Impact of deficit irrigation and addition of biochar and polymer on soil salinity and tomato productivity

2019 ◽  
Vol 99 (4) ◽  
pp. 380-394
Author(s):  
Arafat Alkhasha ◽  
Abdulrasoul Al-Omran ◽  
Ibrahim Louki

The aim of this study is to investigate impact of soil amendments (4% biochar, 0.4% polymer, and a combination of them) on soil moisture and salinity distribution, tomato yield, and water-use efficiency (WUE). Open-field experiments were conducted during two successive growing seasons in 2017 and 2018. The experiment consisted of three levels of irrigation treatments: 100%, 80%, and 60% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc); and two different water qualities: fresh 0.9 dS m−1 and saline electrical conductivity 3.6 dS m−1. Results revealed that at 100% of ETc, soil water distribution increased by 12.94%, 37.87%, and 42.21% at depths 0–15, 15–30, and 30–45 cm, with the addition of biochar, respectively, compared with control at same depths under freshwater, but the addition of polymer was increased by 6.35%, 16.56%, and 16.37%, respectively. While combination treatments increased by 15.70%, 24.80%, and 41.26%, at the depths aforementioned. Salt concentration was increased by 59.10% with biochar, whereas decreasing by 7.19% and 57.63% with polymer and mixture treatments, respectively. The results also showed that biochar and mixture treatments improved yield compared with the polymer and control, whereas saline water decreased the yield compared with freshwater. With deficit irrigation, WUE was increased by 28.54%, 40.98%, and 68.93% at 100%, 80%, and 60% of ETc, respectively, indicating it could be used as an irrigation management strategy under arid and semiarid field conditions.

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Mourad Rezig ◽  
Hatem Cheikh M'hamed ◽  
Mbarek Ben Naceur

<p class="4Body">Total Dray Matter (TDM), Photosynthetically Active Radiation Intercepted (PARabs), Water Consumption (WC), Water use- (WUE), Radiation use efficiency (RUE) and the Relation between Radiation Interception and Water Consumption for Durum Wheat were investigate under different irrigation amount (D<sub>1</sub>= 100 % ETc; D<sub>2</sub>= 70 % ETc; D<sub>3</sub>= 40 % ETc and D<sub>4</sub>= pluvial) and during three growing seasons (2005-2006, 2006-2007 and 2007-2008). Results showed that, the cumulative PARabs decreased with deficit irrigation. In fact, D<sub>1</sub> treatment recorded the highest cumulative PAR abs and the lowest marked under D<sub>4</sub> treatment. Similarly, TDM and RUE were decreased with deficit irrigation. The highest RUE observed under the D<sub>1</sub> (from 1.32 to 1.43 g MJ<sup>-1</sup>) and the lowest under D<sub>4</sub> (from 1.17 to 1.29 g MJ<sup>-1</sup>). However WUE increased with deficit irrigation. The highest WUE were obtained under the D<sub>4</sub> (from 3 to 4 kg m<sup>-3</sup>) and the lowest were observed under D<sub>1</sub> (from 2.8 to 3.1 kg m<sup>-3</sup>). Significant linear relationship was found between cumulative PAR abs and cumulative water consumption with a high correlation coefficient (R<sup>2</sup>) only under the two treatments D<sub>1</sub> and D<sub>2</sub>.</p>


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Jinji Zhang ◽  
Zhuangzhuang Cao ◽  
Haibo Dai ◽  
Zhiping Zhang ◽  
Minmin Miao

Fertigation with surface drip has been introduced and broadly applied for vegetable cultivation in the Eastern China, which presents high precipitation and always has shallow groundwater. To estimate the influence of high groundwater level on the tomato nitrogen (N) and water use efficiency and develop new sensor-based fertigation technology, experiments were executed in plastic greenhouse in the experimental farm of Yangzhou University located in the suburban of Yangzhou city during 2016-2017 growing seasons using a block randomization with three replications. Three N dosages and 4 watering treatments were carried out in this experiment. The data indicated that irrigation threshold of -35 kPa was optimum to get the maximum production of tomato. In this treatment, the value of estimated plant evapotranspiration (ETc) was much higher than total applied water volume, suggesting high groundwater table had a significant contribution on the tomato ETc and a sensor-based irrigation strategy should be more accurate than the simulated ETc irrigation method to calculate the water demand under this condition. In addition, our results indicated that high groundwater level had a positive effect to alleviating N leaching. Finally, we can conclude that fertigation technology enhanced the N use efficiency (NUE) and water use efficiency (WUE) and three fourths of the calculated N dosage (according to a traditional nutrient equation) was sufficient to optimize tomato yield.


