scholarly journals Computational Analysis of Specific Indicators to Manage Crop Yield and Profits Under Extreme Heat and Climate Change Conditions

Author(s):  
Maya Sharma

The US pacific northwest recorded its highest temperature in late June 2021. The three-day stretch of scorching heat had a devastating effect on not only the residents of the state, but also on the crops thus impacting the food supply-chain. It is forecasted that streaks of 100-degree temperatures will become common. Farmers will have to adapt to the changing landscape to preserve their crop yield and profitability. A research collaborative consisting of researchers and academicians in Eastern Washington led by a pioneering startup has setup a 16.9-acre Honeycrisp Apple Smart Orchard in Grandview, WA as a laboratory to study the environmental and plant growth factors in real-time using modern computational tools and techniques like IoT (Internet of Things), Edge and Cloud Computing, and Drone and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) imaging. The computational analysis is used to develop guidelines for precision agriculture for orchard blocks to address plant growth issues scientifically and in a timely fashion. The analysis also helps in creating risk-mitigation strategies for severe weather events while helping prepare farmers to maximize crop yield and profitability per acre. I was fortunate to gain access to the terabytes of farm data related to the weather, soil, water, tree, and canopy health, to analyze and formulate recommendations for the farmers that can be adopted nationwide for different crops and weather conditions. This paper discusses the different streams of farm data that were analyzed (ex. soil moisture, soil water potential, and sap flow) and the development of the framework to use data to convert insights into actionable steps. For example, the use of sensors can inform a farmer that their level of soil water potential is below threshold in a specific patch of the orchard, prompting them to turn on irrigation for the patch instead of the whole orchard. I estimate that using an IoT-sensor-based decision framework discussed in this paper, growers can save up to 55% of their water costs for the season. Using these insights, farmers can better manage their irrigation resources and labor, thus maximizing their crop yield and profits.

2015 ◽  
pp. 78-93
Author(s):  
N. A. Muromtsev ◽  
K. B. Anisimov

Under consideration is the dynamics of moisture reserves and soil water potential in different parts of the catena represented by soddy-podzolic slightly gleyed soil. Peculiar features in the development of moisture reserves have been identified in different elevated positions of this catena and their transformation in time depending on the weather conditions. It is shown that the dynamics of soil water potential in dependence on the depth of the soil profile and time well agrees with the peculiar changes in moisture reserves.


2014 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuzana Sitková ◽  
Paulína Nalevanková ◽  
Katarína Střelcová ◽  
Peter Fleischer Jr. ◽  
Marek Ježík ◽  
...  

Abstract We focus on the analysis of sap flow and stem circumference changes in European beech (Fagus sylvatica, L.) in relation to available soil water and weather conditions during the growing seasons 2012 and 2013. The objective was to examine how soil water potential affects growth and transpiration of a mature beech stand situated at the lower distributional limit of beech in Slovakia. To be able to evaluate beech response to soil water shortage, we irrigated a group of 6 trees during the period of pronounced drought, while the control group of other 6 trees remained exposed to actual weather conditions. Mean air temperatures of both seasons were considerably above the long-term average and the temporal pattern of precipitation differed between the years. During the whole growing season 2012, beech samples transpired an average volume of 6.9 m3 of water in the control and 7.7 m3 in the irrigated group. A slightly higher average volume was found in the growing season 2013 under both treatments (7.7 m3 in control and 10.5 m3 in irrigated trees). In the drought period 2012, when the irrigation experiment was commenced, the sap flow in the control group was reduced by 30% as compared with the irrigated group. In 2013, a 38.1% difference in sap flow was observed between the groups. Sap flow in the non-irrigated trees decreased with reducing soil moisture, and ceased at soil water potential -0.6 MPa. In both treatments and years, we found significant correlations between hourly sap flow and investigated weather variables. A reduction in stem circumferences of the control trees, which was observed during stem shrinkage phase, was up to 19% in 2012 and 10% in 2013. We conclude that stem circumference shrinkage during the peak of soil drought was induced by the cessation in the sap flow process.


Author(s):  
Luana Glaup Araujo Dourado ◽  
Edna Maria Bonfim- Silva ◽  
Tonny José Araújo da Silva ◽  
Everton Alves Rodrigues Pinheiro ◽  
William Fenner

This research aimed to evaluate the amending potential of eucalyptus’s wood ash on soil chemical properties and soil-water potential. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the Federal University of Mato Grosso, campus in Rondonópolis. The experimental design was composed of randomized blocks in a 5x5 factorial scheme, including five soil-water potentials (‒4, ‒8, ‒16, ‒32 and ‒64 kPa), and five wood ash doses (0; 8; 16; 24 and 32 g dm-3). The soil samples were collected from the top layer of an Oxisol under natural Cerrado vegetation. Mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) growth variables (plant height, numbers of leaves, stem diameter, and SPAD index) were analyzed at three different phenological periods. In general, the wood ash doses increased soil pH, eliminated the exchangeable aluminum, and improved soil essential nutrients availability. As a result, mung bean plants responded positively to wood ash, achieving superior results at doses ranging from 24 to 26 g dm-3. The interaction between wood ash doses and soil water potential was not significant. However, drier soil conditions constrained plant growth severely. According to our experimental conditions, plant growth variables achieved higher performance at soil water potential of -4 kPa


