Stem and leaf water potentials, gas exchange, sap flow, and trunk diameter fluctuations for detecting water stress in lemon trees

The sensitivity of continuous (on a whole-day basis) and discretely (at midday) measured indicators of the plant water status in adult lemon trees in response to a cycle of water deprivation and recovery, and the feasibility of obtaining baselines for tree water status indicators was investigated in 30-year-old Fino lemon trees (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. fil.) grafted on sour orange (C. aurantium L.) rootstocks. Control plants (T0) were irrigated daily above their crop water requirements in order to obtain non-limiting soil water conditions, while T1 plants were subjected to water stress by withholding irrigation for 50 days, after which time irrigation was restored and plant recovery was studied for 16 days. In T0 plants the water relations and the plant symptoms confirmed that they had not suffered waterlogging. In contrast, T1 plants showed a substantial degree of water stress, which developed very slowly. Maximum daily trunk shrinkage (MDS) increased in response to water stress during the first 15 days of the experiment, but when the stem water potential (Ψ_stem) fell below −1.8 MPa, the MDS signal intensity decreased. However, Ψ_stem and sap flow (SF) signal intensities progressively increased during the water stress period. The results showed that MDS is a very suitable plant-based indicator for precise irrigation scheduling in adult lemon trees. Reference or baseline relationships for MDS, Ψ_stem, and SF measurements as a function of several parameters related to the evaporative demand of the atmosphere were obtained. This fact open up the possibility of considering a plant-based indicator measurement at a given time relative to the expected value under non-limiting water conditions, which can be calculated from the reference relationships.     

Relationships Between Climatic Variables and Sap Flow, Stem Water Potential and Maximum Daily Trunk Shrinkage in Lemon Trees

The feasibility of obtaining sap flow (SF), maximum daily trunk shrinkage (MDS) and midday stem water potential (Ψ_stem) baselines or reference values for use in irrigation scheduling was studied in adult Fino lemon trees (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. fil.) grafted on sour orange (C. aurantium L.) rootstocks. Plants were irrigated daily above their water requirements in order to obtain non-limiting soil water conditions. The results indicated that baselines for plant-based water status indicators (MDS, SF and Ψ_stem) can be obtained, even though there was a certain scattering of the data points representing the relations between the plant-based measurements and the environmental variables (reference evapotranspiration, solar radiation, vapour pressure deficit and temperature). SF was more closely associated with changes in the studied evaporative demand variables than were MDS and Ψ_stem. SF and Ψ_stem were more closely correlated with changes in reference evapotranspiration (ETo) (r ² = 0.93 and 0.79, respectively), while MDS behaviour was best correlated with mean daily air temperature (T _m) (r ² = 0.76). Increases in the evaporative demand induced more negative Ψ_stem values and, as a consequence, SF increased, which, in turn, was translated into an increase in MDS. This confirmed that SF and MDS were very good predictors of the plant water status during the observation period and their continuous recording offers the promising possibility of their use in automatic irrigation scheduling in lemon trees.     

基于茎干直径微变化制定苹果灌溉制度

茎干直径的动态微变化是研究植物体水分和生长状况的重要指标。利用测树器监测西北旱区盛果期苹果树茎干直径微变化规律,根据监测记录获得茎干直径日最大值(MXTD)、茎干直径日最大收缩量(MDS)数据,并探讨茎干直径微变化规律及其对环境因素的响应,为茎干直径微变化用于指导精确灌溉提供科学依据。实验结果表明,晴天或多云天气下,苹果树茎干直径在每天的7:00或8:00时刻达到一天最大值,在16:00左右达到一天的最小值,茎干直径年增长量与果实产量成反比例关系。整个生育期MXTD呈先快速增加后平稳的变化特征。2010年MDS与茎干水势(φstem)呈显著负相关关系(r2=0.76***,n=14),这表明MDS可以反映苹果树的水势状况。生育后期的MDS对环境因素响应比生育前期敏感,全生育期MDS与气象因素的决定系数大小顺序为日最大水汽压差(VPDmax)日最高温度(Tmax)净辐射(Rn)。茎干直径微变化规律可以反映西北旱区盛果期果树的水分状况,可以为果园灌溉制度的确定提供科学依据。     

Water status indicators of lemon trees in response to flooding and recovery

Potted 2-year-old lemon trees [Citrus limon (L.) Burm. fil, cv. Verna] grafted on sour orange (C. aurantium L.) rootstock were subjected to flooding for 3 d. Control plants were irrigated daily to field capacity. Continuously (sap flow, trunk diameter fluctuations) and discretely (predawn and midday leaf water potential, leaf conductance) measured plant-based water status indicators were compared. The sensitivity of the maximum daily trunk shrinkage signal intensity to flooding and its behaviour during the recovery period demonstrated that this indicator is more feasible than the others for use in automatic irrigation. The responses to flooding of continuously and discretely measured plant-based water status indicators were very similar to those observed in response to drought stress indicating that it necessary to use soil water measurement automatic sensors to detect the cause of the stress. The results underlined the robustness of the compensation heat-pulse technique for estimating instantaneous and daily transpiration rates on flooding stress and recovery.     

