Soil Moisture Conditions Research Articles

APPLICATION OF IOT IN MOBILE-BASED SHALLOT WATERING AND LIGHTING MONITORING SYSTEM

Shallots are one of the short-lived horticultural commodities that have high commercial value and high risk. In the management of shallot cultivation, pest attacks often occur on the leaves, besides that problems also often arise in watering shallots, even though this plant needs sufficient water from the beginning of growth to harvest. The use of IoT as an idea for making tools for automatic plant watering and lighting using the IoT prototype method in this study can help shallot farmers in their work by measuring soil moisture and light entities. This IoT prototype has been adjusted to the level of soil moisture needed by shallot plants, above 100 for dry soil conditions and below 90 for wet soil conditions, the light entity is also adjusted at 18.00 to turn on the lights and at 06.00 to turn off the lights. Measurements from both sensors will be stored in the database, and then displayed on the application in the form of real-time information on humidity and light entities. The test was declared successful because the application can display information obtained from sensor measurements stored in the database. It is hoped that this tool can help ease the work of shallot farmers.

Anisotropy of soil hydraulic properties induced by repeated machinery traffic in a Typic Argiudoll of the Argentinean Pampas Region

The increase in heavy machinery traffic due to crop sequence intensification under no-tillage (NT) management can lead to soil compaction, modifying the soil pore configuration, with negative effects on water dynamics. The objective of this work is to evaluate the residual effects of repeated machinery traffic under different soil water contents on the anisotropy of soil hydraulic properties. The residual effect of repeated machinery traffic under different soil moisture conditions (partially dry, PD, and wet, W) on soil compaction was evaluated and compared with the control treatment (no traffic, T0). Field infiltration using tension disc infiltrometer was carried out, and in laboratory, in order to analyse the anisotropy of soil hydraulic properties infiltration experiments were carried out on vertical and horizontal undisturbed soil samples. No significant differences in field soil hydraulic conductivity K(h) were observed between treatments. The W treatment showed a decrease on the transmission and storage pores in the vertical direction, as compared to T0. Anisotropic behavior of soil hydraulic properties was observed for the compacted treatments. The W treatment showed an increment in the transmission porosity in the horizontal direction. In addition, the W treatment presented higher values of transmission and storage pores in the horizontal direction as compared with the vertical direction. From laboratory infiltration experiments, it was observed a strong reduction on the hydraulic conductivity measured at 0, − 3 and − 6 cm water pressure heads (K0, K3 and K6) in the vertical direction under W treatment. An anisotropic behavior for both compacted treatments was observed, with higher values of K0 in the vertical direction under the PD treatment and higher values of K0 and K3 in the horizontal direction under the W treatment. These results show that machinery traffic under wet conditions causes a disruption in soil porosity, not only with a reduction of the pore space, but also with a change in its configuration.

Assessing nitrous oxide emissions and productivity of cropping systems for biogas production using digestate and mineral fertilisation in a coastal marsh site

Significant greenhouse gas emissions during substrate cultivation reduces the potential environmental benefits of biogas production. This study investigates the productivity of different cropping systems and their environmental impact in terms of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions under the environmental conditions of the coastal marsh regions (Northern Germany) with heavy clay soils, in a 2-year field trial (April 2009-March 2011). Treatments included four cropping systems (perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne, PR) ley, continuous maize (Zea mays), a rotation (CR1) of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum, IR) and maize, and a rotation (CR2) of maize, winter wheat and IR; two sources of N (nitrogen) fertilizers (calcium ammonium nitrate, and biogas residue (BR)), and three levels of N fertilizer applications (control, moderate, high). Nitrous oxide emissions were determined for the unfertilized and highly fertilized cropping systems comprising PR ley, CR1 and CR2. Cumulative annual N2O emissions varied across the treatments, ranging from 0.82 to 3.4 kg N2O-N ha−1 year−1. Under high N fertilizer applications, PR ley incurred higher N2O-N losses compared to other tested cropping systems, and IR cover crop caused relatively high N2O-N emissions in a short vegetation period. The study observed wide range of yield-scaled emissions (0.00–5.60 kg N2O-N (Mg DM)−1) for different crops, emphasizing the variability in N2O emissions linked to cropping systems. The N2O-N emission factors for the three cropping systems were found to be low to moderate for all treatments, ranging from 0.03% to 0.53% compared to IPCC default Tier 1 N2O-N EFs. The lower emissions in the study were associated with prolonged high soil moisture conditions (water filled pore space >70%.), indicated by its negative correlation with N2O-N fluxes. Low dry matter and N yield of PR and of the wheat-IR sequence after BR application compared to other crops indicated a low N use efficiency. The estimation of N2O-N emissions based on N surplus was not promising specifically for the coastal study site where high groundwater level and organic matter in the soils were the predominant drivers for N2O-N emissions.

