Multifunctional irrigation for viticulture adaptation to climate change: a case study in northern Italy

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele Masseroni ◽  
Lucio Brancadoro ◽  
Riccardo Guidetti ◽  
Roberto Beghi ◽  
Davide Bianchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Northern Italy ◽  
Water Evaporation ◽  
Experimental Activity ◽  
Related Stress

<p>The last decades have been characterized by an important development of viticulture in Italy, especially in Lombardy, where this sector is focusing on improving grapevine production, by enhancing quantity and, even more, quality. The increasing frequency of extreme meteorological events that has been observed in recent years has started raising concerns about the risks for grapevine quality and production, caused by summer heat waves and late spring frosts. The role of over-vine sprinklers in frost protection is well known; less so is their effect on heat stress protection. In fact, recent studies have shown that evaporation of sprayed water in the canopy layer during heat waves can reduce local air temperature through latent heat absorption by water evaporation. Moreover, in order to minimize the temperature-related stress, water spraying can be combined with the control of soil water content through drip irrigation, to lower soil temperature and enhance turgor maintenance.</p><p>The ADAM project (http://www.adam-disaa.eu/IT/DEFAULT.ASP#) fits into this research framework. The objective of the project is to develop a multifunctional irrigation strategy combining controlled soil water content and protection from temperature-related stress conditions. An experimental activity has started in the 2019 season in a Chardonnay vineyard located in the Colli Morenici area (Lombardy, northern Italy). Four irrigation management strategies have been compared, namely: no irrigation (NI); farmer’s drip irrigation (IT); automated drip irrigation, based on tensiometer measurements (IG); automated drip plus over-vine micro-sprinkler irrigation based on tensiometer measurements, temperature measurements and short-term forecast (IS). In the latter case, irrigation is activated before heat wave occurrence, based on 5days-ahead temperature forecasts (with 3 h refresh period).</p><p>At the end of the first year of experiment, we have obtained interesting preliminary results: while the first three strategies did not lead to significant differences in grape quality (in terms of sugars content, acidity and pH of musts), differences were found in all three parameters for the IS strategy. Specifically, pH and acidity are higher and sugars content is lower. Further analysis, including micro-vinification, are ongoing in order to assess the effects on wine quality. The experimental activity will continue in 2020 and 2021 with the aims of: collecting enough data to define a preliminary protocol for multi-functional irrigation management; assess the irrigation water requirements and the energy consumptions; test the effectiveness of VIS/NIR techniques for the quick measurement of crop conditions; verify the sustainability of the different strategies, both at the farm and district scale.</p>

scholarly journals The effect of a prototype hydromulch on soil water evaporation under controlled laboratory conditions

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 404-410
Author(s):  
Antoni M.C. Verdú ◽  
M. Teresa Mas ◽  
Ramon Josa ◽  
Marta Ginovart
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Water Evaporation ◽  
Mechanical Resistance ◽  
Evaporation Process ◽  
Soil Columns ◽  
Dry Conditions

AbstractOrganic hydromulches can be an interesting alternative for weed control in perennial crops, but can also reduce soil water evaporation. To examine the effect of a hydromulch layer on soil water content in dry conditions laboratory experiments were conducted at constant 25°C, 40% air RH. Both for small soil containers with a short time course and for larger soil columns (with two sensors at depths of 6 cm and 11 cm) with a longer time course, the presence and also the thickness of hydromulch were significant factors for the temporal evolution of soil water content. Two distinct stages of the evaporation process, the first or initial stage and the last or final stage, were identified, analysed and compared for these experiments. General linear models performed on the soil water content temporal evolutions showed significant differences for the first and last stages at the top and bottom of the soil columns with and without hydromulch. Hydromulch application delayed the evaporation process in comparison with the control. Moreover, the hydromulch layer, which was tested for mechanical resistance to punching, offered enough resistance to prevent its perforation by the sprouts of weed rhizomes.

scholarly journals Investigating the Proper Application Rate of Nitrogen under Mulched Drip Irrigation to Improve the Yield and Quality of Tomato in Saline Soil

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 293
Author(s):  
Jifeng Zhang ◽  
Zhenhua Wang ◽  
Bihang Fan ◽  
Yusheng Hou ◽  
Yunqing Dou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
N Application ◽  
Tomato Yield ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
Mulched Drip Irrigation

Xinjiang is one of the most prolific tomato-planting areas in China. Here, we carried out a two-year (2017–2018) field experiment in Xinjiang to study the effects of different nitrogen (N) application rates on the spatial distribution of water and salt in the root zone, as well as their impacts on the yield and quality of tomatoes under mulched drip irrigation. The ideal ranges of N application rates for tomato yield and quality were examined under different salinity levels. Results indicated that soil water content and salinity increased with soil depth. Soil water content was closely related to soil salinity but not to N. Among the tested application rates, tomato yield was highest under the medium-high N (225–300 kg/ha) and low salt (4 g/kg) treatment. Under the highest salt level (10 g/kg), the low nitrogen treatment (150 kg/ha) was better than the high N treatment (300 kg/ha) at boosting tomato yield. Moreover, we found that salinity had a stronger effect on tomato quality than N. Based on these results, we were able to recommend ideal ranges for N (155–201 kg/ha) and salt (3.56–5.59 g/kg) while both are present in the soil.