梨枣花果期耗水规律及其与茎直径变化的相关分析

设置4个水分处理,研究了4年生梨枣2010年及2011年花果期不同供水条件下土壤水分动态和耗水规律,分析了梨枣日耗水量与茎直径变化间的相关性,建立回归模型.结果表明:(1)2a内各处理梨枣耗水量随土壤供水量的增加而增大,其日耗水量最大值均出现在灌水后1周内;各处理果实膨大期日耗水强度大于开花坐果期.(2)2a内各处理茎直径日变化平均值(MTD)、茎直径日最大值(MXTD)均符合Logistic函数关系,MXTD与MTD在表征梨枣茎秆生长规律方面效果一致,各处理茎直径变化指标(MTD、MXTD)增长率因水分处理的不同而存在差异.(3)高水分(T1处理)条件下茎直径变化指标(MTD、MXTD、MDS(茎直径日最大收缩量)、DG(茎直径日生长量))在表征枣树耗水状况方面不敏感;在低水分(T4处理)条件下,日耗水量与茎直径日最大收缩量(MDS)相关系数较其他3个茎直径变化指标(MTD、MXTD、DG)高且达极显著水平,说明MDS能够更好的表征低水分处理的梨枣耗水规律.在此基础上建立耗水量与茎直径变化回归模型,为评价梨枣耗水状况提供依据.     

山地枣树茎直径对不同生态因子的响应

以山地梨枣为试材,进行了枣树茎直径对土壤水势(WPs)、太阳辐射(Rs)、气温(Ta)、空气相对湿度(RH)等生态因子的响应试验研究。试验共设4个WPs区间的处理,连续测定枣树茎直径及不同生态因子的动态变化。结果表明:在果实膨大期,在-41—-390 kPa范围内,WPs越高的处理,其枣树茎直径(TD)越大;不同处理间枣树最大茎直径(MXTD)存在显著性差异,较高的WPs区间有利于茎直径的增加;MXTD是该期较为适宜的水分信息诊断指标。晴天时,茎直径日收缩幅度大;雨天白天时,茎直径基本处于同一水平,收缩不明显。TD与RH呈极显著正相关,与Ta呈极显著负相关关系,与Rs间无显著相关关系,RH与Ta是影响茎直径变化的最主要气象因子。综合考虑,枣树茎直径的微变化同时受到各种生态因子的影响,尤以RH、Ta、WPs的影响更为显著;WPs高时,WPs为影响茎直径变化的主要因子;WPs低时,RH成为影响茎直径变化的主要因子。     

Combining sap flow and trunk diameter measurements to assess water needs in mature olive orchards

Sap flux (Q) and trunk diameter variation (TDV) are among the most useful plant-based measurements to detect water stress and to evaluate plant water consumption. The usefulness of both methods decreases, however, when applied to species that, like olive, have an outstanding tolerance to drought and a remarkable capacity to take up water from drying soils. Evidence shows that this problem is greater in old, big trees with heavy fruit load. Our hypothesis is that the analysis of simultaneous measurements of Q and TDV made in the same trees is more useful for assessing irrigation needs in old olive orchards than the use of any of these two methods alone. To test our hypothesis, we analysed relations between Q, TDV, midday stem water potential (Ψ_stem), relative extractable water and atmospheric demand in an olive orchard of 38-year-old ‘Manzanilla’ trees with heavy fruit load. Measurements were made during one irrigation season (May-October), in fully irrigated trees (FI, 107% of the crop evapotranspiration, ET_c, supplied by irrigation), and in trees under two levels of deficit irrigation (DI60, 61% ET_c; DI30, 29% ET_c). Time courses of Q and TDV measured on days of contrasting weather and soil water conditions were analysed to evaluate the usefulness of both methods to assess the crop water status. We calculated the daily tree water consumption (E_p) from Q measurements. For both DI treatments we calculated a signal intensity by dividing daily E_p values of each DI tree by those of the FI tree (SI−Ep). We did the same with the maximum daily shrinkage (MDS) values (S_I−MDS). Neither SI−Ep nor S_I−MDS rendered useful information for assessing the crop water needs. On the contrary, the daily difference for maximum trunk diameter (MXTD) between each of the DI trees and the FI tree (D_MXTD) clearly indicated the onset and severity of water stress. A similar analysis with the E_p values, from which DEp values were derived, showed the effect of water stress on the water consumption of the trees. We concluded that the simultaneous use of D_MXTD and DEp values provides more detailed information to assess water needs in mature olive orchards than the use of Q or TDV records alone.     

