scholarly journals Spatial Soil Temperature and Moisture Monitoring Across the Transylvanian Plain in Romania

Author(s):  
Beatrix HAGGARD ◽  
Teodor RUSU ◽  
David WEINDORF ◽  
Horea CACOVEAN ◽  
Paula MORARU ◽  
...  

The Transylvanian Plain, Romania is an important region for agronomic productivity. However, limited soils data and adoption of best management practices hinder land productivity. Soil temperatures of the Transylvanian Plain were evaluated using a set of twenty datalogging stations positioned throughout the plain. Soil temperatures were monitored at the surface and at 10, 30, and 50 cm depths, and soil moisture was monitored at 10 cm. Preliminary results indicate that most soils of the Transylvanian Plain will have a mesic temperature regime. However, differences in seasonal warming and cooling trends across the plain were noted. These have important implications for planting recommendations. Growing degree days (GDDs) are preferred over maturity ratings, because they can account for temperature anomalies. The crop being considered for this study was corn. The base temperature (BT) was set at 10oC, and the upper threshold was 30oC. Two methods were used to calculate GDDs; 1) minimum and maximum daily temperatures, and 2) 24 h of averaged temperature data. Growing degree days were run from 110-199 day of year (DOY) to represent approximate planting date to tasseling. The DOY that 694 accumulated growing degree days (AGDDs) was reached at each site was then analyzed to identify differences across the TP. Three sites failed to reach 694 AGDDs by DOY 199, and were excluded from comparisons to other results. Averaged values were used to create spline interpolation maps with ArcMap 9.2 (ESRI, Redlands, CA, USA). The southeastern portion of the TP was found to tassel a month earlier assuming a planting date of 109 DOY. Four DeKalb® corn hybrids were then selected based on GDDs to tasseling, drydown, drought tolerance, and insect resistance. With a better understanding of the GDD trends across the TP, more effective planting and harvesting could be accomplished by Romanian farmers to maximize agronomic production.

Author(s):  
David WEINDORF ◽  
Beatrix HAGGARD ◽  
Teodor RUSU ◽  
Horea CACOVEAN ◽  
Stephanie JOHNSON

The Transylvanian Plain, Romania is an important region for agronomic productivity. However, limited soils data and adoption of best management practices can hinder land productivity. Soil temperatures of the Transylvanian Plain were evaluated using a set of twenty datalogging stations positioned throughout the plain. Soil temperatures were monitored at the surface, 10 cm, 30 cm, and 50 cm, and soil moisture was monitored at 10 cm. Pedons were excavated, described, and sampled for physicochemical analysis. Preliminary results indicate that most soils of the Transylvanian Plain will have a mesic temperature regime. However, differences in seasonal warming and cooling trends across the plain were noted. These have important implications for planting recommendations. Some soils of the plain were noted to freeze at 50 cm, while others did not. Longer term study of temperatures of the Transylvanian Plain will average out annual variation in soil temperature and evaluate the impact of slope aspect, slope inclination, soil moisture, and physicochemical properties on soil temperatures.


2004 ◽  
Vol 53 (1-6) ◽  
pp. 154-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. Zalesny ◽  
E. O. Bauer ◽  
D. E. Riemenschneider

Abstract Planting Populus cuttings based on calendar days neglects soil temperature extremes and does not promote rooting based on specific genotypes. Our objectives were to: 1) test the biological efficacy of a thermal index based on belowground growing degree days (GDD) across the growing period, 2) test for interactions between belowground GDD and clones, and 3) identify beneficial planting windows based on combinations of genotypes and belowground GDD. We tested two clones of Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh (D133, D134) and four hybrid clones of P. deltoides × P. maximowiczii A. Henry (DM101, DM105, NC14105, NC14107). Cuttings, 20 cm long, were planted in randomized complete blocks at 15- × 15-cm spacing across three planting dates during 1999 at Alexandria, Minnesota, USA (45.9°N, 95.4°W) and Fertile, Minnesota, USA (47.3°N, 96.2°W). Temperatures at 20 cm belowground were converted to GDD with a base temperature of 10°C. We measured root, top, and total dry weight, along with number of roots after 14 d of growth. Relatively warmer and cooler soil temperatures promoted rooting for the cottonwoods and hybrids, respectively. We recommend planting after reaching a threshold of 163 belowground GDD for P. deltoides clones and planting before reaching a threshold of 173 belowground GDD for P. deltoides × P. maximowiczii clones.


