Citation Information

  • Title : Soil moisture profiles under different conditions associated with irrigation efficiency of drip irrigation - case studies from avocado and Mandarin, Limari River Valley.
  • Source : Acta Horticulturae
  • Publisher : International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS)
  • Issue : 889
  • Pages : 601-608
  • Year : 2011
  • Document Type : Journal Article
  • Language : English
  • Authors:
    • Rypowski, K.
    • Cortes, M.
    • Osorio, A.
    • Burgos, M.
  • Climates: Mediterranean (Csa, Csb). Temperate (C).
  • Cropping Systems: Citrus. Fruit. Irrigated cropping systems.
  • Countries: Chile.

Summary

Six tests were done to evaluate the application of irrigation rates in Limari River Valley (3036? South Latitude 7112? West Longitude and 218 m of altitude) in avocado and mandarin tree orchards during two agricultural seasons. Assessments were made in volumes of water applied, discharge of the drippers and irrigation frequency used. Also, the water stored in the soil profile was monitored by moisture direct sampling with drill, performed deeply and transversely to the drip lines and plantation rows. In the cases studied it was possible to appreciate a wide variety of situations regarding water stored in the profile. In the vast majority of cases, excess water conditions were found, both in the root zone and below it. In very few cases, the moisture in the root zone of trees reached levels close to permanent wilting percentage (PWP). This would reflect poor efficiency in the implementation and management of irrigation water through drip irrigation, regardless of the uniformity coefficient (UC) of drippers. This situation becomes much more problematic in those soils which present high percentages of clay; creating low aeration conditions for root development. It is also possible to observe an important deviation from moisture profiles to the lower or steeper sectors of the plantation system; generating drier soil or less humid conditions in higher zones, with a big impact on root development. When calculating the relation between the water stored in the root zone versus the total water available in the profile, results between 44 and 73% were obtained, values that reflect inefficient irrigation conditions. These results were corroborated by the high variation coefficients (VC) in the moisture content in the profile, with values higher than 19.00% and with maximum value equal to 43.64% VC.

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