High Soil Water Availability Research Articles

High Irrigation Frequency and Brief Water Stress Before Harvest Enhances Essential Oil Yield of Rose-scented Geranium (Pelargonium capitatum × P. radens)

Pot experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of irrigation frequency and withholding irrigation during the week before harvesting on rose-scented geranium herbage yield and essential oil yield and composition. A factorial experiment with three irrigation frequencies (twice a day, once a day, and every second day) and two growth media (silica sand and sandy clay soil) were conducted in a tunnel. One week before harvest, irrigation was withheld for half of the pots in each treatment combination. In a glasshouse, sandy clay soil was used as growing medium, and five irrigation frequencies (everyday, everyday with 1-week irrigation withholding period, every second day, every third day, and every fourth day irrigation to pot capacity) were applied as treatments. Results showed that essential oil content (percent oil on fresh herbage weight basis) increased as the irrigation frequency decreased. Both herbage yield and essential oil yield positively responded to frequent irrigation. Thus, higher herbage and essential oil yields were obtained from the highest irrigation frequency. A 1-week stress period significantly increased total essential oil yield as well as oil content per fresh herbage weight. The results highlighted that conditions of high soil water availability followed by brief water stress just before harvesting would maximize rose-scented geranium essential oil yield. Citronellol and citronellyl formate tended to increase with an increase in the stress level, but the reverse was true for geraniol and geranyl formate. Other major essential oil components were unaffected by water stress.

Influence of canopy position, needle age and season on the foliar gas exchange of Pinus canariensis

We investigated the seasonal variation in the gas exchange of current and 1-year-old needles in the upper sun and lower shade crown of adult Pinus canariensis trees. In general, current year needles displayed lower gas exchange rates than the 1-year-old needles. In both needle age classes, gas exchange was significantly lower in the shade than in the sun crown. However irrespective of crown position and needle age, maximum daily net photosynthesis, transpiration, and stomatal conductance for water vapour were generally higher during the wet and cold winter as compared to the dry and hot summer. These higher gas exchange values obtained during the cold and wet season can mainly be explained by higher soil-water availability and lower evaporative demand as compared to the warm and dry seaon. In addition, we also observed a displacement in the temperature optimum of net photosynthesis towards lower temperatures during the cold and wet season as compared to the warm and dry season. The observed gas exchange characteristics indicate a conservative water saving strategy and thus allowing P. canariensis needles to maintain a positive carbon gain even at periods of high evaporative demand and low soil-water availability.

Large annual net ecosystem CO2 uptake of a Mojave Desert ecosystem

AbstractThe net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) between a Mojave Desert ecosystem and the atmosphere was measured over the course of 2 years at the Mojave Global Change Facility (MGCF, Nevada, USA) using the eddy covariance method. The investigated desert ecosystem was a sink for CO2, taking up 102±67 and 110±70 g C m−2 during 2005 and 2006, respectively. A comprehensive uncertainty analysis showed that most of the uncertainty of the inferred sink strength was due to the need to account for the effects of air density fluctuations on CO2 densities measured with an open‐path infrared gas analyser. In order to keep this uncertainty within acceptable bounds, highest standards with regard to maintenance of instrumentation and flux measurement postprocessing have to be met. Most of the variability in half‐hourly NEE was explained by the amount of incident photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). On a seasonal scale, PAR and soil water content were the most important determinants of NEE. Precipitation events resulted in an initial pulse of CO2 to the atmosphere, temporarily reducing NEE or even causing it to switch sign. During summer, when soil moisture was low, a lag of 3–4 days was observed before the correlation between NEE and precipitation switched from positive to negative, as opposed to conditions of high soil water availability in spring, when this transition occurred within the same day the rain took place. Our results indicate that desert ecosystem CO2 exchange may be playing a much larger role in global carbon cycling and in modulating atmospheric CO2 levels than previously assumed – especially since arid and semiarid biomes make up >30% of Earth's land surface.

