MICROIRRIGATION FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER USE

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0221216
• Multistate No.: W-2128
• Project Start Date: Jan 1, 2010
• Project End Date: Sep 30, 2014
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY
1620 STANDLEY DR ACADEMIC RESH A RM 110
LAS CRUCES,NM 88003-1239

Performing Department
Plant and Environmental Sciences

Non Technical Summary
As the pressures on water resources continue to tighten the definition of sustainable water use, even microirrigation which is considered to be the most efficient irrigation method must be closely examined for additional water savings. The simplest and most common definition of irrigation scheduling is simply the determination of when and how much water to apply. Improvements in microirrigation timing and amounts represents an important topic area where additional water savings can be made, but it must be carefully balanced with the primary economic goal of microirrigation which is to improve crop yield and quality. Several microirrigation scheduling approaches could be chosen for a particular crop in a particular environment. There are also many practical factors which must be considered when developing an irrigation schedule (e.g., system type and design), but the most widely accepted framework for understanding overall plant water requirements is a mass balance approach based on the concept of evapotranspiration. In this approach, reference ET for a standard canopy is calculated from weather data and then multiplied by one or more crop coefficients (Kc) to estimate the evapotranspiration for the crop in question. This basic approach was already well developed over 40 years ago and has been further refined, but current research efforts are still underway to reevaluate published crop coefficients, particularly in woody perennials. The methods used for on-farm irrigation scheduling can be roughly classified into three types, depending on the primary basis for the schedule: 1) ET-based, 2) soil-based and 3) plant-based. An ET-based schedule may use current weather data together with a published Kc to primarily determine how much water is used by the crop on a daily basis, and secondarily consider factors such as irrigation system capacity (typically designed to meet maximal crop ET (ETc)), root depth and soil characteristics to determine how often to replace ETc. A soil-based schedule may use a direct or indirect measurement of soil water to primarily determine when water must be added to the soil, and secondarily consider factors such as irrigation system capacity and root and soil factors to determine how much water can be reasonably added during the irrigation event. A plant-based schedule may use a direct or indirect measurement of plant water status to primarily determine when water must be applied, and secondarily consider factors such as irrigation system capacity and soil factors to determine how much can be added during the irrigation event.

Animal Health Component

(N/A)

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

(N/A)

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
102	0110	2050	34%
103	0110	2050	33%
111	0110	2050	33%

Knowledge Area
103 - Management of Saline and Sodic Soils and Salinity; 102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships; 111 - Conservation and Efficient Use of Water;

Subject Of Investigation
0110 - Soil;

Field Of Science
2050 - Hydrology;

Keywords

microirrigation

evapotranspiration rates

et rates

irrigation schedules

Goals / Objectives
Compare irrigation scheduling technologies and develop grower-appropriate scheduling products Develop design, management and maintenance recommendations Develop best management practices for application of agrochemicals Evaluate use of non-potable water through microirrigation

Project Methods
Current and historical data on applied water, reference ET and yield for a range of crops and environments will be pooled into a common data base in order to compare results between states, particularly with respect to comparisons of alternative microirrigation scheduling approaches (ET-based, soil-based and plant-based). In each experiment involving more than one level of applied water, reference ET will be calculated for both short and tall crops (ETos and ETrs, respectively) based on the standardized Penman Monteith equation from ASCE-EWRI (see http://biomet.ucdavis.edu/). Either daily or hourly weather data will be acceptable as inputs for the calculation of ET, and as far as possible, weather data will be obtained under environmental conditions representative of the agricultural conditions under study. All quantities of applied water, rain and ET will be expressed as equivalent depth units (mm) over the entire planted area under consideration, and both yield and relative yield (relative to the highest yielding treatment) will be reported. Participants will work jointly to cross-correlate results and/or to develop generalized indexes so that the alternative scheduling approaches can be used over a broader range of conditions. In all states, the range of irrigation levels used will provide empirical data to be used as a basis for the development of grower-appropriate irrigation schedules. Two participants (CA, NM) will be developing a web-based tool for this purpose as part of a recently funded USDA/SCRI proposal (#2008-04985). Data from relatively large field plots will be used to calibrate satellite image-based estimates of canopy ET using the SEBAL program (see http://www.sebal.us/) against other measures of crop water status. Cooperation in this SCRI project will provide an independent measure of crop ET and water status to members of W-2128. Data on yield and other ground-truth information collected as part of W-2128 will improve the ability of the SCRI project to extend the scope of information to additional crops (particularly field crops).

Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Soil Physics research group, microirrigation rsearch group, growers, researchers, students Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Attended professional meetings and presented the results. Leadership role in W2128 How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Oral presentations were made during scientific conferences and results are discussed with extension experts and growers What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We continued to work with the compensated root water uptake using partial rootzone drying (PRD) techniques. The experiments were conducted using chile plants (NuMex Joe Parker; Capsicum annuum). Results supported our previous observations that chile plants were able to take up more water from less water stressed part of the soil profile while maintaining the plant stress (stem water potential) similar to that in control treatment. Water balance analysis showed that PRD techniques reduced the deep percolation and required the irrigation amounts to 30% less than control.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: 1. Shukla M.K. and J. P. Flores Margez. 2014. Particular matter emissions due to agricultural operations in Mesilla valley New Mexico. Terra Americana. 32(3)1-5. 2. *Adhikari P., M.K. Shukla, J. Mexal and D. Daniel. 2014. Irrigation with Treated Wastewater: Quantification of Changes in Soil Physical and Chemical Properties. Irrigation and Drainage Systems Engineering, 3(1) doi: 10.4172/2168-9768.1000117. 3. *S. Singh, K. Grover, S. Begna, S. Angadi, M. K. Shukla, R. Steiner and D. Auld. 2014. Physiological response of diverse origin spring Safflower genotypes to salinity. Journal of Arid Land Studies. 24: 169-174. 4. Margez J. P., M.K. Shukla, and S.K. Deb. 2014. Mapping of Airborne Particulate Matter Collected Using Two Sensors Along US-Mexico Border. Journal of Environment and Analytical Toxicology http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2161-0525.1000206. 5. Gonz�lez-Delgado, A. M. and M. K. Shukla. 2014. Transport of Nitrate and Chloride in Variably Saturated Porous Media. ASCE, Irrigation and Drainage Engineering. 140 (5): 04014006. 6. Mexal J. G., G. A. Picchioni, M. K. Shukla, A. L. Ulery, and W. C. Lindemann. 2014. Land application of municipal wastewater to desert ecosystems: case studies Identifying risks and opportunities. Journal of Arid Land Studies. 24-1 109-112. Presentations 7. Flores A., B. Schutte, M.K. Shukla, G. Picchioni and A. Ulery. 2014. Effects of saline RO wastewater on germination of salt tolerant species. ASABE section meeting, Las Cruces, NM, April 11. 8. Shukla M.K. and H. Sharma. 2014. Water balance analysis and development of crop coefficient for drip irrigated chile. Soil Science Society America conference, Long Beach, CA, Nov. 2-5. 9. Flores A., M.K. Shukla, B. Schutte, G. Picchioni, A. Ulery, and D. Daniel. 2014. Use of concentrate from reverse osmosis for agricultural use. ASA, CSSA, SSSA annual meeting, Long Beach, CA, November 4. 10. Flores A., and M.K. Shukla. 2014. Pore clogging due to irrigation with RO concentrate. NM WRRI 59th annual New Mexico water conference, Santa Fe, NM, November 19.

