ISSN:
1432-1319
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Summary Traditional meteorological estimates of evapotranspiration include empirical crop factors which are inadequate for scheduling high frequency irrigation. The performance of a transpiration model was tested and adapted to suit the operational requirements of automated irrigation systems. Hourly measurements of global solar radiation, air temperature, humidity and wind speed, obtained from an automatic weather station are inputs to the model. Additional inputs include daily updated data of plant height and leaf area index. This information is processed to determine the active coupling surface between the crop and the atmosphere. The model takes into account the resistance of the leaf to diffusion of water vapor. Calculated transpiration, based on the model, matched very closely measurements of latent heat flux in an irrigated cotton field. It was also in good agreement with water uptake measured in stems of the cotton plants using a heat pulse technique. The test also showed that implementation of the model in the field under study would have improved the efficiency of water application.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00259474
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