Using trunk diameter sensors for regulated deficit irrigation scheduling in early maturing peach trees

The aim of this paper was to test the possibility of scheduling regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) using exclusively maximum daily trunk shrinkage (MDS) measurements, and that RDI strategies can be applied in early maturing peach trees reducing significantly the seasonal water use. During three growing seasons, 6-year-old peach trees (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch cv. Flordastar) grafted on P. persica × P. amygdalus GF-677 peach rootstock were submitted to different drip irrigation treatments. Control (T0) plants were irrigated above the estimated crop evapotranspiration level (≈130% ET_C) and T1 plants were submitted to RDI, which were irrigated in order to maintain MDS signal intensity (SI) values close to unity (no irrigation-related stress) from the fruit thinning stage to 2 weeks after harvest, at MDS SI values close to 1.3 during the early postharvest period, and at MDS SI values of 1.6 during the late postharvest period. The RDI strategy assayed reduced the seasonal water applied by 35-42% with respect to estimated ET_C without affecting yield efficiency components or the distribution of different peach fruit categories, while improving water productivity. The only vegetative growth component affected by RDI was pruning weight, indicating that vigor regulation as a result of RDI may decrease the competition for assimilates between vegetative apexes and reserve tissues. Also, the absence of any significant effect of RDI on the ratio between yield and the increase in trunk cross sectional area suggested similar carbon partitioning schemes during fruit growth. To improve the precision of MDS SI-driven schedule in RDI strategies changes in the irrigation protocol should be considered so that the scheduled water deficit levels are attained more rapidly. For this, when it is necessary to change from a MDS SI threshold value to a higher one, the daily irrigation rate should be decreased by more than 3%.     

Differences in transpiration of Norway spruce drought stressed trees and trees well supplied with water

The paper focuses on the evaluation of transpiration as a physiological process, which is very sensitive to drought stress. Reactions of 25-year-old Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) trees to drought were examined during 2009 summer. Sap flow rate (SF), meteorological and soil characteristics were measured continually. Vapour pressure deficit of the air (VPD) and cumulative transpiration deficit (KTD) was calculated. During the second half of the vegetation period, the decrease in soil water content was observed and irrigation was applied to a group of spruce trees, while the second group was treated under natural soil drought. On the days, when the differences in transpiration between irrigated (IR) and non-irrigated (NIR) trees were significant (21 days), transpiration of NIR trees was only 23% of the transpiration of IR trees. We found significant differences in transpiration when the soil water content (SWC) of NIR variant at a depth of 5–15 cm ranged from 10.4 to 13.7%. Under both regimes of water availability, daily transpiration significantly responded to atmospheric conditions. However, the influence of all assessed meteorological parameters on SF of NIR trees was significantly lower than on IR tree. The dependency of transpiration on evaporative demands of atmosphere decreased with the decreasing soil moisture. Cumulative transpiration deficit of the stand during the entire evaluated period was 50.9 mm. The difference between the transpiration of the mean NIR tree and of the mean IR tree was 278.8 L over the assessed period of 47 days (5.9 L per day). The transpiration of NIR trees was 40.3% from the transpiration of IR trees during this period.     

Model-assisted evaluation of crop load effects on stem diameter variations and fruit growth in peach

Key message

The paper identifies and quantifies how crop load influences plant physiological variables that determine stem diameter variations to better understand the effect of crop load on drought stress indicators.