Root allocation and water uptake patterns in riparian tree saplings: Responses to irrigation and defoliation

The genus Populus relies on shallow groundwater for successful recruitment and is often the focus of riparian restoration efforts. Under some circumstances mature trees take up a substantial proportion of their water from unsaturated soil water derived from growing season rainfall, but it is unknown how Populus saplings may alter root allocation patterns and water use in response to water availability and carbon limitations. Although it has been inferred that root allocation differs with changes in water uptake patterns as determined with stable isotope studies, this notion has rarely been tested. We conducted a glasshouse experiment with Populus fremontii (Frémont cottonwood) saplings to determine how allocation to fine and coarse roots, leaf gas exchange, root respiration and water uptake from hydrologically isolated upper and lower soil compartments would be altered by above- and belowground resource limitations. Aboveground carbon limitations were imposed with defoliation. Belowground resource limitations were imposed by maintaining high or low soil water availability in lower soil compartment. Isotopically labeled water was supplied in pulses to upper soil compartments to determine the proportion of transpiration water derived from each compartment. Above- and belowground resource limitations differentially altered use of surface water pulses and affected patterns of fine root allocation. Proportional use of water sources was plastic and changed in response to water availability and defoliation. Changes in fine root biomass allocation were associated with changes in water-source use for water-stressed plants. Defoliated plants in both watering treatments used proportionally less of the surface pulse than undefoliated plants. In contrast, plants that were water limited, but not carbon limited had a higher ratio of shallow fine roots to deep fine roots and took up proportionally more water from the surface pulse. These data suggest that carbon limited saplings take up less water with shallow roots. Thus, P. fremontii exhibited belowground allocation tradeoffs in response to spatial heterogeneity of soil water and carbon limitations. Furthermore, our data suggest that successful recruitment events may be influenced by the occurrence of summer rainfall, and by factors affecting canopy carbon gain.

Condutância da folha em milho cultivado em plantio direto e convencional em diferentes disponibilidades hídricas

A ocorrência de déficit hídrico durante o desenvolvimento da cultura do milho pode causar alterações nos processos fisiológicos da cultura. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar alterações na condutância foliar da cultura do milho, cultivado em dois sistemas de manejo do solo, com diferentes disponibilidades hídricas. O milho foi cultivado em plantio direto (PD) e convencional (PC) com irrigação (I2) de forma a manter a umidade do solo próxima à capacidade de campo, irrigação parcial (I1) correspondente a 41% da água aplicada em I2, e sem irrigação (I0). As medições de condutância foliar foram realizadas às 10 e 13 horas (hora local), sendo denominadas de condutância foliar máxima e mínima, respectivamente. Durante o crescimento vegetativo, os menores valores de condutância máxima e mínima ocorreram em plantio direto. Contudo, quando o índice de área foliar máximo foi alcançado, a partir do pendoamento, as plantas de milho em plantio direto apresentaram maior condutância, indicando maior disponibilidade de água no solo, neste sistema.

Nighttime transpiration in woody plants from contrasting ecosystems

It is commonly assumed that transpiration does not occur at night because leaf stomata are closed in the dark. We tested this assumption across a diversity of ecosystems and woody plant species by various methods to explore the circumstances when this assumption is false. Our primary goals were: (1) to evaluate the nature and magnitude of nighttime transpiration, E(n), or stomatal conductance, g(n); and (2) to seek potential generalizations about where and when it occurs. Sap-flow, porometry and stable isotope tracer measurements were made on 18 tree and eight shrub species from seven ecosystem types. Coupled with environmental data, our findings revealed that most of these species transpired at night. For some species and circumstances, nighttime leaf water loss constituted a significant fraction of total daily water use. Our evidence shows that E(n) or g(n) can occur in all but one shrub species across the systems we investigated. However, under conditions of high nighttime evaporative demand or low soil water availability, stomata were closed and E(n) or g(n) approached zero in eleven tree and seven shrub species. When soil water was available, E(n) or g(n) was measurable in these same species demonstrating plasticity for E(n) or g(n). We detected E(n) or g(n) in both trees and shrubs, and values were highest in plants from sites with higher soil water contents and in plants from ecosystems that were less prone to atmospheric or soil water deficits. Irrespective of plant or ecosystem type, many species showed E(n) or g(n) when soil water deficits were slight or non-existent, or immediately after rainfall events that followed a period of soil water deficit. The strongest relationship was between E(n) or g(n) and warm, low humidity and (or) windy (> 0.8 m s(-1)) nights when the vapor pressure deficit remained high (> 0.2 kPa in wet sites, > 0.7 kPa in dry sites). Why E(n) or g(n) occurs likely varies with species and ecosystem type; however, our data support four plausible explanations: (1) it may facilitate carbon fixation earlier in the day because stomata are already open; (2) it may enhance nutrient supply to distal parts of the crown when these nutrients are most available (in wet soils) and transport is rapid; (3) it may allow for the delivery of dissolved O(2) via the parenchyma to woody tissue sinks; or (4) it may occur simply because of leaky cuticles in older leaves or when stomata cannot close fully because of obstructions from stomatal (waxy) plugs, leaf endophytes or asymmetrical guard cells (all non-adaptive reasons). We discuss the methodological, ecophysiological, and theoretical implications of the occurrence of E(n) or g(n) for investigations at a variety of scales.

