scholarly journals Effects of Three Different Planting Techniques on Soil Water Content, Survival, and Growth of Senegalia Seedlings on Semi-Arid Degraded Lands in Burkina Faso

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 194008292097208
Author(s):  
Philippe Bayen ◽  
Anne Mette Lykke ◽  
Boubacar M. Moussa ◽  
Fidèle Bognounou ◽  
Adjima Thiombiano
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Seedling Survival ◽  
Tree Planting ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Degraded Lands ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Survival And Growth ◽  
Semi Arid

Land degradation exacerbates poverty and food shortages in Sub-Saharan Africa. Tree planting is traditionally used to restore degraded lands, but the tree species used are often poorly adapted to the local climate conditions. We evaluated the suitability and efficiency of three planting techniques (half-moon, standard plantation and zaï) in a semi-arid climate using seedlings from two native Senegalia species: Senegalia gourmaensis and Senegalia dudgeonii. A total of 116 nursery-grown seedlings were planted on degraded lands using these three planting techniques. Data on soil water content, seedling survival and growth rates were measured over 1.5 years. The effects of the planting techniques on these variables were significantly different ( p < 0.001). The lowest water content was measured in the topsoil horizon (0–10 cm) and the highest in the deeper horizons (∼50 cm). At the end of the experiment, the survival rate of S. gourmaensis was 72.2% - 62.5% and 57.5% in half-moon, standard plantation and zaï, respectively. For S. dudgeonii, it was 50%, 62.5% and 47.5% in half-moon, standard plantation and zaï, respectively. There was a significant difference in height and collar diameter between S. gourmaensis and S. dudgeonii using the three planting techniques ( p < 0.001). Based on our results, we recommend using the half-moon or standard plantation for Senegalia species. Senegalia species are suitable for planting in degraded land in semi-arid areas when using the appropriate planting technique.

scholarly journals Modelling the Impact on Root Water Uptake and Solute Return Flow of Different Drip Irrigation Regimes with Brackish Water

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fairouz Slama ◽  
Nessrine Zemni ◽  
Fethi Bouksila ◽  
Roberto De Mascellis ◽  
Rachida Bouhlila
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Water Uptake ◽  
Brackish Water ◽  
Deficit Irrigation ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Root Water Uptake ◽  
Return Flows ◽  
Semi Arid

Water scarcity and quality degradation represent real threats to economic, social, and environmental development of arid and semi-arid regions. Drip irrigation associated to Deficit Irrigation (DI) has been investigated as a water saving technique. Yet its environmental impacts on soil and groundwater need to be gone into in depth especially when using brackish irrigation water. Soil water content and salinity were monitored in a fully drip irrigated potato plot with brackish water (4.45 dSm−1) in semi-arid Tunisia. The HYDRUS-1D model was used to investigate the effects of different irrigation regimes (deficit irrigation (T1R, 70% ETc), full irrigation (T2R, 100% ETc), and farmer’s schedule (T3R, 237% ETc) on root water uptake, root zone salinity, and solute return flows to groundwater. The simulated values of soil water content (θ) and electrical conductivity of soil solution (ECsw) were in good agreement with the observation values, as indicated by mean RMSE values (≤0.008 m3·m−3, and ≤0.28 dSm−1 for soil water content and ECsw respectively). The results of the different simulation treatments showed that relative yield accounted for 54%, 70%, and 85.5% of the potential maximal value when both water and solute stress were considered for deficit, full. and farmer’s irrigation, respectively. Root zone salinity was the lowest and root water uptake was the same with and without solute stress for the treatment corresponding to the farmer’s irrigation schedule (273% ETc). Solute return flows reaching the groundwater were the highest for T3R after two subsequent rainfall seasons. Beyond the water efficiency of DI with brackish water, long term studies need to focus on its impact on soil and groundwater salinization risks under changing climate conditions.

scholarly journals Relating surface backscatter response from TRMM Precipitation Radar to soil moisture: results over a semi-arid region

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 6425-6454
Author(s):  
H. Stephen ◽  
S. Ahmad ◽  
T. C. Piechota ◽  
C. Tang
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Arid Regions ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Precipitation Radar ◽  
Semi Arid

Abstract. The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) carries aboard the Precipitation Radar (TRMMPR) that measures the backscatter (σ°) of the surface. σ° is sensitive to surface soil moisture and vegetation conditions. Due to sparse vegetation in arid and semi-arid regions, TRMMPR σ° primarily depends on the soil water content. In this study we relate TRMMPR σ° measurements to soil water content (ms) in Lower Colorado River Basin (LCRB). σ° dependence on ms is studied for different vegetation greenness values determined through Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). A new model of σ° that couples incidence angle, ms, and NDVI is used to derive parameters and retrieve soil water content. The calibration and validation of this model are performed using simulated and measured ms data. Simulated ms is estimated using Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model whereas measured ms is acquired from ground measuring stations in Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed (WGEW). σ° model is calibrated using VIC and WGEW ms data during 1998 and the calibrated model is used to derive ms during later years. The temporal trends of derived ms are consistent with VIC and WGEW ms data with correlation coefficient (R) of 0.89 and 0.74, respectively. Derived ms is also consistent with the measured precipitation data with R=0.76. The gridded VIC data is used to calibrate the model at each grid point in LCRB and spatial maps of the model parameters are prepared. The model parameters are spatially coherent with the general regional topography in LCRB. TRMMPR σ° derived soil moisture maps during May (dry) and August (wet) 1999 are spatially similar to VIC estimates with correlation 0.67 and 0.76, respectively. This research provides new insights into Ku-band σ° dependence on soil water content in the arid regions.

