Abstract
Spatial variability of crop growth and yields is the result of many interacting factors. The contribution of the factors to variable yields is often difficult to separate. This work studied the relationships between the 13C discrimination (Δ13C) of plants and the spatial variability of field soil conditions related to impacts of water shortage on crop yield. The 13C discrimination, the indicator of water shortage in plants, 15N (δ15N) discrimination, and nitrogen (N) content were determined in grains of winter wheat, spring barley, and pea. The traits were observed at several dozens of grid spots in seven fields situated in two regions with different soil and climate conditions between the years 2017 and 2019. The principles of precision agriculture were implemented in some of the studied fields and years by variable rate nitrogen fertilization. The Δ13C significantly correlated with grain yields (correlation coefficient from 0.66 to 0.94), with the exception of data from the wetter year 2019 at the site with higher soil water capacity. The effect of drought was demonstrated by statistically significant relationships between Δ13C in dry years and soil water capacity (r from 0.46 to 0.97). The significant correlations between Δ13C and N content of seeds and soil water capacity agreed with the expected impact of water shortage on plants. The 13C discrimination of crop seeds was confirmed as a reliable indicator of soil spatial variability related to water shortage. Stronger relationships were found in variably fertilized areas.
Highlights
The water capacity of the soil within the root zone influenced the intensity of drought
The impact of water stress on plant yield reliably indicated spatially variable soil conditions related to soil vulnerability by water shortage
The effect of water shortages was confirmed by correlations among yield, 13 C discrimination, and soil water capacity
Summary
Precision agriculture (PA) is based on direct or indirect identification of the spatial variability of various factors, especially field soil conditions, affecting plant growth and yield formation, yield quality, or plant health. Spatial variability of crop growth and yields is the result of many interacting factors. The contribution of these factors to variable yields is often difficult to separate. Water is a key determinant of plant growth, and variable water content, as the result of soil texture and hydraulic properties, slope, etc., affects growth and yield [5,6,7,8,9,10,11]
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