2013 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-57
Author(s):  
Jadwiga Treder ◽  
Joanna Nowak

Daily evapotranspiration (EVPT) of two bedding plants osteospermum 'Denebola' and impatiens 'Timor' grown on ebb-and-flow benches was measured by weighing method, together with assessment of indoor climate parameters (solar radiation, temperature, humidity) and leaf area index (LAI) at different growth phases. The evaporation inside the greenhouse as affected by climatic factors i.e.: solar radiation, temperature, humidity and air velocity was also measured using Piche's evaporometer. Plants were irrigated according to soil water potential (irrigation at -0,5; -3; -10 and -20 kPa). Irrigation at high water potential decreased plant growth and leaf area of both plants. LAI of osteospermum decreased as water deficit increased. In the case of impatiens, the highest LAI at full flowering obtained plants irrigated at -3 kPa. The actual, daily EVPT of plants irrigated at -0,5 kPa increased with plant growth in the case ofosteospermum while that of impatiens remained at similar level. At flowering water stress decreased strongly EVPT of osteospermum and in lesser extent EVPT of impatiens. Osteospermum irrigated at -0,5 kPa had 2,5 higher EVPT than impatiens. For both plants good, positive correlation between EVPT and daily mean temperature, temperature between 7-17 h and evaporation according to Piche's evaporometer readings were obtained. As expected EVPT was negatively correlated with relative humidity, irrespective the growth phase and soil water potential. The correlation between EVPT and solar radiation, was changed during plant growth due to differences in temperature under shading screen, used during sunny days.


1979 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 980-982 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. G. Heatherly ◽  
W. J. Russell

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1208
Author(s):  
Massimiliano Bordoni ◽  
Fabrizio Inzaghi ◽  
Valerio Vivaldi ◽  
Roberto Valentino ◽  
Marco Bittelli ◽  
...  

Soil water potential is a key factor to study water dynamics in soil and for estimating the occurrence of natural hazards, as landslides. This parameter can be measured in field or estimated through physically-based models, limited by the availability of effective input soil properties and preliminary calibrations. Data-driven models, based on machine learning techniques, could overcome these gaps. The aim of this paper is then to develop an innovative machine learning methodology to assess soil water potential trends and to implement them in models to predict shallow landslides. Monitoring data since 2012 from test-sites slopes in Oltrepò Pavese (northern Italy) were used to build the models. Within the tested techniques, Random Forest models allowed an outstanding reconstruction of measured soil water potential temporal trends. Each model is sensitive to meteorological and hydrological characteristics according to soil depths and features. Reliability of the proposed models was confirmed by correct estimation of days when shallow landslides were triggered in the study areas in December 2020, after implementing the modeled trends on a slope stability model, and by the correct choice of physically-based rainfall thresholds. These results confirm the potential application of the developed methodology to estimate hydrological scenarios that could be used for decision-making purposes.


1988 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 569-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
YADVINDER SINGH ◽  
E. G. BEAUCHAMP

Two laboratory incubation experiments were conducted to determine the effect of initial soil water potential on the transformation of urea in large granules to nitrite and nitrate. In the first experiment two soils varying in initial soil water potentials (− 70 and − 140 kPa) were incubated with 2 g urea granules with and without a nitrification inhibitor (dicyandiamide) at 15 °C for 35 d. Only a trace of [Formula: see text] accumulated in a Brookston clay (pH 6.0) during the transformation of urea in 2 g granules. Accumulation of [Formula: see text] was also small (4–6 μg N g−1) in Conestogo silt loam (pH 7.6). Incorporation of dicyandiamide (DCD) into the urea granule at 50 g kg−1 urea significantly reduced the accumulation of [Formula: see text] in this soil. The relative rate of nitrification in the absence of DCD at −140 kPa water potential was 63.5% of that at −70 kPa (average of two soils). DCD reduced the nitrification of urea in 2 g granules by 85% during the 35-d period. In the second experiment a uniform layer of 2 g urea was placed in the center of 20-cm-long cores of Conestogo silt loam with three initial water potentials (−35, −60 and −120 kPa) and the soil was incubated at 15 °C for 45 d. The rate of urea hydrolysis was lowest at −120 kPa and greatest at −35 kPa. Soil pH in the vicinity of the urea layer increased from 7.6 to 9.1 and [Formula: see text] concentration was greater than 3000 μg g−1 soil. There were no significant differences in pH or [Formula: see text] concentration with the three soil water potential treatments at the 10th day of the incubation period. But, in the latter part of the incubation period, pH and [Formula: see text] concentration decreased with increasing soil water potential due to a higher rate of nitrification. Diffusion of various N species including [Formula: see text] was probably greater with the highest water potential treatment. Only small quantities of [Formula: see text] accumulated during nitrification of urea – N. Nitrification of urea increased with increasing water potential. After 35 d of incubation, 19.3, 15.4 and 8.9% of the applied urea had apparently nitrified at −35, −60 and −120 kPa, respectively. Nitrifier activity was completely inhibited in the 0- to 2-cm zone near the urea layer for 35 days. Nitrifier activity increased from an initial level of 8.5 to 73 μg [Formula: see text] in the 3- to 7-cm zone over the 35-d period. Nitrifier activity also increased with increasing soil water potential. Key words: Urea transformation, nitrification, water potential, large granules, nitrifier activity, [Formula: see text] production


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