Abstract

Stem diameter (D ^stem) variations have extensively been applied in optimisation strategies for plant-based irrigation scheduling in fruit trees. Two D ^stem derived water status indicators, maximum daily shrinkage (MDS) and daily growth rate (DGR), are however influenced by other factors such as crop load, making it difficult to unambiguously use these indicators in practical irrigation applications. Furthermore, crop load influences the growth of individual fruits, because of competition for assimilates. This paper aims to explain the effect of crop load on DGR, MDS and individual fruit growth in peach using a water and carbon transport model that includes simulation of stem diameter variations. This modelling approach enabled to relate differences in crop load to differences in xylem and phloem water potential components. As such, crop load effects on DGR were attributed to effects on the stem phloem turgor pressure. The effect of crop load on MDS could be explained by the plant water status, the phloem carbon concentration and the elasticity of the tissue. The influence on fruit growth could predominantly be explained by the effect on the early fruit growth stages.     

The effect of deficit irrigation on seasonal variations of plant water use in Olea europaea L.

A field experiment on olive trees (Olea europaea L.) was designed with the objective to search for an optimum irrigation scheduling by analyzing the possible effects of deficit irrigation. Treatments were: a non-irrigated control (rainfed) and three treatments that received seasonal water amount equivalent to 33 and 66% of crop evapotranspiration (ET_C) in the period August–September (respectively 33II and 66II), and 66% of (ET_C) from late May to early October (66I-II). Atmospheric evaporative demand and soil moisture conditions were regularly monitored. Irrigation effects on plant water relations were characterized throughout a growing season. Whole-plant water use, in deficit irrigated (66I-II) and rainfed olive trees, was determined using a xylem sap flow method (compensation heat-pulse technique). The magnitude of variations in water use and the seasonal dynamic of water relations varied among treatments, suggesting that olive trees were strongly responsive to both irrigation amount and time. Physiological parameters responded to variations in tree water status, soil moisture conditions and atmospheric evaporative demand. All measurements of tree water status were highly correlated with one another. There was a considerable degree of agreement between daily transpiration deduced from heat-pulse velocity and that determined by calibration using the water balance technique. Deficit irrigation during the whole summer (66I-II) resulted in improved plant water relations with respect to other watering regimes; while, severe regulated deficit irrigation differentiated only slightly 33II treatment from rainfed plants. Nevertheless, regulated deficit irrigation of olive trees after pit hardening (66II) could be recommended, at least in soil, cultivar and environmental conditions of this study.     

Compensation heat-pulse measurements of sap flow for estimating transpiration in young lemon trees

Potted two-year-old lemon trees [Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f.], cv. Verna grafted on sour orange (C. aurantium L.) rootstock, growing in greenhouse, were subjected to drought for 33 d. Control plants were daily irrigated at field capacity. Values of sap flow (SF) were compared with transpiration (E) rates measured gravimetrically. The results underlined the robustness and high sensitivity of the compensation heat-pulse technique for estimating transpiration on a wide range of SF. Good direct correlations between E and SF rates on an instantaneous and daily basis were obtained in both treatments. On a daily basis, a common calibration curve can be used for both irrigation treatments. On an instantaneous basis, changes in SF were matches by similar changes in E in both treatments, although the relationships between these parameters presented different intercepts in each treatment. Sap flow rates were influenced by weather conditions in trees growing in non-limiting soil water conditions. This makes it possible to evaluate the significance of any sap flow measurement in relation to the reference value calculated for the vapour pressure deficit at the time the measurement was taken.This research was supported by Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia (MEC), (CICYT/FEDER AGL2003-9387-C05-02 and AGL2004-0794-C03-02), and PETRI (PTR1995-0693-OP-02-01) grants to the authors. M.F. Ortuno was a recipient of a Program I3P research fellowship from CSIC.     

Water relations and gas exchange in olive trees under regulated deficit irrigation and partial rootzone drying

It is widely believed that partial root drying (PRD) reduces water losses by transpiration without affecting yield. However, experimental work carried out to date does not always support this hypothesis. In many cases a PRD treatment has been compared to a full irrigated treatment, so doubt remains on whether the observed benefits correspond to the switching of irrigation or just to PRD being a deficit irrigation treatment. In addition, not always a PRD treatment has been found advantageous as compared to a companion regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) treatment. In this work we have compared the response of mature ‘Manzanilla‘ olive trees to a PRD and an RDI treatment in which about 50% of the crop evapotranspiration (ET_c) was supplied daily by localised irrigation. We alternated irrigation in the PRD treatment every 2 weeks in 2003 and every 3 weeks in 2004. Measurements of stem water potential (Ψ_stem), stomatal conductance (g _s) and net CO₂ assimilation rate (A) were made in trees of both treatments, as well as in trees irrigated to 100% of ET_c (Control trees) and in Rain-fed trees. Sap flow was also measured in different conductive organs of trees under both PRD and RDI treatments, to evaluate the influence of alternating irrigation on root water uptake and tree water consumption. We found small and random differences in Ψ_stem, g _s and A, which gave no evidence of PRD causing a positive effect on the olive tree performance, as compared to RDI. Stomatal conductance decreased in PRD trees as compared to Control trees, but a similar decrease in g _s was also recorded in the RDI trees. Sap flow measurements, which reflected water use throughout the irrigation period, also showed no evidence of g _s being more reduced in PRD than in RDI trees. Daily water consumption was also similar in the trees of the deficit irrigation treatments, for most days, throughout the irrigation period. Alternating irrigation in PRD trees did not cause a change in either water taken up by main roots at each side of the trees, or in the sap flow of both trunk locations and main branches of each side. Results from this work, and from previous work conducted in this orchard, suggest that transpiration is restricted in trees under deficit irrigation, in which roots are left in drying soil when water is applied by localised irrigation, and that there is no need to alternate irrigation for achieving this effect. Section Editor: R. E. Munns     