The influence of abiotic stress and phenotypic plasticity on the distribution of invasive Alternanthera philoxeroides along a riparian zone

Relatively few studies have compared invasibility and species invasiveness among microhabitats within communities, synchronously. We surveyed the abundance and performance of non-native Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb. (alligator weed), its co-occurring native congener, Alternanthera sessilis (L.) DC. (sessile joyweed), and other species in a wetland community along a riparian zone in southeast China to test the hypotheses that: i) degree of invasion differs between different types of microhabitats within the community; and ii) microhabitat types that differ in invasibility also differ in soil resource availability or in sediment characteristics likely to affect resource availability; iii) phenotypic plasticity of A. philoxeroides may play a key role in its adaptation to diverse habitats as can be concluded from its extremely low genetic diversity in China. The study riparian zone comprises different types of microhabitats including wet abandoned field, swamp, marsh dunes and gravel dunes. Consistent with these hypotheses, cover of A. philoxeroides was high in abandoned fields (73 ± 2.9%) and swamps (94 ± 1.3%), which had high soil nutrients and water availability. On the contrary, cover of native A. sessilis was relatively high in marsh dunes and grave dunes, which had coarse gravel surfaces, low soil nutrients and low water availability. A. philoxeroides showed greater morphological plasticity in response to habitat variation. In abiotically harsh habitats, stems had limited growth, and were prostrate with weak adventitious roots at nodes, forming thin, scattered patches. In the two richer habitats, the highly branched plants spread over the water or soil surface, supporting dense stronger leaf-bearing stems which grew vertically. The growth pattern of A. sessilis among microhabitats did not exhibit significant variations. These results suggest that morphological plasticity and microhabitat types with high soil resources may facilitate invasions of A. philoxeroides.

Drought Stress Response on Some Key Enzymes of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) Nodule Metabolism

A greenhouse experiment was carried out aiming to evaluate the response to drought stress of cowpea nodule enzymatic activities during different plant developmental stages leading to biological N2 fixation. Stress was applied by controlling soil’s water-potential through a porous cup. Cowpea plants cv IPA 205 were grown in pots with yellow latosol soil under three different matric potential (ψm) treatments. Even with high evaporative demand and limited soil water availability, cowpea could not induce an extremely low leaf water potential (ψw). Sap ureides concentration in cowpea declined during the drought stress period. There was a decline in enzyme activity in the metabolic pathways concerned with N2 fixation: NADH-dependent glutamate synthase (EC 1.4.1.14), glutamine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.2) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.31). In contrast, an increase in glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.4) was observed as the ψm declined. Metabolism associated with N2 assimilation was impaired every time that the ψw was reduced below −0.73 MPa as had happened in the stressed treatments. The stress applied by the porous cup was gradual and the plant recovered its turgor, avoiding permanent deleterious alterations in the cellular metabolism, even from a limited cowpea-growth ψm.