The effects of soil compaction on wheat seedling root growth are specific to soil texture and soil moisture status

Soil structure is a crucial soil physical property that determines a soil's ability to support the growth and development of plants. Soil compaction modifies soil structure by reducing pore space between soil particles thereby leading to a denser soil fabric. This often limits root growth by increasing soil strength and penetration resistance requiring roots to increase the energy needed to elongate and explore deeper soil. Apart from soil compaction, soil moisture also plays an important role in determining how resistant soil is to root penetration. An understanding of how the synergy of both compaction and moisture content affect root growth is essential to improving plant productivity. We used wheat (Triticum aestivum) seedlings to investigate the differences in root architectural properties using X-ray Computed Tomography imaging under three different compaction levels (1.3, 1.5 and 1.7 Mg m−3) maintained at two different water contents (100% and 70% of field capacity). This was performed on soils of two different textures, a sandy loam and a sandy clay loam. Soil compaction to 1.7 g cm−3 significantly reduced root length, volume and surface area compared to lower compaction levels. Increased soil compaction also resulted in increased root growth angle in the sandy clay loam. Compaction reduced gas diffusivity in both soils (as determined by modelling). Soil moisture on the other hand had a significant impact on average root diameter; plants grown at 100% of field capacity had a higher average root diameter than those at 70% field capacity. Compaction up to 1.7 Mg m−3 adversely effected wheat root growth in both soil textures regardless of moisture content.

Conceptual frameworks for creating an automated potato harvester with a digital system for identifying soil lumps and separating them from commercial potato products

FSC VIM has developed the conceptual basis for creating an automated potato harvester with a digital system for identifying soil lumps and separating them from marketable products. Existing machines carry out the technological process in conditions of high soil moisture, which negatively affects the quality of harvesting as a result of a decrease in the completeness of separation. To determine the optimal values of the developed separating system and recommendations for subsequent changes in the design and technological parameters of the machines, a design diagram of an automated harvester is presented, a schematic diagram of modeling a system for identifying soil lumps in the Matlab/Simulink environment, data selection from field studies of the operation quality of the harvesting machine separating system, as well as the work of the neural network system and the neuron error surface for identifying soil lumps while moving along the separating surface are shown.

Influence of light, nutrients, and soil moisture on the growth and resource allocation of Arundo donax

AbstractUnderstanding how invasive species respond to changes in abiotic factors and what influences their ability to colonise newly disturbed areas is necessary to predict species expansion, prioritise management efforts, and develop ecological models. We conducted a fully factorial greenhouse experiment using rhizome fragments to examine the effects of four nutrients levels, three soil moisture levels, and two light levels (with five replicates, n = 120) on the growth and resource allocation patterns of Arundo donax, a large‐statured invasive wetland species. We predicted that A. donax's performance‐related traits—traits that directly influence the functionality and fitness of an individual—such as aboveground biomass (AGB), belowground biomass (BGB), net photosynthesis, and average stem height, would be highest under high light, high soil moisture and high nutrient conditions due to the ability of aggressive invasive species to capitalise on greater resource availability. Analyses using general linear mixed‐effects models revealed significant interactions between soil moisture and light. Plants grown in saturated, high light conditions exhibited the highest values for performance‐related traits. However, contrary to predictions, nutrients did not significantly influence these traits. Multivariate analysis of variance demonstrated that nutrients did influence biomass allocation patterns, with plants grown with added nitrogen and phosphorus displaying higher AGB:BGB and stem:leaf ratios. This research highlights A. donax's unique response to nutrient addition and the plasticity of biomass allocation patterns. By understanding how invasive species respond to common abiotic factors, we can better predict their expansion and prioritise management efforts, such as focusing on areas of low overstory shading, while also providing crucial information for ecological model development.