Time series outlier and intervention analysis: Irrigation management influences on soil water content in silty loam soil

2012 ◽  
Vol 111 ◽  
pp. 105-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Basem Aljoumani ◽  
Jose A. Sànchez-Espigares ◽  
Nuria Cañameras ◽  
Ramon Josa ◽  
Joaquim Monserrat
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Intervention Analysis ◽  
Silty Loam ◽  
Loam Soil

Multiscaling analysis of Soil Water Content during irrigation events. Comparison between surface and subsurface drip irrigation

Geoderma ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 382 ◽  
pp. 114777
Author(s):  
Leonor Rodríguez-Sinobas ◽  
Sergio Zubelzu ◽  
Juan J. Martín-Sotoca ◽  
Ana M. Tarquis
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Subsurface Drip Irrigation ◽  
Subsurface Drip

scholarly journals Evaluation of Improved Model to Accurately Monitor Soil Water Content

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 3441
Author(s):  
Jingyu Ji ◽  
Junzeng Xu ◽  
Yixin Xiao ◽  
Yajun Luan
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Soil Texture ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Improved Model

The accurate monitoring of soil water content during the growth of crops is of great importance to improve agricultural water use efficiency. The Campbell model is one of the most widely used models for monitoring soil moisture content from soil thermal conductivities in farmland, which always needs to be calibrated due to the lack of adequate original data and the limitation of measurement methods. To precisely predict the water content of complex soils using the Campbell model, this model was evaluated by investigating several factors, including soil texture, bulk density and organic matter. The comparison of the R2 and the reduced Chi-Sqr values, which were calculated by Origin, was conducted to calibrate the Campbell model calculated. In addition, combining factors of parameters, a new parameter named m related to soil texture and the organic matter was firstly introduced and the original fitting parameter, E, was improved to an expression related to clay fraction and the organic matter content in the improved model. The soil data collected from both the laboratory and the previous literature were used to assess the revised model. The results show that most of the R2 values of the improved model are >0.95, and the reduced Chi-Sqr values are <0.01, which presents a better matching performance compared to the original. It is concluded that the improved model provides more accurate monitoring of soil water content for water irrigation management.

scholarly journals Glasshouse study of a sprayable, degradable polymer to reduce water use in cotton establishment

Soil Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 379
Author(s):  
Priscilla Johnston ◽  
Michael Braunack ◽  
Philip S. Casey ◽  
Keith L. Bristow ◽  
Raju Adhikari
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Water Evaporation ◽  
Degradable Polymer ◽  
Extensive Degradation

This glasshouse pot experiment demonstrated that a new sprayable and degradable polymer reduced soil water evaporation and promoted cotton seedling emergence and establishment. The polymer was tested on two contrasting soils (sandy loam and clay), representative of those used to grow cotton in Australia. Changes in soil water content in non-treated and polymer-treated pots were monitored over 80 days, after surface or subsurface watering. Plant biomass, soil water content and soil chemical properties were determined at harvest. The polymer reduced soil water evaporation by up to 35% in sandy loam and up to 20% in clay, did not compromise seedling emergence and improved plant growth per unit water applied by up to 26.2%. The polymer underwent extensive degradation after 80 days to produce low molecular-weight polymers or oligomers and water-extractable silicon species that may have implications for plant nutrition.

scholarly journals Soil water potential during different phenological phases of coffee irrigated by center pivot

2013 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adão W. P. Evangelista ◽  
Luiz A. Lima ◽  
Antônio C. da Silva ◽  
Carla de P. Martins ◽  
Moisés S. Ribeiro
Keyword(s):  
Water Potential ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Soil Water Potential ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Center Pivot ◽  
Phenological Phases

Irrigation management can be established, considering the soil water potential, as the limiting factor for plant growth, assuming the soil water content between the field capacity and the permanent wilting point as available water for crops. Thus, the aim of this study was to establish the soil water potential interval during four different phenological phases of coffee irrigated by center pivot. The experiment was set at the experimental area of the Engineering Department at the Federal University of Lavras, in Brazil. The coffee variety planted is designated as Rubi, planted 0.8 meters apart, with rows spaced 3.5 meters apart. The treatments corresponded to the water depths applied based on different percentages of Kc and reference evapotranspiration (ET0) values. Sensors were used to measure the soil water potential interval, installed 25 centimeters depth. In order to compare the results, it was considered as the best matric potential the one that was balanced with the soil water content that resulted in the largest coffee productivity. Based on the obtained results, we verified that in the phases of fruit expansion and ripening, the best results were obtained, before the irrigations, when the soil water potential values reached -35 and -38 kPa, respectively. And in the flowering, small green and fruit expansion phases, when the values reached -31 and -32 kPa, respectively.

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