Climate Variability and Sugarcane Yield in Louisiana

Abstract This paper seeks to understand the role that climate variability has on annual yield of sugarcane in Louisiana. Unique features of sugarcane growth in Louisiana and nonclimatic, yield-influencing factors make this goal an interesting and challenging one. Several methods of seeking and establishing the relations between yield and climate variables are employed. First, yield–climate relations were investigated at a single research station where crop variety and growing conditions could be held constant and yield relations could be established between a predominant older crop variety and a newer one. Interviews with crop experts and a literature survey were used to identify potential climatic factors that control yield. A statistical analysis was performed using statewide yield data from the American Sugar Cane League from 1963 to 2002 and a climate database. Yield values for later years were adjusted downward to form an adjusted yield dataset. The climate database was principally constructed from daily and monthly values of maximum and minimum temperature and daily and monthly total precipitation for six cooperative weather-reporting stations representative of the area of sugarcane production. The influence of 74 different, though not independent, climate-related variables on sugarcane yield was investigated. The fact that a climate signal exists is demonstrated by comparing mean values of the climate variables corresponding to the upper and lower third of adjusted yield values. Most of these mean-value differences show an intuitively plausible difference between the high- and low-yield years. The difference between means of the climate variables for years corresponding to the upper and lower third of annual yield values for 13 of the variables is statistically significant at or above the 90% level. A correlation matrix was used to identify the variables that had the largest influence on annual yield. Four variables [called here critical climatic variables (CCV)], mean maximum August temperature, mean minimum February temperature, soil water surplus between April and September, and occurrence of autumn (fall) hurricanes, were built into a model to simulate adjusted yield values. The CCV model simulates the yield value with an rmse of 5.1 t ha−1. The mean of the adjusted yield data over the study period was 60.4 t ha−1, with values for the highest and lowest years being 73.1 and 50.6 t ha−1, respectively, and a standard deviation of 5.9 t ha−1. Presumably because of the almost constant high water table and soil water availability, higher precipitation totals, which are inversely related to radiation and temperature, tend to have a negative effect on the yields. Past trends in the values of critical climatic variables and general projections of future climate suggest that, with respect to the climatic environment and as long as land drainage is continued and maintained, future levels of sugarcane yield will rise in Louisiana.

Hydrolysable carbohydrate in tropical soils under adjacent forest and savanna vegetation in Lamto, Côte d'Ivoire

Carbohydrates represent 5–25% of the organic matter in soils. They constrain microbial activities and mineral nutrient production in soil and also reflect the whole microorganism community dynamic. The objective of this study was to determine the contents and composition of hydrolysable carbohydrates in soils collected in a forest–savanna mosaic landscape in the region of Lamto (Côte d’Ivoire). Capillary gas chromatography was used to identify and determine carbohydrates in soil profile under 4 tropical ecosystems: gallery and plateau forests, and grass and shrub tree savannas. Forest soils were higher in organic matter than savanna soils (0.50–2.96% C v. 0.53–1.22% C). The carbohydrate-C content of soils, expressed as percentage of total soil organic C, was low, a likely consequence of the tropical climate that promotes a rapid decomposition of surface plant debris. The carbohydrate-C content was higher under savanna soils (5–7%) than under forest soils (3–4%). Glucose, ribose, mannose, xylose, and galactose were the 5 most abundant extractable monosaccharides in all soils. Between them, only xylose and ribose are controlled by the vegetation type. The [(galactose + mannose) : (arabinose + xylose)] and [mannose : xylose] ratios suggested that most soil sugars derive from microbial biomass. The large abundance of microbial carbohydrates indicates intense microbial activities in the soil, and then rapid decomposition of soil organic matter favoured by the long wet season, with high temperatures and soil water availability at the site study. Results suggest clearly that the climate likely controls the amount and composition of carbohydrates in Lamto soils.

Soil Properties Along the Toposequence of an Inland Valley Watershed under Different Land Uses in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

ABSTRACT Inland valleys (IVs) of Ghana offer a very high potential for sustainable agricultural production due to their relatively high soil fertility and water availability. Within the IVs, different land use systems can be identified along the toposequence. The land uses selected for this study were: traditional rice farming in the valley bottom (TR); mixed cropping (MC), young fallow (YF), and cocoa plantation (CP) in the lower and upper slopes; and primary forest (PF) at the crest or summit. Soil reaction, cation exchange capacity (eCEC), and levels of major soil nutrients were determined for each. Results showed that the pH of the soils was moderately to slightly acid and that MC had the lowest pH. The observed topsoil mean values were TR, 5.5; MC, 4.9; YF, 6.4; CP, 6.1; and PF, 6.2. With the exception of TR, pH generally decreased with depth. Exchangeable cations, especially potassium, calcium, and magnesium, and effective cation exchange capacity were higher in the upland systems than in the valley bottom, showing the degradation caused by traditional slash-and-burn rice cultivation. Recorded mean topsoil eCEC (cmol (+)/kg) was TR, 7.2; MC, 6.1; YF, 11.1; CP, 14.1; and PF, 14.7. Total nitrogen (TN) levels ranged from 0.2% in TR to 0.4% in PF. Vegetation cover, litter fall, and organic matter accumulation seemed to influence the distribution of total carbon (TC) and TN. Available phosphorus (Bray 1), on the other hand, was higher in TR than in the upland land use systems, possibly due to the hydromorphic and relatively coarse nature of the soils. Sustainable lowland farming systems, such as the Asian type of sawah system, need to be established. At the same time, because effective management of the upland is reflected in the valley bottom soils, proper management of the upland soils could help increase food production and conserve the environment.

