity of earthworms may provide valuable ecosystem services in soil water and heat cycles to save water resources and realize sustainable agricultural development.


1992 ◽  
Vol 43 (7) ◽  
pp. 1527 ◽  
Author(s):  
PS Carberry ◽  
RC Muchow

NTKENAF (Version 1.1) is a computer model which simulates the growth of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) under rainfed conditions in tropical Australia. In daily time-steps, the model simulates the phenology, leaf area development, biomass accumulation and partitioning, soil water balance and dry matter yields of kenaf plants based on climatic and management inputs. The model assumes adequate nutrition and no effect of pests and diseases. The model uses daily maximum and minimum temperature, solar radiation and rainfall. The duration from sowing to flowering is predicted using temperature and photoperiod. Leaf growth is described as a function of node production (as determined by temperature), leaf area per node and leaf area senescence. Potential daily biomass is predicted from leaf area index, the light extinction coefficient and radiation use efficiency, and partitioned to the economic stem yield. Soil evaporation is predicted using a two-stage evaporation model, and plant transpiration is predicted from the daily biomass accumulation, a transpiration efficiency coefficient and predicted daily vapour pressure deficit. Plant extractable soil water is dependent on the available soil water range for each depth increment, the extraction front velocity, and the extent of water extraction at each depth. Daily transpiration and leaf growth are decreased below potential values once the fraction of available soil water declines below a threshold value. NTKENAF V1.1 has been validated against observed data from kenaf experiments conducted at two sites (lat. 13�48'S. and 14�28'S.) in northern Australia. The predictive accuracy of the model was good over a range in above-ground biomass up to 25 000 kg ha-1 (n = 40, r2 = 0.94, root mean square deviation = 1716 kg ha-1). Validations were also undertaken for predictions of the core and bark stem components, leaf area index and plant extractable soil water contents. The development of NTKENAF has provided a tool which can greatly aid assessment of the feasibility of a fibre industry based on kenaf in northern Australia.


2014 ◽  
Vol 522-524 ◽  
pp. 699-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang Hui Lu ◽  
Hua Bai ◽  
Hui Ying Liu

Crop growth simulation models can be useful in evaluating the impacts of different tillage and residue management operations on the changes in land productivity and soil-water balance components. They offer a potentially valuable set of tools for examining questions related to performance of conservation agriculture. This can be both to improve our understanding or conceptualization of processes and to improve quantitative predictions for use by agronomists, growers, policy makers or others. We applied the new Decision Support System for Agro-technology Transfer (DSSAT) version 4.5, an improved crop growth simulation model, to three conservation agriculture treatments and one conventional tillage treatment data from a field-scale study in west Henan region of China to predict winter-wheat yield, leaf area index and soil-water balance. The sites average annual precipitation is 632mm and it had a winter wheat-fallow-winter wheat rotation. There winter wheat planting in October and harvesting in next year June. The model was calibrated using 2005-2006 winter-wheat crop data from field experiments of the four treatments. The treatments were: (1) decreased tillage (DT): mulching of 10-15cm height straw and one ploughing operation to 25cm depth on July 1st; (2) zero tillage (ZT): zero tillage with 35-40cm height straw mulching; (3) subsoiling (SS): 35-40cm height straw mulching and subsoil to 40cm depth on July 1st; (4) conventional tillage (CT): 10-15cm height straw mulching and two ploughing operations 20cm deep on July 1st and October 1st. The DSSAT satisfactorily simulated the four treatments variations in winter-wheat yield, leaf area index and soil-water balance. There was better agreement between observed and predicted yields (the error absolute values were less than 3.95% and the error mean absolute values were less than 2.78%). The mean value of root mean square errors (RMSE) for simulated leaf area index (LAI) and soil water storage were 0.41cm2·cm-2 and 0.08cm3·cm-3 for DT, ZT, SS and CT, treatment respectively. The predicted water use efficiency for the four treatments were 15.85, 15.40, 16.58 and 15.81kg·mm-1·ha-1, respectively. These values were close to the values calculated from field measured data (16.82, 14.44, 16.86 and 15.66kg·mm-1·ha-1, respectively). Although the analysis results show us that the DSSAT V4.5 is well suited for simulating winter-wheat growth in the West Henan region of China, these results are preliminary and based on only one year of experimental data and four treatments and further long-term analyses need to be carried out for improving the understanding of the conservation agriculture cropping systems in the west Henan region of China.


2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengming Sun ◽  
Zhengguo Sun ◽  
Tao Liu ◽  
Doudou Guo ◽  
Shaojie Mu ◽  
...  

In order to estimate the leaf area index (LAI) over large areas in southern China, this paper analysed the relationships between normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the vegetation light transmittance and the extinction coefficient based on the use of moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer data. By using the improved Beer–Lambert Law, a model was constructed to estimate the LAI in the grassy mountains and slopes of southern China with NDVI as the independent variable. The model was validated with field measurement data from different locations and different years in the grassland mountains and slopes of southern China. The results showed that there was a good correlation between the simulated and observed LAI values, and the values of R2 achieved were high. The relative root mean squared error was between 0.109 and 0.12. This indicated that the model was reliable. The above results provided the theoretical basis for the effective management of the grassland resources in southern China and the effective estimation of grassland carbon sink.


2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraldo Gonçalves dos Reis ◽  
Frederico de Freitas Alves ◽  
Maria das Graças Ferreira Reis ◽  
Felippe Coelho de Souza ◽  
Diogo Sena Baiero ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Eucalypt has been widely planted in Brazil, in the savannah region, which is characterized by high soil water deficit and low fertility. Dieback, leaf area index (LAI) and yield of young stands of 16 eucalypt clones were studied in Vazante, MG, Brazil (17º36’09"S and 46º 42’02"W). It was determined for each clone: a) the proportion of the tree height with dieback symptoms in the apical terminal (HWD%) and the proportion of trees with dieback (NWD%), at 13 months (end of the first dry season); b) the LAI at 13 and 21 months, and c) the yield at the age of 13, 19 and 25 months. HWD% reached 5-9%, and NWD%, 50-80%, for the five most susceptible clones, when the soil water deficit reached 508 mm in the year. LAI varied from 0.61 to 1.56, at 13 months, and from 2.31 to 3.48 at 21 months, presenting inverse relationship with dieback. The least susceptible clones to dieback achieved the highest yield up to 25 months of age. There was interaction between dieback and fertilizer levels only for three clones. There was a positive correlation (p < 0.001) between the LAI at the age of 13 months and the periodic monthly increment from 0 to 11 months, and from 11 to 19 months. The difference in dieback susceptibility among clones allows the selection of genotypes for regions where the soil water deficit is a major limiting factor.


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