太行山南麓低山丘陵区栓皮栎直径变化及其与环境因子的关系

使用周长传感器(Circumference DC2)研究了太行山南麓低山丘陵上栓皮栎人工林树干直径的日变化及其影响因子.结果表明:在季节性干旱期间,栓皮栎树干的直径变化周期性明显,直径收缩与液流启动时间基本一致,直径最小值滞后于液流速率最大值3 ～4 h;栓皮栎直径日最大收缩量(MDS)呈现低-高-低的变化趋势,与累积液流通量和叶片水势日差值极显著相关,与土壤含水量呈显著的二次方程关系.MDS值受气象因子变化的影响,与温度日差值、蒸汽压亏缺日差值和相对湿度日差值显著相关,而与太阳辐射日差值的相关性不显著.连续降水后,土壤水分不再是栓皮栎直径变化的限制因子,MDS值与累积液流通量、叶片水势、土壤含水量和气象因子差值的相关性均不显著.季节性干旱期和雨季的土壤含水量和温度是影响树干直径日变化的主要因子.     

Growth and water relations of Liquidambar styraciflua L. in an urban park and plaza

Summary Growth and water relations of 10-year-old sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) street trees were studied in sites with low and high potential evapotranspiration to determine how these differences are integrated by growth and water relations over time. The trees were located in the parking strip between the curb and sidewalk at a partially vegetated urban park and an urban plaza in Seattle, Washington. Crown size, and seasonal and diurnal stomatal conductance and water potential, as well as diurnal air temperature and humidity, were measured over 2 growing seasons. Yearly trunk growth since transplanting was measured from increment cores. Vapor pressure deficits and air temperatures averaged 18% greater at the plaza, but whole-tree water loss appeared to be much lower than the park trees due to more restricted stomatal conductance and crown size. In addition, yearly diameter increment declined progressively once the plaza trees were established in the existing soil several years after transplanting. Lower water potential in the plaza trees indicated greater internal moisture deficits than the park trees, and tissue analysis revealed lower nutritional status, particularly nitrogen. A manipulative study of water and fertilizer to several additional plaza trees showed an interaction between water and nutrient deficiencies in the coarse and shallow soil that apparently limited growth. Furthermore, soil limitations probably interacted with paved surface conditions over time by reducing nutrient recycling from leaf litter, and generating higher vapor pressure deficits that would contribute to prolonged stomatal closure. Restricted growth and water relations status of the plaza trees represented an equilibrium between chronic high-resource demand above ground and limited below ground.     

Does water availability regulate biomass partitioning between trunk and branches?

• The extent to which a vertical trunk is differentiated from its branches is a key trait for the architecture of trees and may affect interspecific relationships.
• In this study, we analysed the effect of soil water availability on biomass partitioning for Nothofagus pumilio by means of a nursery experiment. Juvenile trees were subject to three irrigation conditions: no irrigation, intermediate irrigation and high irrigation. Irrigation conditions emulated the mean precipitation of the most representative environments inhabited by N. pumilio.
• Changes in soil water availability modified the biomass partitioning patterns of trees. In comparison to the other two conditions, high irrigation caused: (i) a higher ratio of biomass partitioning to stems than roots; (ii) more trunk growth in relation to its branches; and (iii) more photosynthetic organs relative to the aboveground biomass. Trunk size relative to that of its most recent branches was not increased by water availability.
• Water availability may play a significant role in the capacity of N. pumilio for space occupation due to the effects on axis differentiation.