Author(s):  
Andrew Scott ◽  
Roger Murray ◽  
Yuan-Ching Tien ◽  
Edward Topp

The present study evaluated if enteric bacteria or antibiotic resistance genes carried in fecal amendments contaminate the hay at harvest, representing a potential route of exposure to ruminants that consume the hay. In field experiments, dairy manure was applied to a hay field for three successive growing seasons, and biosolids applied to a hay field for one growing season. Various enteric bacteria in the amendments were enumerated by viable plate count, and selected gene targets were quantified by qPCR. Key findings include the following: At harvest, hay receiving dairy manure or biosolids did not carry more viable enteric bacteria than did hay from unamended control plots. Fermentation of hay did not result in a detectable increase in viable enteric bacteria. The application of dairy manure or biosolids did result in a few gene targets being more abundant on hay at the first harvest. Fermentation of hay did result in an increase in the abundance of gene targets, but this occurred both with hay from amended and control plots. Overall, application of fecal amendments will result in an increase in the abundance of some gene targets associated with antibiotic resistance on first cut hay.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Kassu Tadesse Kassaye ◽  
Wubengeda Admasu Yilma ◽  
Mehiret Hone Fisha ◽  
Dawit Habte Haile

The benefits of water-saving techniques such as alternate furrow and deficit irrigations need to be explored to ensure food security for the ever-increasing population within the context of declining availability of irrigation water. In this regard, field experiments were conducted for 2 consecutive dry seasons in the semiarid region of southwestern Ethiopia and investigated the influence of alternate furrow irrigation method with different irrigation levels on the yield, yield components, water use efficiency, and profitability of potato production. The experiment comprised of 3 irrigation methods: (i) conventional furrow irrigation (CFI), (ii) alternate furrow irrigation (AFI), and (iii) fixed furrow irrigation (FFI) combined factorially with 3 irrigation regimes: (i) 100%, (ii) 75%, and (iii) 50% of the potato water requirement (ETC). The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design replicated thrice. Results revealed that seasonal irrigation water applied in alternate furrows was nearly half (170 mm) of the amount supplied in every furrow (331 mm). Despite the half reduction in the total amount of water, tuber (35.68 t ha−1) and total biomass (44.37 t ha−1) yields of potato in AFI did not significantly differ from CFI (34.84 and 45.35 t ha−1, respectively). Thus, AFI improved WUE by 49% compared to CFI. Irrigating potato using 75% of ETC produced tuber yield of 35.01 t ha−1, which was equivalent with 100% of ETC (35.18 t ha−1). Irrigating alternate furrows using 25% less ETC provided the highest net return of US$74.72 for every unit investment on labor for irrigating potato. In conclusion, irrigating alternate furrows using up to 25% less ETC saved water, provided comparable yield, and enhanced WUE and economic benefit. Therefore, farmers and experts are recommended to make change to AFI with 25% deficit irrigation in the study area and other regions with limited water for potato production to improve economic, environmental, and social performance of their irrigated systems.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 113
Author(s):  
Kelly Nascimento Leite ◽  
Daniel Fonseca de Carvalho ◽  
Jose Maria Tarjuelo Martin- Benito ◽  
Geocleber Gomes de Sousa ◽  
Alfonso Dominguez Padilla

The present study aimed to validate the MOPECO crop simulation model and to determine a viable irrigation management for watermelon in the semiarid region of Northeast Brazil, using methodologies of optimized regulated deficit irrigation (ORDI) and constant deficit irrigation (CDI). The experiment was carried out during October to December 2013 and the second one from July to August 2014 in plots of land of producers in the Baixo Acaraú Irrigated Perimeter – Ceará, Brazil. Treatments were characterized by ORDI management (70, 80, 90% ETa/ETm ratio) and CDI management along the entire cycle (70, 80 and 90% ETm) and control treatment, irrigated with 100% of the water requirement of the crop (ETm). In terms of saving of water resources, the results showed that management with regulated deficit irrigation leads to favorable and economically viable results for the farmer, of water saving, especially in a situation of severe water scarcity, irrigation management with regulated water deficit (ORDI) can provide favorable and economically viable results for the farmer. The highest value of WUE (41.8 kg m-3) was obtained with the treatment of lowest water volume applied (352.1 L) in the second experiment, decreasing with the increase in the water volume used. The ORDI methodology represents a better water use efficiency for all treatments of deficit applied compared to CDI treatments. The difference of ORDI and CDI methodology provided an increase of up to 200% in the gross margin obtained with the exploration of the watermelon culture which represents a range of R$ 986.00 in profit in a situation of water scarcity, as in the case of the studied region, the strategy with water supply of 70% of ETa/ETm ratio regulated by phenological stage was recommended in order to obtain highest water use efficiency.


