Abstract
The knowledge on the temporal stability of spatial variability of soil water storage in the crops’ root zone is of fundamental importance for soil and water management. The objective of this work was to characterize the temporal distribution of water storage in a Latossolo vermelho amarelo and identify field locations with spatial patterns of high, intermediate and low soil water storage, in 13 samplings every 14 days. The assessed period included periods of drying and water recharge of the soil, along which soil water content was determined at 60 sampling points arranged in a 5 × 5 m grid covering an area of 1250 m2 (25 × 50 m). Soil water content was determined by means of a neutron probe, at soil depths of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 m. Soil water storage was calculated by Simpson’s rule and data were analyzed by the temporal persistence of the spatial pattern. Maximum values of soil water storage were obtained at the portion of the area with water flux concentration (sampling points 4, 28 and 57), with and without outliers, and low values of soil water storage were obtained at the highers levels of the site (sampling points 12, 18 and 19), with and without outliers. The sites representing the mean soil water storage were 32, 51 and 11, considering outliers, and 8, 11 and 53, without considering outliers.
Highlights
Mechanical practices carried out from soil tillage to the end of the crop cycle and irrigation management and adequacy are influenced by the behavior of water in the soil (Fietz et al, 1999)
Since soil water storage results from a series of processes, especially infiltration, surface runoff, percolation and evapotranspiration (Hu et al, 2009), its monitoring along the development of a crop provides essential elements to the establishment or enhancement of agricultural management practices that aim to optimize yield (Brito et al, 2009), for cultivation practices and mechanical practices, which may lead to degradation of soil physical quality and reduction in yield
As a criteria to choose sampling sites more representative of the behavior of dynamic attributes, such as soil water storage, one may assess the temporal stability of the spatial distribution of soil water storage (Rocha et al, 2005), according to Vachaud et al (1985)
Summary
Mechanical practices carried out from soil tillage to the end of the crop cycle and irrigation management and adequacy are influenced by the behavior of water in the soil (Fietz et al, 1999). Since soil water storage results from a series of processes, especially infiltration, surface runoff, percolation and evapotranspiration (Hu et al, 2009), its monitoring along the development of a crop provides essential elements to the establishment or enhancement of agricultural management practices that aim to optimize yield (Brito et al, 2009), for cultivation practices and mechanical practices, which may lead to degradation of soil physical quality and reduction in yield. The second technique, the relative difference, allows to identify sites that jas.ccsenet.org
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