Guidelines for irrigation scheduling of banana crop in São Francisco Valley, Brazil<A HREF="#back1"></A>. II - Water consumption, crop coefficient, and physiologycal behavior

The water consumption and the crop coefficient of the banana cv. Pacovan were estimated in Petrolina County, northeastern Brazil, in order to establish guidelines to irrigation water management. Evaluations were carried out since planting in January 1999 to the 3rd harvest in September 2001 on a microsprinkler irrigated orchard, with plants spaced in a 3 x 3 m grid. Average daily water consumption was 3.9, 4.0, and 3.3 mm in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd growing seasons, respectively. Crop coefficient values increased from 0.7 (vegetative growth) to 1.1 (flowering). Even with high soil water availability, transpiration was reduced due to high evaporative demand.

A linked-modeling framework to estimate maize production risk associated with ENSO-related climate variability in Argentina

A risk assessment framework is presented to characterize the vulnerability of agricultural production systems to El Niño-southern oscillation (ENSO)-related climate variability. The framework was applied to current maize production systems in two locations (Pergamino and Pilar) in the Pampas of central-eastern Argentina. Climatic, agronomic, and economic models were linked to produce probability distributions of farm-level yields and net returns by ENSO phase. Generally, an enhanced chance of higher (lower) simulated maize yields existed during warm (cold) ENSO events. However, regional differences existed: the effect of warm events on yields was more marked in Pilar, but Pergamino showed a proportionally stronger response to cold events. The modeling framework allowed the exploration of outcomes of high and low scenarios of soil water availability at planting time and ENSO phase. High initial soil water availability in Pilar offset increased yield risks from dry conditions associated with cold ENSO events. Fluctuations of output prices were shown to have considerable influence on the risk associated with ENSO-related climate variability. Despite these general results, there was considerable overlap in yields and net returns for the various ENSO phases. This overlap has significant implications for the adoption of ENSO forecasts in agriculture. The risk assessment framework developed here is a necessary precursor to risk management studies that prescribe or describe possible responses to expected climate scenarios.

Morphometric analysis of Pinus banksiana Lamb. root anatomy during a 3-month field study

Tree roots are variable in their growth rates, alternating between periods of elongation and dormancy. This variability may have a strong influence on root anatomy. In the present study, field-grown Pinus banksiana Lamb. roots were divided into four distinct anatomical regions (i.e. white without mycorrhizae, white with mycorrhizae, condensed tannin, and cork). Changes in root growth, the proportions of the root system occupied by the various regions, and cortical plasmalemma surface area (CPSA) were determined for 6- to 9-month-old ectomycorrhizal P. banksiana seedlings during a 3-month period (August through October) in northern Ontario. The region in which the greatest change in length occurred was the condensed tannin zone, which was also the dominant contributor to root length (up to 74% of total). The roots of seedlings grown under artificial conditions had the same zones but in different proportions compared to roots in the field. A correlation was noted between increased root growth, low metacutization, and high soil water availability. The CPSA data were assumed to be a factor influencing ion uptake capacity in a positive manner. Interestingly, increases in CPSA were not directly correlated with changes in root length for field-grown seedlings. The primary contributor to CPSA in the field-grown roots was the ectomycorrhizal zone (approximately 80%). In comparison, the bulk (85%) of the CPSA in the chamber-grown roots was found in the white root region. The conditions under which the seedlings were grown strongly influenced the anatomy of their roots.