Field calibration of a capacitance soil water probe in heterogeneous fields

Soil Research ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dieter Geesing ◽  
Martin Bachmaier ◽  
Urs Schmidhalter
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Field Calibration ◽  
Calibration Methods ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Capacitance Probe

Soil water research requires methods to perform accurate measurements. A capacitance probe gauge has characteristics that seem to make it an attractive replacement for neutron scatter gauges to measure soil water content, but there is evidence that capacitance systems should be calibrated for individual soils. Laboratory calibrations and many field calibration methods are costly and time-consuming, and controlled conditions and disturbed soil samples do not always reflect field conditions, and thus, they are inadequate for practical use. The objectives of the present study were (i) to test a simple field calibration method for a recently developed capacitive sensor even under highly variable soil texture conditions, and (ii) to validate this approach under various soil moisture conditions. Soil samples were taken 0.5 m from the access tube of the sensor and a whole field calibration and several site-specific calibrations were developed using 10–142 observations per site under different soil water regimes. A regression of soil water content estimated by sensor reading on water content obtained by core sampling showed no significant difference in the slope and intercept of the 1:1 line when the field calibration was applied. However, the precision of the calibration was only considerably increased if the estimations were based on site-specific calibrations developed on at least 35 observations per site. The precision and accuracy of the calibration equations were not affected when data were obtained only under wet or dry soil conditions. The method presented in this paper is a speedy and cheap way to calibrate capacitance probe sensors.

scholarly journals The Effect of Earthworm (Lumbricus terrestrisL.) Population Density and Soil Water Content Interactions on Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Agricultural Soils

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew K. Evers ◽  
Tyler A. Demers ◽  
Andrew M. Gordon ◽  
Naresh V. Thevathasan
Keyword(s):  
Population Density ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Lumbricus Terrestris ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Relationship

Earthworms may have an influence on the production ofN2O, a greenhouse gas, as a result of the ideal environment contained in their gut and casts for denitrifier bacteria. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between earthworm (Lumbricus terrestrisL.) population density, soil water content andN2Oemissions in a controlled greenhouse experiment based on population densities (90 to 270 individualsm−2) found at the Guelph Agroforestry Research Station (GARS) from 1997 to 1998. An experiment conducted at considerably higher than normal densities of earthworms revealed a significant relationship between earthworm density, soil water content andN2Oemissions, with mean emissions increasing to 43.5 gha−1day−1at 30 earthworms 0.0333 m−2at 35% soil water content. However, a second experiment, based on the density of earthworms at GARS, found no significant difference inN2Oemissions (5.49 to 6.99 gha−1day−1) aa a result of density and 31% soil water content.

Net positive soil water content following cover crops with no tillage in irrigated semi-arid cotton production

2021 ◽  
Vol 208 ◽  
pp. 104869
Author(s):  
Joseph A. Burke ◽  
Katie L. Lewis ◽  
Glen L. Ritchie ◽  
Paul B. DeLaune ◽  
J. Wayne Keeling ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
Cotton Production ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals Interactive Effects of Water and Fertilizer on Yield, Soil Water and Nitrate Dynamics of Young Apple Tree in Semiarid Region of Northwest China

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanmi Zhou ◽  
Xiaoli Niu ◽  
Hui Yan ◽  
Na Zhao ◽  
Fucang Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Apple Tree ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Interactive Effect ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Northwest China ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Young Apple

Exploring the interactive effect of water and fertilizer on yield, soil water and nitrate dynamics of young apple tree is of great importance to improve the management of irrigation and fertilization in the apple-growing region of semiarid northwest China. A two-year pot experiment was conducted in a mobile rainproof shelter of the water-saving irrigation experimental station in Northwest A&F University, and the investigation evaluated the response of soil water and fertilizer migration, crop water productivity (CWP), irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), partial factor productivity (PFP) of young apple tree to different water and fertilizer regimes (four levels of soil water: 75%–85%, 65%–75%, 55%–65% and 45%–55% of field capacity, designated W1, W2, W3 and W4, respectively; three levels of N-P2O5-K2O fertilizer, 30-30-10, 20-20-10 and 10-10-10 g plant−1, designated F1, F2 and F3, respectively). Results showed that F1W1, F2W1 and F3W1 had the highest average soil water content at 0~90 cm compared with the other treatments. When fertilizer level was fixed, the average soil water content was gradually increased with increasing irrigation amount. For W1, W2, W3 and W4, high levels of water content were mainly distributed at 50~80 cm, 40~70 cm, 30~50 cm and 10~30 cm, respectively. There was no significant difference in soil water content at all fertilizer treatments. However, F1 and F2 significantly increased soil nitrate-N content by 146.3%~246.4% and 75.3%~151.5% compared with F3. The highest yield appeared at F1W1 treatment, but there was little difference between F1W1 and F2W2 treatment. F2W2 treatment decreased yield by 7.5%, but increased IWUE by 11.2% compared with F1W1 treatment. Meanwhile, the highest CWP appeared at F2W2 treatment in the two years. Thus, F2W2 treatment (soil moisture was controlled in 65–75% of field capacity, N-P2O5-K2O were controlled at 20-20-10 g·tree−1) reached the best water and fertilizer coupling mode and it was the optimum combinations of water and fertilizer saving.

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