Exploitation of the phenotypic diversity of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) for deficit soil moisture stress tolerance

Safflower is an annual oilseed crop grown throughout the semi-arid regions under residual soil moisture. Under the present climatic scenarios, scarcity of water is frequent which is limiting crop yields. A series of field experiments were carried out during post rainy season of 2020-21 and 2021-22 to evaluate the genotype responses to terminal deficit soil moisture stress (DS). The phenotypic data generated in both the seasons revealed that, the huge genotypic difference among the genotypes were conferring tolerance to DS. The PCA analysis revealed that certain morpho-physiological traits viz., plant height, SPAD chlorophyll meter reading, relative water content, and days to 50% flowering accounted for maximum variation under deficit and residual soil moisture conditions.

Enhancement of safflower productivity through improved production technology

Experiment was conducted at Research farm of AICRP on Safflower Research scheme, VNMKV, parbhani. Experiment was conducted in un-replicated manner on 2000 sq. m area of improved technology and farmers’ practice each. Experiment on production potential of and economic effect of improved technologies comprising high yielding PBNS-12 during rabi 2021-22 under residual soil moisture conditions. The additional yield under improved technologies over local practice recorded 1540 kg/ha. In comparison to local practice, there was an increase of 32%. The improved technology with high yielding varieties also resulted in higher benefit cost: ratio of 2.58 with addition returns i.e. Rs. 20736/- over farmer practice.

A novel composite drought index combining precipitation, temperature and evapotranspiration used for drought monitoring in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain

Single drought index such as Precipitation Condition Index (PCI), Temperature Condition Index (TCI), Evapotranspiration Condition Index (ETCI) and so on, has a limited capability to indicate drought state. It has been proved that the composite drought index proposed by integrating multiple single drought indices can indicate and predict drought state more efficiently and accurately. This paper presents the Precipitation Temperature Evapotranspiration Drought Index (PTEDI) combining the PCI, TCI and ETCI. The three-dimensional Euclidean PCI-TCI-ETCI space is built, and the PTEDI is defined as the magnitude of the vector in the PCI-TCI-ETCI space. To verify the rationality and effectiveness of the PTEDI as a desired drought index in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, it is compared with the PCI, TCI, ETCI and PCACDI (Principal Component Analysis Combined Drought Index), and is evaluated with the Drought Affected/Disaster Area (DAA/DDA) and Net Primary Productivity (NPP). The results indicate that the PTEDI outperforms the PCI, TCI, ETCI and PCACDI, and is highly correlated with the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI-1) (R = 0.61), Soil Moisture Condition Index (SMCI) (R= 0.56), and NPP (R = 0.56). The time series of the PTEDI and four indices (SPI-1, SMCI, Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) and Temperature Vegetation Drought Index (TVDI)) exhibits good spatial consistency. The PTEDI has a negative correlation with the DAA/DDA (R < −0.6). Furthermore, to illustrate the applicability of the PTEDI, the drought spatiotemporal variation is analyzed by taking it as a drought index. At the monthly scale, moderate drought occurs most frequently in March and July. At the annual scale, the PTEDI fluctuates between 0.34 and 0.60 without obvious periodicity, and the study area is mainly characterized by mild drought. Moreover, the drought evolution is analyzed by using the timing analysis methods. In conclusion, the PTEDI can be applied to monitor drought effectively.

Effects of slopes, rainfall intensity and grass cover on runoff loss of mercury from floodplain soil in Oak Ridge TN: A laboratory pilot study