2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 266-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Benincasa ◽  
Marcello Guiducci ◽  
Francesco Tei

Nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE) of crops is examined by taking into account both plant N uptake efficiency, focusing on the recovery of fertilizer-N, and the utilization efficiency of the absorbed N. The latter is further analyzed as the overall effect of the absorbed N on crop leaf area, light absorption, photosynthesis, crop growth, biomass partitioning, and yield. The main sources of variation for the NUE of crops are considered, and several of them are discussed based on results from field experiments carried out at the University of Perugia (central Italy) between 1991 and 2008 on sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), and processing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). More specifically, the effects of species, cultivar, fertilizer-N rate, form and application method (mineral and organic fertilization, green manuring, fertigation frequency), and sink limitation are reported. Implications for residual N in the soil and leaching risks are also discussed. The fertilizer-N rate is the main factor affecting crop NUE for a given irrigation management and rainfall regime. Indeed, avoiding over fertilization is the first and primary means to match a high use efficiency and economic return of fertilizer-N with limited environmental risks from nitrate leaching. The form and application method of fertilizer-N also may affect the NUE, especially in the case of limiting or overabundant N supply. Particularly, high fertigation frequency increased the recovery of fertilizer-N by the crop. It is suggested that species-specific curves for critical N concentration (i.e., the minimum N concentration that allows the maximum growth) can be the reference to calibrate the quick tests used to guide dynamic fertilization management, which is essential to achieve both the optimal crop N nutritional status and the maximum NUE.


1991 ◽  
Vol 116 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.P. Mitchell ◽  
C. Shennan ◽  
S.R. Grattan ◽  
D.M. May

Effects of deficit irrigation and irrigation with saline drainage water on processing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill, cv. UC82B) yields, fruit quality, and fruit tissue constituents were investigated in two field experiments. Deficit irrigation reduced fruit water accumulation and fresh fruit yield, but increased fruit soluble solids levels and' led to higher concentrations of hexoses, citric acid, and potassium. Irrigation with saline water had no effect on total fresh fruit yield or hexose concentration, but slightly reduced fruit water content, which contributed to increased inorganic ion concentrations. Fruit set and marketable soluble solids (marketable red fruit yield × percent soluble solids) were generally unaffected by either irrigation practice. Water deficit and salinity increased starch concentration during early fruit development, but, at maturity, concentrations were reduced to < 1%, regardless of treatment. Higher fruit acid concentrations resulted from water deficit irrigation and from irrigation with saline water relative to the control in one year out of two. These results support the contention that deficit irrigation and irrigation with saline drainage water may be feasible crop water management options for producing high quality field-grown processing tomatoes without major yield reductions. Appropriate long-term strategies are needed to deal with the potential hazards of periodic increases in soil salinity associated with use of saline drainage water for irrigation.


ISRN Agronomy ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Nagaz ◽  
M. M. Masmoudi ◽  
N. Ben Mechlia

A two-year study was conducted in arid region of Tunisia to evaluate the effects of deficit irrigation regimes with saline water on soil salinity, yield, and water use efficiency of onion grown in a commercial farm on a sandy soil and drip-irrigated with water having an of 3.6 dS/m. Irrigation treatments consisted in water replacements of accumulated at levels of 100% (SWB-100, full irrigation), 80% (DI-80), 60% (DI-60), when the readily available water in the control treatment (SWB-100) is depleted, deficit irrigation during ripening stage (SWB100-MDI60) and farmer method corresponding to irrigation practices implemented by the local farmers. Results on onion production and soil salinization are globally coherent between the two-year experiments and show significant difference between irrigation regimes. Higher soil salinity was maintained in the root zone with DI-60 and farmer treatments than full irrigation (SWB-100). SWB100-MDI60 and DI-80 treatments resulted also in low values. No significant differences were observed in bulbs fresh and dry yields, bulbs number·ha−1 and weight from the comparison between full irrigation (SWB-100) and deficit treatments (DI-80, SWB100-MDI60). DI-60 irrigation treatment caused significant reductions in the four parameters considered in comparison with SWB-100. The farmer method caused significant reductions in yield components and resulted in increase of water usage 45 and 33% in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Water use efficiency was found to vary significantly among treatments, where the highest and the lowest values were observed for DI-60 and farmer treatments, respectively. The full irrigation (SWB-100) and deficit irrigation (DI-80 and SWB100-MDI60) strategies were found to be a useful practice for scheduling onion irrigation with saline water under the arid Mediterranean conditions of southern Tunisia.


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