2016 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 975-982 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. A. S. Nunes ◽  
A. V. Leite ◽  
C. C. Castro

Abstract Phenology and reproductive biology of cultivated species are important for the comprehension of the requirements for fruit and seed production and the management of pollinators. This study aimed to characterise the phenology, reproductive biology and growing degree days of the grapevine ‘Isabel’ (Vitis labrusca) in northeastern Brazil during January 2011 (P1), Augst 2011 (P2), April 2012 (P3) and August 2012 (P4). We recorded the duration (days) of the phenological stages, pruning (P), woolly bud (W), budburst (B), inflorescence development (ID), flowering (F), ripening (R) and harvest (H). We analysed the floral biology, the sexual system and the breeding system. We measured the growing degree days (GDD) required to reach the subperiods P-B, B-F and F-H. The periods P1, P2, P3 and P4 lasted for 116, 125, 117 and 130 days, respectively. The number of days of harvest were similar in the same dry (P1 and P3) and rainy (P2 and P4) periods. All the periods that we recorded were shorter than those observed in other regions of Brazil, which may be attributable to the mean temperature and carbohydrate metabolism. The flowers are green, hermaphroditic, with an odour of mignonette, low pollen viability and autogamous. The base temperature of 10°C was considered the most adequate for the subperiods as has been documented for other grape varieties in Brazil. Thus, temperature was also the most adequate for the cycles, presenting a smaller standard deviation (0.119, 0.147, 0.156 and 0.153 to P1, P2, P3 and P4, respectively) when compared to a base temperature of 12°C (0.122, 0.158, 0.165 and 0.160 to P1, P2, P3 and P4, respectively). The higher and the lower observed GDD were 1972.17 and 1870.05, respectively, both above the values recorded in other parts of Brazil for same variety. The phonological results, including knowledge of growing degree days, are important to the planning of cultures at the study site and in other regions that have similar climatic conditions and make it possible to pre-determine the harvest.


1990 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 619-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. DWYER ◽  
H. N. HAYHOE ◽  
J. L. B. CULLEY

The soil thermal environment is critical to corn (Zea mays L.) emergence in short-season production areas. A field study was therefore carried out during the emergence period to test a method to predict 0.05-m soil temperatures from air temperatures and to develop a method to quantify emergence rates as a function of actual and predicted soil thermal units. Thermal units (base 10 °C) were calculated from hourly air and measured and predicted 0.05-m soil temperatures; these thermal units were fit to test emergence data collected on six cultivars. The nonlinear response of percentage emergence to thermal units was approximated by an exponential function. Comparisons of cultivar emergence rates, expressed as the number of thermal units to 0 and 75% emergence, statistically differentiated (P ≤ 0.05) the test cultivars into three main groupings. When predicted soil temperatures were used to calculate the number of thermal units, the thermal units to specific emergence levels were within the equivalent of 1 or 2 d of those generated using measured soil temperatures.Key words: Growing degree days, regression, thermal regimes, seed zone temperature, corn emergence


Author(s):  
Venkatesh Bondade ◽  
Sanjeev K Deshpande

Growing degree days (GDD) or heat units accumulation is the major factor that affects the dry matter production in the plants. In the present investigation eleven genotypes were used to screen for temperature insensitivity through staggered plantings across the seasons in a year. Days to flowering initiation was recorded and base temperature (Tb) was determined using mean daily air temperature (MAT). GDD of individual genotypes was estimated using base temperatures of particular genotypes. It was observed that the GDD, days to flowering initiation and yield were exhibited high variation across the seasons, the flowering time from days to planting (FTDAP) registered significant negative correlation with GDD and MAT and positively correlated with yield. Whereas GDD is positively correlated with MAT and negatively correlated with yield. Here three genotypes namely, IC202926, IC198326 and IC257428 were identified as temperature insensitive genotypes as their performances were comparable across the seasons without much fluctuations.


1991 ◽  
Vol 123 (6) ◽  
pp. 1183-1197 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.W. Schaafsma ◽  
G.H. Whitfield ◽  
C.R. Ellis

AbstractDevelopmental rates of post-diapause eggs of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte were compared in the laboratory at six constant temperatures, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, and 32°C. Linear and nonlinear models were fitted to temperature versus developmental data and were used to predict egg hatch in the field. A four-parameter model fitted to median developmental rates (r2 = 0.99) indicated that development was linear between 16 and 28°C, optimal at 28°C, and decreased at 32°C. The lower development threshold (± SE) (10.5 ± 0.1°C) was determined by linear regression and the x-intercept method. Completion of post-diapause egg development required 258 ± 3 degree-days (± SE) above the base temperature. This compared well with the mean degree-days accumulated to 50% hatch (± SE) of 265 ± 24 which we observed in the field at several locations over 3 years using a degree-day model incorporating an 11°C developmental threshold and soil temperatures at 5- and 10-cm depths. A stochastic simulation model, incorporating a nonlinear developmental function dependant on soil temperatures taken every 2 h also predicted 50% hatch within 2 days. This model was validated in the field with 19 independent records of soil temperatures for several locations at two depths in the soil over 3 years. The simulation model accurately predicted time of 5 and 95% hatch, which indicates that this model has broad application in predicting the pattern of egg hatch for pest management.