Mercury is recognized as a global pollutant. A large amount of elemental mercury was used in the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, TN and Hg is still present in the water-shed surrounding the Y-12 facility and East Fork Poplar Creek. Soil erosion during rainfall-runoff events result in nonpoint source Hg transport from floodplain soils to aquatic ecosystems. This study investigated transport mechanisms of Hg through surface runoff processes from floodplain soils in Oak Ridge, TN into water with a simulated rainfall laboratory pilot scale experiment. The experiments simulated rainfall intensity (50–140 mm/h), the ground grass coverage (5 %-85 %), the soil moisture conditions and the slopes (7.5–16.32 degrees) producing soil runoff erosion processes. Results show that high grass coverage, decreased landscape slope and low rainfall resulted in the decreased Hg concentrations in sediments transported through runoff from the floodplain soil. Hg loss was strongly correlated with and controlled by soil loss. The order of environmental factors on Hg loss was the slope > rainfall intensity > grass cover. As grass cover increased from 5 % to 85 %, Hg in sediment decreased from 124 to 72.3 µg/kg and Hg in penetrating water decreased from 4.7 to 2.8 µg/kg on wet soil condition at the slope 12.560. Hg loss and soil loss significantly increased with the increase of the soil slope. As the slope increased from 7.550 to 12.560, Hg loss increased from 364 to 2905 mg/m2 in the dry soil condition with 5 % grass cover. Meanwhile Hg loss and soil loss significantly decreased with the increase of grass cover. The Hg concentration in sediment increased with increasing initial soil moisture from Dry Soil, to Wet Soil and Very Wet Soil. The roots of grasses stabilized soil Hg and the Hg content in soil rhizosphere were significantly higher than that in non-rhizosphere. This study indicates that rainfall intensity, ground grass coverages, landscape slopes and initial soil moisture content strongly controlled Hg transport from the floodplain ecosystem and its flux into stream water. Mercury associated with sediment was the major Hg input into stream waters from floodplain soils in Oak Ridge, TN. Proper onsite management, such as increasing ground coverages with local low lying grasses and decreasing landscape slopes may significantly reduce potential Hg transport into local stream water in Oak Ridge TN.

Site matters - Canopy conductance regulation in mature temperate trees diverges at two sites with contrasting soil water availability

Tree-specific canopy conductance (Gc) and its adjustment play a critical role in mitigating excess water loss in changing environmental conditions. However, the change of Gc sensitivity to environmental conditions due to drought remains unclear for European tree species. Here we quantified the environmental operational space of Gc, i.e., the water supply (soil moisture, tree water deficit) and demand conditions (vapor pressure deficit) under which Gc ≥ 50% is possible (Gc50OS), at two sites with different soil water availability for three common European tree species. We collected sap flow and dendrometer measurements for co-occurring Pinus sylvestris, Fagus sylvatica and Quercus petraea growing under different soil hydrological conditions (drier/wetter). These measurements were combined with meteorological variables and soil moisture conditions in five depths. Dendrometer measurements were used to confirm soil water availability patterns. For all analyses, the contrasting soil hydrology between sites was the main driver of Gc response. At the drier sites, F. sylvatica and P. sylvestris reduced their water consumption in response to decreasing soil water supply earlier in the growing season than Q. petraea. However, our analysis on the Gc50OS revealed that at the drier sites, F. sylvatica and Q. petraea reduced the extent of their Gc50OS to a higher degree than P. sylvestris. This indicates a higher level of Gc50OS adjustment to the drier site conditions for the two broadleaved species. These differences were more pronounced when using the dendrometer-derived tree internal water status as proxy for tree water supply. Our results provide preliminary evidence for diverging short-term Gc responses when temperate trees are exposed to prolonged reduction in water availability. These findings suggest that Gc50OS can help to constrain species-specific predictions of water use by mature trees, especially when combined with high-resolution water potential measurements.

Antecedent snowmelt and orographic precipitation contributions to water supply of Pakistan disastrous floods, 2022

In 2022, the Pakistan witnessed the hottest spring and wettest summer in history. And devastating floods inundated a large portion of Pakistan and caused enormous damages. However, the primary water source and its contributions to these unprecedented floods remain unclear. Based on the reservoir inflow measurements, Multi-Source Weighted-Ensemble Precipitation (MSWEP), the fifth generation ECMWF atmospheric reanalysis (ERA5) products, this study quantified the contributions of monsoon precipitation, antecedent snowmelts, and orographic precipitation enhancement to floods in Pakistan. We found that the Indus experienced at least four inflow uprushes, which was mainly supplied by precipitation and snowmelt; In upper Indus, abnormally high temperature continued to influence the whole summer and lead to large amounts of snowmelts which not only was a key water supply to the flood but also provided favorable soil moisture conditions for the latter precipitation. Before July, the snowmelt has higher contributions than the precipitation to the streamflow of Indus River, with contribution value of more than 60%. Moreover, the snowmelt could still supply 20%–40% water to the lower Indus in July and August; The leading driver of 2022 mega-floods over the southern Pakistan in July and August was dominated by the precipitation, where terrain disturbance induced precipitation account to approximately 33% over the southern Pakistan. The results help to understand the mechanisms of flood formation, and to better predict future flood risks over complex terrain regions.