Leaf gas exchange in a clonal eucalypt plantation as related to soil moisture, leaf water potential and microclimate variables

In order to determine how environmental and physiological factors affect leaf gas exchange in a 9-year-old clonal eucalypt plantation (Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex. Maiden hybrids) in the State of Espirito Santo, Brazil, the diurnal patterns of predawn leaf water potential (Ψpd), and leaf gas exchange were monitored from November 1995 to August 1996. Soil water content (Θ) and microclimatic variables were also recorded. Most of the rainfall during the experimental period occurred from October to December 1995 and from March to April 1996, causing a significant variation in Θ and Ψpd. A high positive correlation (r 2=0.92) was observed between Ψpd and Θ measured at 0.3 m depth from the soil surface. During conditions of high soil water availability, the maximum values of stomatal conductance for water vapor (g s) and net photosynthetic rate (A) were over 0.4 mol m–2 s–2 and l5 µmol m–2 s–1, respectively. The results showed that Ψpd and leaf gas exchange of the examined trees were susceptible to changes in the water content of the upper soil layers, where the major concentration of active roots occur. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that photosynthetic active radiation (Q), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), atmospheric CO2 molar fraction (C a), and Ψpd were the most important factors controlling g s whereas Q and VPD were the main microclimatic variables controlling A.

Short-term effects of soil water, defoliation and rangeland condition on productivity of a semi-arid rangeland in South Africa

Over a 3 year period, selected sites in three categories of rangeland — good, moderate and poor — were subjected to varying levels of frequency and intensity of defoliation. Three watering regimes — normal, below-normal and above-normal — were applied. The effects of defoliation and levels of soil water were evaluated in terms of the production of above-ground phytomass and water-use efficiency (WUE) in relation to evapo-transpiration (Et). For all treatments, rangeland in good condition (RC1) produced significantly more phytomass (p≤0·01) and used water more efficiently (p≤0·01) than those in moderate and poor condition (RC2 and 3). High intensity/high frequency defoliation caused a significant (p≤0·01) increase in phytomass production and WUE, under conditions of high soil water availability. Generally, rangeland condition in interaction with the soil water content are the main determinants of optimal production and WUE. Statistically significant (p≤0·01) linear relationships between phytomass production and Et were determined for all rangeland conditions and defoliation treatments. In degraded rangeland, water is used inefficiently regardless of the quantity of water received.

High vapour pressure deficit and low soil water availability enhance shoot growth responses of a C4 grass (Panicum coloratum cv. Bambatsi) to CO2 enrichment

The hypothesis that shoot growth responses of C4 grasses to elevated CO2 are dependent on shoot water relations was tested using a C4 grass, Panicum coloratum (NAD-ME subtype). Plants were grown for 35 days at CO2 concentrations of 350 or 1000 µL CO2 L-1. Shoot water relations were altered by growing plants in soil which was brought daily to 65, 80 or 100% field capacity (FC) and by maintaining the vapour pressure deficit (VPD) at 0.9 or 2.1 kPa. At 350 µL CO2 L-1, high VPD and lower soil water content depressed shoot dry mass, which declined in parallel at each VPD with decreasing soil water content. The growth depression at high VPD was associated with increased shoot transpiration, whereas at low soil water, leaf water potential was reduced. Elevated CO2 ameliorated the impact of both stresses by decreasing transpiration rates and raising leaf water potential. Consequently, high CO2 approximately doubled shoot mass and leaf length at a VPD of 2.1 kPa and soil water contents of 65 and 80% FC but had no effect on unstressed plants. Water use efficiency was enhanced by elevated CO2 under conditions of stress but this was primarily due to increases in shoot mass. High CO2 had a greater effect on leaf growth parameters than on stem mass. Elevated CO2 increased specific leaf area and leaf area ratio, the latter at high VPD only. We conclude that high CO2 increases shoot growth of C4 grasses by ameliorating the effects of stress induced by either high VPD or low soil moisture. Since these factors limit growth of field-grown C4 grasses, it is likely that their biomass will be enhanced by rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations.

Water, nutrients and slope position in on-farm pearl millet cultivation in the Sahel