     

Daily variations in water relations of apricot trees under different irrigation regimes

Mature apricot (Prunus armeniaca L. cv. Búlida) trees, growing under field conditions, were submitted to two drip irrigation treatments: a control (T1), irrigated to 100 % of seasonal crop evapotranspiration (ETc), and a continuous deficit (T2), irrigated to 50 % of the control throughout the year. The behaviour of leaf water potential and its components, leaf conductance and net photosynthesis were studied at three different times during the growing season, when they revealed a diurnal and seasonal pattern in response to water stress, evaporative demand of the atmosphere and leaf age. The deficit-irrigated trees showed, among other effects, a pronounced decrease in leaf water potential (ψ_w), decreased in leaf conductance (g_s) and no osmotic adjustment. For this reason, g_l and ψ_w can be considered good indicators of mature apricot tree water status and can therefore be used for irrigation scheduling.     

梨枣在果实生长期对土壤水势的响应

以4年生梨枣为试验材料,在果实生长期设置了4个土壤水势水平,研究不同处理梨枣茎秆直径生长、光合速率、蒸腾速率、叶片相对含水量以及果实数量对土壤水势的响应,探讨了梨枣果实生长期适宜的土壤水势范围。结果表明:1)在果实缓慢生长期,茎秆直径生长缓慢;土壤水势高于-84 kPa时能显著地降低落果率。2)果实快速生长期,茎秆直径日最大值和叶片相对含水量能反映梨枣的水分状况;适当的控制土壤水势能显著的提高叶片的水分利用效率;土壤水势高于-84 kPa时果实快速生长期出现坐果现象。3)果实生长期前期的土壤水势低至-461 kPa会影响果实生长期叶片的功能和后期的坐果。因此,梨枣果实生长期的适宜的土壤水势范围为-41—-84 kPa,提高了叶片水分利用效率,提高了单果重,不影响产量。     

The effect of irrigation regimes on plum (Prunus cerasifera) root system development dynamics

Prunus genus species are widely spread in semi-arid regions due to their ability to adjust to the limited water supply. Former research described the effect of water deficit on their aboveground development. However, less is known about the effects of water stress on the development of the root system. In order to investigate the effects of the irrigation regime on the root system development, young plum (Prunus cerasifera) trees were grown under three irrigation regimes for a period of five months. The effects of the irrigation regime on different root order and total root system elongation, biomass growth and tip numbers were analyzed. The results indicate that the responses vary according to the stress level. Under moderate stress, the total root system biomass decreases relative to the full irrigation treatment. However, low-order root formation remains similar to that found under no stress conditions. Under severe stress, the formation of low-order roots is also inhibited. Our results suggest that plum trees’ response to water deficit stress escalates according to the stress level. Namely, moderate stress affects the growth rate of the root system but does not alter the relative contribution of different orders, while severe stress both inhibits the total growth and changes the relative contribution of the different root orders. The combined measurements of the total root system and the different orders enable the identification of a stepwise response to water stress.     

Deficit irrigation for enhancing sustainable water use: Comparison of cotton nitrogen uptake and prediction of lint yield in a multivariate autoregressive state-space model

Deficit irrigation is an optimization strategy for achieving sustainability of irrigated crop production. A field-study of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) response to a limited water supply was conducted in an Alfisol in the southern High Plains of Texas. The objectives were to investigate cotton N uptake, canopy temperature, plant spectral index and lint yield variation under deficit irrigation and to provide information for enhancing sustainability of the water resources and Alfisols in the semi-arid environment. The experimental treatments were two deficit-irrigation levels at 50% and 75% of cotton evapotranspiration (ET). Plant and soil variables were measured 15 m apart along the center-pivot irrigation circles. The results show that cotton plants under the 50%-ET deficit irrigation level were 21% more water stressed (P < 0.05) based on the reflectance water index ratio. The 50%-ET irrigation resulted in a 25% lint yield loss with a 33% water saving compared to the higher irrigation level (75%-ET). Plant reflectance, canopy temperature, total N uptake and lint yield were correlated with normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI), soil water content (SWC), soil NO₃-N concentrations and elevation (−0.69 < r < 0.72, P < 0.05, respectively). Future cotton lint yield is weighted on NDVI and water variation, quantified in a multivariate autoregressive state-space model. Increases in plant reflectance in the water band are signs of early plant water stress. Compared to the 12-year regional cotton lint yield obtained with full irrigation, the 75%-ET deficit irrigation would be agronomical, economical efficient in Alfisoils with only 7.8% of lint-yield loss from water stress but 25% of water saving for sustainable water use.