Progress 01/01/10 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Scientific community, growers, graduate and undergraduate students Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? A grad student was trained on using and designing microirrigation system. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Presentation in Chile growers conference What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: irrigation scheduling was done using the soil moisture content data and deep percolation for greenhouse drip irrigated chile. The deep percolation was decresed by 30% without significantly changing yields. Objective 3: To reduce existing water and nutrient management barriers associated with microirrigation We continued to work with the compensated root water uptake using partial rootzone drying (PRD) techniques. The experiments were conducted using chile plants (NuMex Joe Parker; Capsicum annuum). Results supported our previous observations that chile plants were able to take up more water from less water stressed part of the soil profile while maintaining the plant stress (stem water potential) similar to that in control treatment. Water balance analysis showed that PRD techniques reduced the deep percolation and required the irrigation amounts to 30% less than control. Objective 4: Evaluate use of Non-potable water through microirrigation Salinity responses and salinity-related suppression of budbreak of drip irrigated pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] seedlings under different irrigation water salinity levels were investigated in the pot-in-pot system. No pecan seedlings under the irrigation treatment levels of 5.5 and 7.5 dS/m survived to the end of the 2-year growing period. Paper was published in HortSci.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: 1. Deb S.K, P. Sharma, M.K. Shukla and T. W. Sammis. 2013. Drip-irrigated pecan seedling response to irrigation water salinity. Hort. Science. 48: 1548-1555. 2. Sharma H., M.K. Shukla, W. Bosland and R. Steiner. 2013. Can Partial Root Zone Drying Conserve Water While Sustaining Chile Yield? 58th Annual New Mexico Water Conference. November, 21-22, Albuquerque, NM. Shukla M.K. and H. Sharma. 2014. Water balance analysis and development of crop coefficient for drip irrigated chile. Soil Science Society America conference, Long Beach, CA, Nov. 2-5.

Progress 01/01/13 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Growers, researchers and students Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Attended professional meetings and presented the results. Leadership role in W2128. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Oral presentations were made during scientific conferences and results are discussed with extension experts and growers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We continued to work with the compensated root water uptake using partial rootzone drying (PRD) techniques. The experiments were conducted using chile plants (NuMex Joe Parker; Capsicum annuum). Results supported our previous observations that chile plants were able to take up more water from less water stressed part of the soil profile while maintaining the transpiration rate at the same rate as control treatment. No significant differences were noted in the plant heights between treatments. Water balance analysis showed that PRD techniques have a potential to be adopted as water saving practices in chile production especially for environments with limited water.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Deb S.K, P. Sharma, M.K. Shukla and T. W. Sammis. 2013. Drip-irrigated pecan seedling response to irrigation water salinity. Hort. Science. 48(12) 1-8. 1. Deb, S. K., M. K. Shukla, J. `im?nek, and J. G. Mexal. 2013. Evaluation of spatial and temporal root water uptake patterns of a flood-irrigated pecan tree using the HYDRUS (2D/3D) model. ASCE, Irrigation and Drainage Engineering. 139: 599-611. 1. Deb S.K., M.K. Shukla Uchanski, M.E., and Bosland, P.W. 2012. Evaluation of compensated root water uptake pattern of greenhouse drip irrigated chile. 2012 Irrigation Show & Education Conference, Agriculture Track-1, Nov. 2-6, Orlando, Florida. 2. Sharma H., Deb S.K., M.K. Shukla, P Bosland, B. Stringam and M. Uchanski. 2013. Chile root water uptake under partial root drying: a greenhouse drip irrigated study. 2013 Irrigation Show & Education Conference, Nov. 4-8, Austin, TX.

Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: We evaluated comparative effects of the compensated (under water stress conditions using drip-irrigated partial root zone drying (PRD) techniques) and non-compensated (no water stress) root water uptake pattern of chile plants (NuMex Joe Parker; Capsicum annuum). The greenhouse pot experiments were conducted with three drip irrigation treatments: (1) control or non-compensated (fully irrigated), (2) PRD using vertically split-root system where the top 37% of the root zone system was exposed to water stress, and (3) PRD using two-compartment or lateral split-root system with alternately wetting and drying to impose water stress in the lateral part of the root zone. Results suggest that chile plants under these two drip-irrigated PRD treatments could compensate for water stress in one part of the vertical or lateral root zone profile by taking up water from less water-stressed parts of the vertical or lateral root zone regions, without affecting transpiration or photosynthetic rates to meet peak water demand. No significant differences were noted in the root length distributions and plant heights between PRD treatments and control. Either of the two drip-irrigated PRD techniques have a great potential to be adopted as water saving practices in chile production especially for environments with limited water. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Experiments demonstrate the importance of partial root drying on water saving while sustaining plants vegetative growth and root development.

