scholarly journals Evaluation of Irrigation Methods for Highbush Blueberry—I. Growth and Water Requirements of Young Plants

HortScience ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Bryla ◽  
Jim L. Gartung ◽  
Bernadine C. Strik
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
The Other ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Water Requirements ◽  
Irrigation Methods ◽  
Irrigation Water Use

A study was conducted in a new field of northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. ‘Elliott’) to determine the effects of different irrigation methods on growth and water requirements of uncropped plants during the first 2 years after planting. The plants were grown on mulched, raised beds and irrigated by sprinklers, microsprays, or drip at a rate of 50%, 100%, and 150% of the estimated crop evapotranspiration (ETc) requirement. After 2 years, drip irrigation at 100% ETc produced the most growth among the irrigation methods with at least 42% less water than needed for maximum growth with microsprays and 56% less water than needed with sprinklers. Drip irrigation also maintained higher soil water content in the vicinity of the roots than the other methods but reduced growth when plants were over-irrigated at 150% ETc. Only 570 mm of irrigation water, or the equivalent of 1320 L per plant, was required over two seasons to reach maximum total plant dry weight with drip, whereas 980 mm or more water was needed with sprinklers and microsprays. Consequently, irrigation water use efficiency (defined as the difference in plant biomass produced under irrigated and rain-fed conditions divided by the total amount of irrigation water applied) was significantly higher with drip than with the other irrigation methods, averaging 0.41 g of total dry weight per liter of drip irrigation. In terms of both growth and water use, drip irrigation was the best and most efficient method to establish the plants.

scholarly journals Effects of Cultivar and Plant Spacing on the Seasonal Water Requirements of Highbush Blueberry

2007 ◽  
Vol 132 (2) ◽  
pp. 270-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Bryla ◽  
Bernadine C. Strik
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
High Density ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Plant Water ◽  
Water Requirements ◽  
Total Dry Weight

Plant water requirements were investigated in three northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cultivars, Duke, Bluecrop, and Elliott, grown either at a high-density spacing of 0.45 m apart within rows or a more traditional spacing of 1.2 m. Spacing between rows was 3.0 m. As is typical for the species, each cultivar was shallow-rooted with most roots located less than 0.4 m deep, and each was sensitive to soil water deficits with plant water potentials declining as low as −1.6 MPa within 5 to 7 days without rain or irrigation. Compared with traditional spacing, planting at high density significantly reduced dry weight and yield of individual plants but significantly increased total dry weight and yield per hectare. High-density planting also significantly increased total canopy cover and water use per hectare. However, although canopy cover (often considered a factor in water use) increased up to 246%, water use never increased more than 10%. Because of more canopy cover at high density, less water penetrated the canopy during rain or irrigation (by overhead sprinklers), reducing both soil water availability and plant water potential in each cultivar and potentially reducing water use. Among cultivars, water use was highest in ‘Duke’, which used 5 to 10 mm·d−1, and lowest in ‘Elliott’, which used 3 to 5 mm·d−1. Peak water use in each cultivar was during fruit development, but water use after harvest declined sharply. Longer irrigation sets (i.e., longer run times) or alternative irrigation methods (e.g., drip) may be required when growing blueberry at high density, especially in cultivars with dense canopies such as ‘Elliott’.

scholarly journals Optimization of irrigation water in South Africa for sustainable and beneficial use

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Akinola Mayowa Ikudayisi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
Optimization Algorithm ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Irrigation Scheduling ◽  
Crop Water ◽  
Land Area ◽  
Water Requirements ◽  
Irrigation Water Use

Water is an essential natural resource for human existence and survival on the earth. South Africa, a water stressed country, allocates a high percentage of its available consumptive water use to irrigation. Therefore, it is necessary that we optimize water use in order to enhance food security. This study presents the development of mathematical models for irrigation scheduling of crops, optimal irrigation water release and crop yields in Vaal Harts irrigation scheme (VIS) of South Africa. For efficient irrigation water management, an accurate estimation of reference evapotranspiration (ETₒ) should be carried out. However, due to non-availability of enough historical data for the study area, mathematical models were developed to estimate ETₒ. A 20-year monthly meteorological data was collected and analysed using two data–driven modeling techniques namely principal component analysis (PCA) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS). Furthermore, an artificial neural network (ANN) model was developed for real time prediction of future ETₒ for the study area. The real time irrigation scheduling of potatoes was developed using a crop growth simulation model called CROPWAT. It was used to determine the crop water productivity (CWP), which is a determinant of the relationship between water applied and crop yield. Finally, a new and novel evolutionary multi-objective optimization algorithm called combined Pareto multi-objective differential evolution (CPMDE) was applied to optimize irrigation water use and crop yield on the VIS farmland. The net irrigation benefit, land area and irrigation water use of maize, potatoes and groundnut were optimized. Results obtained show that ETₒ increases with temperature and windspeed. Other variables such as rainfall and relative humidity have less significance on the value of ETₒ. Also, ANN models with one hidden layer showed better predictive performance compared with other considered configurations. A 5-day time step irrigation schedule data and graphs showing the crop water requirements and irrigation water requirements was generated. This would enable farmers know when, where, and how much water to apply to a given farmland. Finally, the employed CPMDE optimization algorithm produced a set of non-dominated Pareto optimal solutions. The best solution suggests that maize, groundnut and potatoes should be planted on 403543.44 m2, 181542.00 m2 and 352876.05 m2areas of land respectively. This solution generates a total net benefit of ZAR 767,961.49, total planting area of 937961.49 m2 and irrigation water volume of 391,061.52 m3. Among the three crops optimized, maize has the greatest land area, followed by potatoes and groundnut. This shows that maize is more profitable than potatoes and groundnut with respect to crop yield and water use in the study area.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Water Uptake and Root Distribution of Cherry Trees Under Different Irrigation Methods