IOT Implementation Energy consumption for Indoor Orchid Cultivation based on WeMos

Orchids are epiphytic plants with high popularity. Orchid is a plant that can process its own nutrients with the help of other media. Parameters that need to be monitored include air temperature, air humidity, and soil moisture. These parameters greatly affect plant growth. Plants can grow well if humidity, temperature, and light intensity are met properly. Good orchid humidity ranges from 50 – 80%. Humidity should not be too high at night and not too low during the day. In addition to humidity, the temperature where you plant orchids must also be maintained. The ideal temperature for orchids is daytime temperatures between 27-30 degrees Celsius and night temperatures between 21-24 degrees Celsius. Based on these problems, a Design and Development Tool for Monitoring Soil Temperature and Moisture on the Growth of Indoor Orchid Plants is Based on WeMos with Indoor Energy. In this design, the results of sensor readings will be displayed in the form of data which will be accessed via the web server on WeMos. To read the temperature, air humidity, and soil moisture, several sensors are used, namely: DHT 22, soil moisture sensor, and a relay connected to a mini water pump using an indoor cultivation method where the energy source uses UV waves by LED light. From the results of the implementation and testing, the growth period will be obtained more faster than the normal cultivation. hopefully, this research will help people who care for orchid plants to be able to monitor their orchid plants efficiently in indoor conditions so that these orchid plants can always be in the best conditions of temperature, light, and soil moisture.

Comparison of reactive transport and non-equilibrium modeling approaches for the estimation of nitrate leaching under large water application events

In agricultural ecosystems, nitrate (NO3–) leaching is the most widespread loss pathway and non-point source of nitrogen (N) to surface water and groundwater. NO3– leaching in rain-fed and irrigated agricultural systems has been extensively modeled using different numerical approaches of varying complexity. Most numerical modeling studies use simplified zero-order or first-order kinetics when optimizing N budgets. Few studies consider the impacts of temperature, soil moisture and other environmental conditions on biogeochemical reaction rates. In this study, we simulate NO3– leaching and biogeochemical processes in two soil columns under large water application events (groundwater recharge events) using a 1D non-equilibrium (e.g. mobile-immobile) reactive transport HP1 (HYDRUS-1D and PHREEQC) model. We compare this calibrated model to several other calibrated models representing simpler HYDRUS nitrate leaching modeling approaches (uniform flow, non-reactive, zero- and first-order kinetics). Results show that the incorporation of conditional environmental factors such as temperature, soil moisture, and a proxy for oxic/anoxic conditions (percent pore-space filled) results in superior model performance representing the timing and magnitude of important biogeochemical processes when estimating cumulative NO3– leached from the shallow vadose zone. In addition, using a physical non-equilibrium (i.e. dual-porosity type, mobile-immobile solute transport) approach improves model performance when estimating residual NO3– in the soil profile after water application events.

Repeating patterns in runoff time series: A basis for exploring hydrologic similarity of precipitation and catchment wetness conditions

Runoff responses to precipitation at the catchment scale exhibit a high variability in space and time due to a complex interaction of numerous factors, e.g., topography, land use, soil properties, geology, and climatic conditions. To find similar patterns in the runoff response and examine the effects of these factors on runoff variability, previous studies have either compared and classified catchments in space or focused on grouping extreme events. Here, we analyzed runoff processes in three highly instrumented catchments in Germany and Austria individually and compared them to themselves in time. To this end, we used long-term time series of 10 to 13 years and classified runoff events as similar by performing a cluster analysis based on calculated goodness-of-fit criteria between each possible pair of runoff events. For each cluster, we examined the degree to which precipitation and catchment wetness conditions were similar to themselves at the respective times when similar runoff events occurred by calculating Spearman rank correlation coefficients (ρ) as well as their descriptive statistics. The similarities assessed varied among the three catchments, with the two catchments in western Germany with maritime climates showing a stronger correlation for soil moisture conditions (ρ = 0.76 and ρ = 0.74) for classified similar runoff events rather than precipitation (ρ = 0.26 and ρ = 0.36). The Austrian catchment with a predominantly continental climate showed an overall higher correlation for precipitation (ρ = 0.57) and a lower one for soil moisture (ρ = 0.53) for similar runoff events compared to the other two catchments. The proposed method assesses similarity of precipitation and wetness conditions under similar runoff responses, and gives an indication of possible influencing factors controlling runoff generation in the three catchments in relation to their respective wetness and precipitation patterns. The similarities investigated help identify similar catchment functioning and can be used, for instance, to develop enhanced catchment similarity indices.