In the Sahel, short periods of intra-seasonal drought, caused by unfavourable rainfall distribution, often have stronger effect on crop growth than fluctuations in annual rainfall. The interactive effects of nutrient deficiency and water shortage (during panicle initiation, flowering and grain filling) on yield and yield components of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.), were studied on-farm along a cultivated slope, during three years with close to average annual rainfall. Grain yield was correlated to plant nutrient availability but not to annual rainfall, which was explained by the capacity of the crop to compensate for damage caused by water shortage during early growth phases. The performance of each yield component was positively correlated to cumulative rainfall during the growth phase when it was formed. Leaf area index (LAI) was very low, and leaf development followed rainfall distribution. Water and nutrients interacted during each growth phase for all fertility levels. Fertilised millet suffered less during water shortage at panicle initiation and at grain filling compared to non-fertilised millet. However, compared to favourable soil water conditions yield components were systematically lower for all treatments, indicating the synergistic effect of water and nutrients. The results suggest that water availability plays an exclusive role during flowering. Grain number dropped significantly due to water shortage and was similar for all treatments. Despite extremely high spatial variability in yields (varying with a factor 46 within the field), a significant slope effect was observed, of progressively increasing yields when moving downslope. Spatial redistribution of surface runoff resulting in higher soil water availability on lower slope positions, contributed to the yield gradient, which was reinforced for fertilised millet. For each drought period, yield components suffered systematically more upslope than downslope. This slope effect was smoothed out for manured millet, which indicates that manure increased soil infiltrability on crusted zones upslope. The slope interaction observed here – indicating that downslope (i) the risk for crop failure during droughts is lower and (ii) the response to fertilisers is greater – suggests that farmers can benefit relatively more from fertilisers applied in lower parts of the watershed. Taking advantage of spatial soil and water variability is an interesting system of low technology precision farming, which combined with water harvesting systems to master droughts, can constitute options for increased crop yields in the Sahel.

Responses of loblolly pine, sweetgum and crab grass roots to localized increases in nitrogen in two watering regimes.

Root responses to differences in availability of nitrogen and soil water were studied in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings grown in monoculture and in competition with sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) or crab grass (Digitaria spp.). Rhizotron cells were maintained at high soil water availability (approximately -0.1 MPa) or subjected to three dry-down cycles to low soil water availability (approximately -1.0 MPa), over two growing seasons. Localized increases in nitrogen availability were created by adding nitrogen in solution to root ingress cores placed in each rhizotron cell. Presence of competitors reduced loblolly pine root growth regardless of the nitrogen or soil water treatment. On average, both total root length density and root surface area were reduced 60% when loblolly pine seedlings were grown with crab grass and 31% when grown with sweetgum. Low water availability reduced loblolly pine root length density and root surface area by 25 and 28%, respectively, compared with well-watered seedlings. Sweetgum root surface area was reduced 18% by the low water availability treatment, whereas crab grass root surface area was unaffected by this treatment. At all soil depths, loblolly pine root surface area and root length density were increased in localized areas of increased nitrogen availability. Sweetgum and crab grass root surface areas were also greater in areas of increased nitrogen availability. In the high soil water availability treatment, loblolly pine root surface area increased 128% in localized areas of increased nitrogen in all competition treatments. In the low soil water availability treatment, loblolly pine roots responded to increased nitrogen only in the absence of competitors. In general, loblolly pine and sweetgum roots responded to increases in resource availability similarly, whereas crab grass roots were relatively less affected.

Water Losses in the Patagonian Steppe: A Modelling Approach

In this paper we sought to answer questions related to the long—term soil water dynamics of the Patagonian steppe: What are the magnitude and seasonal dynamics of transpiration, evaporation, and deep percolation? How do these fluxes respond to fluctuations in annual precipitation? What is the pattern of soil water availability? We developed a soil water model for the steppe with a daily time step. The model gives weekly cumulative values of transpiration, evaporation, and drainage, maximum and minimum water content for the different soil layers in each week, and the weekly frequency of days with soil water potential higher than — 1 MPa for each layer. The model was tested against three sets of experimental data. Simulated data of total water losses were significantly correlated with observed data, and the slope did not differ significantly from 1 nor the y—intercept from O. On a long term basis, evaporation accounted for 56% of total water loss, transpiration 34%, and deep percolation the remaining 10%. Transpiration and evaporation had asynchronic dynamics. Evaporation was high during the coldest and wettest months of the year (mainly winter months). Transpiration, on the contrary, reached maximum values when energy and water availability were simultaneously high in late spring—early summer. Drainage took place during the coldest months, when most of precipitation occurred, and the soil remained near field capacity. Both evaporation and transpiration had a positive response to an increase in precipitation. However, the proportion of total water loss following these pathways decreased with increasing precipitation. Drainage had a positive exponential relationship with winter precipitation. Probabilities of soil water potential higher than – 1 MPa in the upper soil layer were very low during most of the warm season (P<0.15). At the beginning of the growing season the wettest layer was located at an intermediate depth (10—20 and 20—40 cm), and moved downward so at the end, only deep roots had high soil water availability.