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pingfeng Li ◽  
Huang Tan ◽  
Jiahang Wang ◽  
Xiaoqing Cao ◽  
Peiling Yang
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Absorption ◽  
Root System ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Root Distribution ◽  
Surface Irrigation ◽  
Irrigation Methods ◽  
Use Efficiency

Although water-saving measures are increasingly being adopted in orchards, little is known about how different irrigation methods enhance water use efficiency at the root system level. To study the allocation of water sources of water absorption by cherry roots under two irrigation methods, surface irrigation and drip irrigation, oxygen isotope tracing and root excavation were used in this study. We found that different irrigation methods have different effects on the average δ18O content of soil water in the soil profile. The IsoSource model was applied to calculate the contribution rate of water absorption by cherry roots under these irrigation methods. During the drought period in spring (also a key period of water consumption for cherry trees), irrigation water was the main source of water absorbed by cherry roots. In summer, cherry roots exhibited a wide range of water absorption sources. In this case, relative to the surface irrigation mode, the drip irrigation mode demonstrated higher irrigation water use efficiency. After two years of the above experiment, root excavation was used to analyze the effects of these irrigation methods on the distribution pattern of roots. We found that root distribution is mainly affected by soil depth. The root system indexes in 10–30 cm soil layer differ significantly from those in other soil layers. Drip irrigation increased the root length density (RLD) and root surface area (RSA) in the shallow soil. There was no significant difference in root biomass density (RBD) and root volume ratio (RVR) between the two irrigation treatments. The effects of these irrigation methods on the 2D distribution of cherry RBD, RLD, RSA and RVR, which indicated that the cherry roots were mainly concentrated in the horizontal depths of 20 to 100 cm, which was related to the irrigation wet zone. In the current experiment, more than 85% of cherry roots were distributed in the space with horizontal radius of 0 to 100 cm and vertical depth of 0 to 80 cm; above 95% of cherry roots were distributed in the space with the horizontal radius of 0 to 150 cm and the vertical depth of 0 to 80 cm. Compared with surface irrigation, drip irrigation makes RLD and RSA more concentrated in the horizontal range of 30–100 cm and vertical range of 0–70 cm.

scholarly journals Potential and Actual Water Savings through Improved Irrigation Scheduling in Small-Scale Vegetable Production

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 888 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Studer ◽  
Simon Spoehel
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Irrigation Scheduling ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Usual Practice ◽  
Irrigation Water Use ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Appropriate irrigation scheduling for efficient water use is often a challenge for small-scale farmers using drip irrigation. In a trial with 12 farmers in Sébaco, Nicaragua, two tools to facilitate irrigation scheduling were tested: the Water Chart (a table indicating required irrigation doses) and tensiometers. The study aimed at evaluating if and to what extent simple tools can reduce irrigation water use and improve water productivity in drip-irrigated vegetable (beetroot; Beta vulgaris L.) production compared with the farmers’ usual practice. Irrigation water use was substantially reduced (around 20%) when farmers irrigated according to the tools. However, farmers did not fully adhere to the tool guidance, probably because they feared that their crop would not get sufficient water. Thus they still over-irrigated their crop: between 38% and 88% more water than recommended was used during the treatment period, resulting in 91% to 139% higher water use than required over the entire growing cycle. Water productivity of beetroot production was, therefore, much lower (around 3 kg/m3) than what can be achieved under comparable conditions, although yields were decent. Differences in crop yield and water productivity among treatments were not significant. The simplified Water Chart was not sufficiently understandable to farmers (and technicians), whereas tensiometers were better perceived, although they do not provide any indication on how much water to apply. We conclude that innovations such as drip irrigation or improved irrigation scheduling have to be appropriately introduced, e.g., by taking sufficient time to co-produce a common understanding about the technologies and their possible usefulness, and by ensuring adequate follow-up support.

scholarly journals Effects of drip and alternate furrow method of irrigation on cotton yield and physical water productivity: A case study from farmers’ field of Bhavnagar district of Gujarat, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 677-685
Author(s):  
O. P. Singh ◽  
P. K. Singh
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Effective Rainfall ◽  
Total Water ◽  
Cotton Crop ◽  
Irrigation Methods ◽  
Irrigation Water Use ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Normal Rainfall

With the growing irrigation water scarcity, the researchers and policymakers are more concerned to improve the irrigation water use efficiency at farmers’ field level. The water-saving technologies provide greater control over water delivery to the crop root zone and reduce the non-beneficial evaporation from the crop field. Water productivity is an important concept for measuring and comparing water use efficiency. The present study tried to estimate the irrigation water use and physical water productivity of cotton under alternate furrow and drip irrigation methods in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat. Results suggest that crop yield and physical water productivity were higher for cotton irrigated by drip method than alternate furrow method during normal rainfall and drought year. The irrigation water use under the drip method of irrigation was lower as compared to the alternate furrow method. In the case of total water (effective rainfall + irrigation water) use, per hectare crop yield and physical water productivity were higher for the drip method of irrigation than the alternate furrow method of irrigating cotton crop during normal rainfall and drought year. In the case of total water use (effective rainfall + irrigation water), it was lower for drip irrigation than the alternate furrow method of irrigating cotton crop during normal rainfall year and drought year. While estimating total water (effective rainfall + irrigation water) use, it was assumed that there is no return flow of water from the cotton field in the study area under both irrigation methods.

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