Modelling Soil Water Infiltration and Wetting Patterns in Variable Working-Head Moistube Irrigation

Moistube irrigation is an efficient method that accurately irrigates and fertilizes agricultural crops. Investigation into the mechanisms of infiltration behaviors under an adjusted working head (WKH) benefits a timely and artificially regulating moisture condition within root zones, as adapted to evapotranspiration. This study explores the laws of Moistube irrigated soil water movement under constant and adjusted working heads. Lysimeter experiments were conducted to measure Moistube irrigation cumulative infiltration, infiltration rate, and to observe wetting front area and water content distribution using digital image processing and time domain reflectometry, respectively. Treatments of constant heads (0, 1, and 2 m), increasing heads (0 to 1, 0 to 2 and 1 to 2 m) and deceasing heads (1 to 0, 2 to 0 and 2 to 1 m) were designed. The results show that (1) under constant heads, the cumulative infiltration increases linearly over time. The infiltration rate and cumulative infiltration are positively correlated with the pressure head. When WKH is increased or decreased, the infiltration rate and cumulative infiltration curves significantly change, followed by a gradual stabilization. The more the head is increased or decreased, the more evident this tendency will be. (2) When WKH is increased, the wetting front migration rate and the wetted soil moisture content marked increase; when WKH is decreased, the wetting front migration rate sharply decelerates, and the water content of the wetted soil slowly grows. They both tend to equilibrium with time. (3) By regarding the same cumulative infiltration of increased WKH and constant WKH treatments as a similar initial condition, we proposed a cumulative infiltration empirical model for Moistube irrigation under variable working head. Additionally, we treat the Moistube as a clayey porous medium and construct a HYDRUS-2D numerical model to predict the infiltration behaviors under variable WKH. The validity of the two models were well proven, with MRE and NRMSE close to 0 and NSE greater than 0.867, indicating good agreements with the experimental results. This model breaks through the limitation of constant boundary of traditional numerical model and applies variable head boundary to the boundary of the Moistube pipe, which can also effectively simulate the response mechanism of Moistube irrigation to variable WKH. The research results further confirmed the feasibility of manually adjusting the WKH to regulate the discharge of the Moistube pipe and soil moisture state. Based on the HYDRUS-2D numerical model simulation results and the root distribution and water demand of typical facility crops, the selection range of placement depth and the adjustable range of WKH of Moistube irrigation were proposed. The research results provide a theoretical reference for manual adjustment or automatic control of Moistube irrigation WKH to adapt to real-time crop water demand in agricultural production.

Low soil moisture improved shading tolerance by regulating leaf functional traits in Tetracentron sinense Oliv. seedlings

Tetracentron sinense Oliv. is an endangered relict tree found in south-central China. A low number of seedlings among the natural populations has resulted in the poor regeneration of this species. However, the mechanisms underlying seedling survival and growth remain poorly understood. Leaf functional traits (LFT) likely characterize the growth and development of T. sinense in different ecological environments, playing a crucial role in its adaptive strategies to adversity. In this study, two-factor orthogonal control experiments with two levels of light intensity (L1: 50 % natural light intensity in forest edge; L2: 10 % natural light intensity in understory) and soil moisture content (W1: 30 % moisture content in valley; W2: 15 % moisture content in mountainside) were conducted to analyze the response of the LFT of 7-month-old T. sinense seedlings to different light and soil moisture conditions. With the light intensity decreased, superoxide dismutase activity decreased, and peroxidase activity increased. With a decrease in soil moisture, the contents of chlorophyll (Chl) a, Chl b, Chl t, and soluble sugar increased, and Chl a/b decreased. A decrease in light and soil moisture decreased leaf thickness, leaf dry weight, leaf dry matter content, leaf volume, chloroplast volume, and starch grains, but increased osmophilic grains, the total nitrogen, and phosphorus contents. Moreover, the chloroplast morphology of L2W2 was more complete than that of other treatments. The results showed that the LFT of T. sinense seedlings acted synergistically to adapt to different light and soil moisture conditions, low soil moisture alleviated the effects of shading in T. sinense seedlings, and T. sinense seedlings adopted the “quick investment-return strategy” adaptation strategy under L2W2. Finally, the soil moisture of the mountainside in the natural habitat was favorable to the survival and growth of T. sinense seedlings.

