Abstract
Our investigation was carried out at an micro-irrigated intensive apple orchard in Debrecen-Pallag in 2010. The aims of the study were to monitor the effect of a compacted layer on soil water regime by tensiometers and supporting the water management of the orchard. The results suggest that the physical characteristic of the examined soil is sandy soil with low capillarity and total available water content. The soil water tensions were varied between pF 0 and 2.5 due to the extreme precipitation circumstances in 2010. Tensiometers in 40 cm depth resulted fast (few hours) and significant respond to precipitation than in the 70 cm soil layer. Based on daily measurements, the soils possess a daily fluctuation of soil moisture, however the changes become more moderate in deeper layers. In accordance with all of the results, the amount of drainable water regime was about 20.6 V/V% at 40 cm depth and 18.6 V/V% at 70 cm mainly. The harmful surplus water can be infiltrated by loosening of the compacted soil layer in 50–70 cm depth or led off by vertical drainage.
Highlights
The increasing frequency of extreme hydrological events due to the high territorial and temporal variability of atmospheric precipitation; the heterogeneous relief; and the unfavourable physical/hydrophysical characteristics of soils are pressing to improve agricultural water use efficiency and necessitates an efficient control of soil moisture regime in the Carpathian Basin (Pálfai, 2000; Somlyódy, 2000; Várallyay, 2002; 2007)
Besides drought, which can be successfully managed by irrigation, occurring surplus water often proves to be critical in the case of extreme humid years (Juhász, 2008). (Tóth, 1995), analogous tensiometers (Figure 1.) were chosen to measure the water tension, the matrixpotential of soils
The measured tension values were converted to water height in cm so as the water content of soils can be determined if the pF curves of soils are known
Summary
The increasing frequency of extreme hydrological events (floods, water-logging, over-moistening and drought) due to the high territorial and temporal variability of atmospheric precipitation; the heterogeneous (micro) relief; and the unfavourable physical/hydrophysical characteristics of soils are pressing to improve agricultural water use efficiency and necessitates an efficient control of soil moisture regime in the Carpathian Basin (Pálfai, 2000; Somlyódy, 2000; Várallyay, 2002; 2007). Orchards are relatively not highly water consumers comparison with cereal species, the insurance of optimal water capacity values by calculating breeding season irrigation and monitoring of soil moisture is one of the most important risk factors, especially on sandy soils. (Tóth, 1995), analogous tensiometers (Figure 1.) were chosen to measure the water tension, the matrixpotential of soils. The soil moisture tension values were always measured in the morning at the same time. The measured tension values were converted to water height in cm so as the water content of soils can be determined if the pF curves of soils are known. The pF curves of the soil were measured in 40 and 70 cm depth in accordance with the MSZ-08-0205:1978 13 Hungarian standard
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