1993 ◽  
Vol 118 (4) ◽  
pp. 450-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.W. Lass ◽  
R.H. Callihan ◽  
D.O. Everson

Predicting sweet corn (Zea mays var. rugosa Bonaf.) harvest dates based on simple linear regression has failed to provide planting schedules that result in the uniform delivery of raw product to processing plants. Adjusting for the date that the field was at 80% silk in one model improved the forecast accuracy if year, field location, cultivar, soil albedo, herbicide family used, kernel moisture, and planting date were used as independent variables. Among predictive models, forecasting the Julian harvest date had the highest correlation with independent variables (R2 = 0.943) and the lowest coefficient of variation (cv = 1.31%). In a model predicting growing-degree days between planting date and harvest, R2 (coefficient of determination) = 0.85 and cv = 2.79%. In the model predicting sunlight hours between planting and harvest, R2 = 0.88 and cv = 6.41%. Predicting the Julian harvest date using several independent variables was more accurate than other models using a simple linear regression based on growing-degree days when compared to actual harvest time.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-169
Author(s):  
Ruth Amanda Acero Camelo ◽  
Manuel Ricardo Esteban Molina ◽  
Alfonso Parra Coronado ◽  
Gerhard Fischer ◽  
Juan Evangelista Carulla Fornaguera

In order to estimate the base temperature (Bt) of growth through the appearance of leaves and calculate the phyllochron for kikuyu grass, three plots were established on three farms in the Provincia of Ubaté (Cundinamarca, Colombia) located at different altitudes (2560, 2640, 3143 m. a. s. l.). Measurements were made in four cycles in a period of eight months. The Bt was estimated by the least coefficient of variation method using a second order regression model and the model obtained was validated by the cross-validation method. The Bt values for the first, second, third and fourth leaf were 4.02, 3.68, 3.93, and 3.62 ° C, respectively. For the appearance of the first leaf, the kikuyu required more thermal time (TT) (97.5 accumulated growing degree days (AGDD)) than for the second (74.2 AGDD), third (73.8 AGDD) and fourth leaf (76.0 AGDD) (p<0.05). There were no differences in TT among farms (p> 0.05). There was a tendency to a greater number of days required to reach each leaf stage in the farm located at higher altitude and with lower mean temperature. The validation showed an adequate adjustment (r2 = 0.94) and a substantial concordance (CCC = 0.97) between the observed values and the predicted values for the estimated TT with the Bt value obtained for each leaf stage. The results of Bt for kikuyu grass obtained, will allow to make more precise predictions about the phyllochron and generate growth models close to reality.


HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 611-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaétan Bourgeois ◽  
Sylvie Jenni ◽  
Hélène Laurence ◽  
Nicolas Tremblay

The heat-unit system, involving the sum of daily mean temperatures above a given base temperature, is used with processing pea (Pisum sativum L.) to predict relative maturity during the growing season and to schedule planting dates based on average temperature data. The Quebec pea processing industry uses a base temperature of 5 °C to compute growing-degree days (GDD) between sowing and maturity. This study was initiated to verify if the current model, which uses a base temperature of 5 °C, can be improved to predict maturity in Quebec. Four pea cultivars, `Bolero', `Rally', `Flair', and `Kriter', were grown between 1985 and 1997 on an experimental farm in Quebec. For all cultivars, when using a limited number of years, a base temperature between 0.0 and 0.8 °C reduced the coefficient of variation (cv) as compared with 5.0 °C, indicating that the base temperature used commercially is probably not the most appropriate for Quebec climatic conditions. The division of the developmental period into different stages (sowing until emergence, emergence until flowering, and flowering until maturity) was also investigated for some years. Use of base temperatures specific for each crop phase did not improve the prediction of maturity when compared with the use of an overall base temperature. All years for a given cultivar were then used to determine the base temperature with the lowest cv for predicting the time from sowing to maturity. A base temperature from 0 to 5 °C was generally adequate for all cultivars, and a common base temperature of 3.0 °C was selected for all cultivars. For the years and cultivars used in this study, the computation of GDD with a base temperature of 3 °C gave an overall prediction of maturity of 2.0, 2.4, 2.2, and 2.5 days based on the average of the absolute values of the differences for the cultivars Bolero, Rally, Flair, and Kriter, respectively.


2008 ◽  
Vol 61 ◽  
pp. 393-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.L. Tyson ◽  
R.A. Fullerton ◽  
R.W. Chynoweth ◽  
P.A. Rheinlander ◽  
G.N. Hill

Onion white rot caused by Sclerotium cepivorum continues to be a major fungal disease of onions in New Zealand The onset of the disease in the Pukekohe area can be predicted by the use of cumulative average daily soil temperatures above a base temperature (white rot degree days) This prediction model was used to determine the optimal timing for fungicide application Analysis of data from trials on timing of fungicide applications conducted between 19892007 showed a correlation between the efficacy of fungicide programme and accumulated degree days with later start times in relation to disease onset equating to a consistent drop in efficacy The disease normally occurs when white rot degree days reach 250 Fungicide programmes commenced above this value achieved relatively poor control Spray programmes should start before the disease is observed in the field with start times between 100 and 200 white rot degree days achieving the best control


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