Morphophysiology responses of taro on different soil water level

This study aims to determine the response of growth and yield of taro plant genotypes to the level of soil water availability. The experiment was carried out using a divided plot design with the main plot being the rate of water application, namely: 60% FC (Field capacity), 80% FC, 100% FC, 120% FC and 140% FC, while the subplots were taro genotypes consisting of two types of dasheen (Ketan and California genotype), two types of eddoe (Satoimo and Jepang Hijau) also Xanthosoma (Talas Kuning). Parameters of plant growth observations included plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, stem diameter and width of canopy, while parameters of harvest observations included tuber fresh weight and total fresh weight. Physiological observations include chlorophyll content and number of stomata. Plant height of all types of taro was more vigor at 120 and 140% FC of water. For dasheen type taro, California taro with 140% FC treatment produced tuber fresh weight 36% higher than California taro plants at 60% FC treatment, while for Eddoetypetaro, Satoimo taro with 140% FC treatment produced tuber fresh weight 25% higher thanin 60% FC treatment. This proves that 5 genotypes of taro adaptive on waterlogging stress rather than drought stress. Satoimo and Jepang Hijau (eddoe type) are more adaptive to drought and wet soil conditions than talas Ketan, California and Talas Kuning (dasheen type).

CitarumView: A Google Earth Engine–based application for Citarum River monitoring

The Citarum River is a vital waterway in West Java, Indonesia, that sustains life along its sub-watershed. However, the river is facing significant environmental challenges, such as deforestation, and land-use changes, which have led to a decline in its ecosystem quality. To address this issue, the study aimed to develop an application called “CitarumView” that uses remote sensing methods to assess changes in index values focused on the condition of vegetation, built-up, soil moisture, water body, and surface temperature and obtain a description of the Citarum watershed condition in 2019 and 2020. The Google Earth Engine was used to collect and process satellite imagery data, including visual bands B4 (red), B3 (green), B2 (blue), Near-infrared (NIR), thermal infrared (B10 Landsat-8), and short-wave infrared (SWIR), from Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 satellites. The CitarumView application provides a tool for decision-makers, researchers, and the general public to continuously monitor the river’s condition. The application also provides information on the changes in the ecosystem quality over time, allowing for more informed decisions to be made concerning river management. The analysis conducted using CitarumView revealed that the average of vegetation index increased by 6% with low to mid vegetation level, the max of water index increased by 4.5%, the average of moisture index increased by 39% with mid canopy water, the average of built-up index decreased by 28%, the average of soil adjusted vegetation index increased by 12% with mid to high vegetation, and the average of surface temperature decreased by 5% for 2019-2020.

Involvement of brassinosteroids and abscisic acid in spikelet degeneration in rice under soil drying during meiosis.

Spikelet degeneration in rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a serious physiological defect, and can be regulated by soil moisture status and phytohormones. This study investigated the possibility that brassinosteroids (BRs) in collaboration with abscisic acid (ABA) are involved in mediating the effect of soil drying during meiosis on spikelet degeneration in rice. Three rice cultivars were field grown and three irrigation regimes including well watered (WW), moderate soil drying (MD), and severe soil drying (SD) were imposed during meiosis. MD significantly decreased spikelet degeneration in comparison with WW, due mainly to the alleviation in oxidative damage via enhancing ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle activity in young panicles, and SD exhibited the opposite effects. Enhanced AsA-GSH cycle strength, decreased oxidative stress, and spikelet degeneration rate were closely associated with the synergistically elevated BR and ABA levels in young panicles in MD. In contrast, low BR and excessive ABA levels led to an increase in spikelet degeneration in SD. The three cultivars exhibited the same tendencies. The intrinsic link among AsA-GSH cycle, oxidative stress, spikelet degeneration rate, and BR and ABA levels was further verified by using transgenic rice lines and chemical regulators. BRs or ABA play a unique role in regulating spikelet degeneration. Synergistically increased BR and ABA levels in MD could work together to strengthen AsA-GSH cycle activity, leading to a reduction in oxidative damage and spikelet degeneration. On the other hand, a severe imbalance between low BR and excessive ABA levels may have contributed to the opposite effects in SD.