Search results for "soil water"
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Appendix – Additional Measurements
2016
This appendix deals with the determination of different soil physical and hydraulic characteristics used in the analysis and/or interpretation of the infiltration experiments. The core method and the excavation method for measurement of soil bulk density are initially presented. Determination of soil water content by the thermo-gravimetric and the Time Domain Reflectometry methods is then illustrated. Subsequently, field measurement of soil water matric potential by tensiometers is discussed. Laboratory determination of the soil water retention curve by tensiometric and pressiometric techniques is also described. Finally, different methods to test water stability of soil aggregates are illu…
Determining hydraulic properties of a loam soil by alternative infiltrometer techniques
2015
Testing infiltrometer techniques to determine soil hydraulic properties is necessary for specific soils. For a loam soil, the water retention and hydraulic conductivity predicted by the BEST (Beerkan Estimation of Soil Transfer parameters) procedure of soil hydraulic characterization was compared with data collected by more standard laboratory and field techniques. Six infiltrometer techniques were also compared in terms of saturated soil hydraulic conductivity, Ks. BEST yielded water retention values statistically similar to those obtained in the laboratory and Ks values practically coinciding with those determined in the field with the pressure infiltrometer (PI). The unsaturated soil hyd…
DETERMINING THE SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTVITY OF A LOAM SOIL WITH DIFFERENT INFILTROMETER TECHNIQUES
2015
The saturated soil hydraulic conductivity, Ks, is one of the most important soil hydraulic properties since it controls many hydrological processes. This hydrodynamic parameter depends on soil texture and structure and it is very difficult to measure. Infiltrometer techniques are becoming very popular to determine Ks in the field but testing alternative approaches is necessary for specific soil types. For a loam soil, the estimated Ks values with six infiltrometer techniques were compared. The so-called BEST procedure of soil hydraulic characterization, the pressure infiltrometer (PI), single head experiments with both the tension infiltrometer (TI) and the mini disk infiltrometer (MDI), th…
Dissipation and distribution of atrazine, simazine, chlorpyrifos, and tetradifon residues in citrus orchard soil.
1997
An environmental fate study was conducted in a citrus orchard plot in Valencia (Spain) in the fall of 1993. Dissipation and distribution of atrazine, simazine, chlorpyrifos and tetradifon residues following their controlled addition for agricultural purposes in a mediterranean red soil (Luvic Calcisol, Rhodoxeralf) were evaluated. During a two-month period, the amounts of applied pesticides in different soil layers (0-0.05, 0.05-0.22, 0.22-0.42, and 0.42-0.52 m) were monitored. In addition, information on soils, weather and agricultural practice were collected. Degradation half-lives were calculated, assuming zero-order kinetics: 11 days for atrazine, 12 days for simazine, 10 days for chlor…
Toxicity of Dimethoate to Some Soil Animal Species in Different Soil Types
1996
Toxicity of dimethoate (insecticide) to an earthworm (Aporrectodea caliginosa tuberculata), a collembola (Folsomia candida), and an enchytraeid worm (Enchytraeus crypticus/variatus) was studied in three different soil types (artificial soil, clayey soil, and humus sandy soil). Parameters measured were survival and biomass change of the earthworms and survival and reproduction of the collembolas and enchytraeids. The degradation of dimethoate was analyzed too. Toxic effects were observed at the concentrations of some mg/kg dry soil. The biomass reduction of the earthworms occurred at lower concentrations than reduction in survival. The collembolas were more susceptible to dimethoate than the…
Assessment of Organochlorine Pesticide Residues in West African City Farms: Banjul and Dakar Case Study
2003
Validated analytical procedures for the determination of 21 organochlorine pesticides have been applied to 74 water samples, 76 soil samples, and 160 vegetable samples from nine Sene-Gambian farms. Mean pesticide residue levels found were compared to the results of other studies. The main contaminants were DDTs in water (231.9 ng/L), in soil (71.4 ng/g), and in vegetables (5.03 ng/g). The distribution of pesticide residues in water and neighboring soils and the soil-plant transfer of these pesticides is briefly discussed. Different bioconcentration factors for sum HCHs, sum DDTs, and sum endosulfans obtained in this study allow us to confirm the complex processes already reported in the lit…
Assessing different methodologies for irrigation scheduling in protected environment: a case study of green bell pepper
2022
This research aimed at assessing four different methodologies to estimate daily irrigation depth, based on the monitoring of soil water status (soil water content sensors, SWS, and tensiometers, TS) and atmospheric evaporative demand (weighing lysimeter, WL, and Piché evaporimeter, PE), of green bell pepper Capsicum annum L.) cultivated in a greenhouse. Furthermore, two different strategies to apply the daily irrigation depths, i.e., single watering (at 8:00 a.m.) or split into two equal applications (at 8:00 a.m. and at 4:30 p.m.), were also investigated. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design and according to a 4 × 2 factorial scheme with eight replications. The st…
Effect of biochar on the physical and structural properties of a sandy soil
2019
Abstract Biochar application to soil can be considered as a means to improve soil quality, thereby optimizing irrigation management and reducing irrigation needs, especially in dryland regions. This paper is aimed at investigating the effect of biochar (BC) on a desert sandy soil (Al Foah, United Arab Emirates) in terms of bulk density, porosity, water retention, plant available water (AWmax), aggregate stability (AS) and specific surface area (BET-SSA). BC was produced from forest biomass (Italy). Soil water retention was measured by the High Energy Moisture Characteristic (HEMC) and by pressure plate measurements, by using BC fractions equal to 0 (soil only), 0.014, 0.091, 0.23, 0.33 and …
Using field measurements and FAO-56 model to assess the eco-physiological response of citrus orchards under regulated deficit irrigation
2017
[EN] Micro-irrigation is considered one of the most efficient water distribution systems and allows increasing water use efficiency if coupled with effective water-saving irrigation management strategies as regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) or partial root-zone drying (PRD) techniques. However, application of these strategies makes it crucial the real-time monitoring of soil and crop water status, in order to identify appropriate irrigation scheduling parameters (irrigation timing and doses) and to prevent irreversible damage of plant system and/or crop yield reductions. Even if midday stem water potential (MSWP) is considered one of the most affordable indicator for direct determinations …
Irrigation water saving strategies in Citrus orchards: Analysis of the combined effects of timing and severity of soil water deficit
2021
[EN] The knowledge of the crop response to soil water deficit is essential to predict the actual crop water requirements under limited soil water conditions. The mathematical schematization of the crop response under RDI can allow identifying the exact irrigation timing. The threshold of soil water status below which crop transpiration decreases represents a key parameter for the water stress functions. The main objective of this paper was to investigate the effects of several RDI treatments, applied during the three stages of fruit growth, on soil-plant-water relations of drip-irrigated mandarin trees. Experiments were carried out in seven irrigation treatments: a control, irrigated at 125…