Publications

• Deb S.K., M.K. Shukla, M.E. Uchanski, and P.W.Bosland,. 2012. Evaluation of compensated root water uptake pattern of greenhouse drip irrigated chile. Proceedings of 2012 Irrigation Show & Education Conference Nov. 2-6, Orlando, Fla.

Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: A pot-in-pot system consisted of 38 L plastic holder pots (Classic 8000 Econo-Grip, Nursery Supplies, Orange, Calif.) sunken into the ground in which pecan seedlings were transplanted. Pecan seedlings were selected from one year old seedlings of riverside root stock graphted with Western slice top. All the plants were placed plastic pots containing sandy loam soil. A drip irrigation system was designed to irrigate the plants at a rate of 1gallon h-1. Salinity treatments were generated using a solution of calcium chloride (CaCl2) and sodium chloride (NaCl) in a ratio of 2:1 (by weight) to reach electrical conductivity (EC) of 3.5, 5.5, and 7.5 dS m-1. Leaf scorching was first noticed in plants irrigated with saline solution having EC > 3.5 dS m-1, respectively. No leaf scorching was observed in pecan seedlings irrigated with ground water (control). A lab test on scorched leaves could not detect the presence of bacteria (Xylella fastidiosa) responsible for Pecan Bacterial leaf spot, therefore, it was confirmed that the leaf scorching was only due to salt stress imposed on plants. No budbreak and subsequently leaves were observed in second year plants except plants irrigated with ground water (control) and saline solution having EC of 3.5 dS m-1. This study is still in progress and more results would be obtained in the coming year. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Experiments demonstrate the severe impact of salinity on pecan seedlings. It also indicates that young pecan orchards may also be adversely impacted. In addition, one manuscript is published on water depletion patterns of pecans and soil water sensor calibration.

Publications

• Deb S.K., M.K. Shukla, P. Sharma, and J.G. Mexal. 2011. Patterns of soil water depletion in irrigated mature pecans of arid southern New Mexico. Irrigation Science. DOI: 10.1007/s00271-011-0293-1.

Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: To achieve objective 1, at each of the three pecan tree spots for two experimental sites, soil samples were taken at depths of 20, 40, 60 and 80 cm from soil profiles near the CS616 TDR sensors and gravimetric water contents were determined. At each site, new coefficients C0, C1 and C2 for Topps equation were derived separately by tree and depths using a least-squares optimization approach. The coefficient of determination (R2) was always > 0.85 between the gravimetrically and TDR measured volumetric water contents. For objective 2, soil samples were collected from two onion fields under drip and furrow irrigation systems and were analyzed for NO3-N and chloride concentration. The total amounts of N fertilizer applied to furrow and drip irrigated fields were 383 and 292 kg ha-1, and total water applied was 95 cm and 81 cm, respectively. The amount of NO3-N in the drainage water estimated by chloride tracer technique was 165.9 mg/L for furrow and 66.8 mg/L for drip irrigated fields for 60-200 cm depth. The NO3-N loadings below the rooting zone were 240 kg/ha for furrow and 79 kg/ha for drip irrigated fields. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
The experimental results showed that TDR can be used to monitor diurnal soil moisture content variation in both fields. The irrigation efficiencies were nearly the same for furrow and drip irrigation systems. However, the results indicate that shifting from furrow irrigation to drip irrigation can lower NO3-N leaching; improve N use efficiency with lower water inputs.

Publications

• Sharma P., M.K. Shukla and T. Sammis. 2010. Predicting soil temperature using air temperature and soil and meteorological parameters. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 26(1):47-58.
• Deb S.K., P. Sharma, M. K. Shukla, J. G. Mexal, T. W. Sammis, and R. St. Hilaire. 2010. Patterns of soil moisture depletion in mature pecan orchards on the Rio Grande Plains, Las Cruces. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) Annual International Meeting, June 20-23, 2010, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Gonzalez A. and M. K. Shukla. 2010. Transport of Nitrate and Chloride in Saturated Soil Columns. The 2010 New Mexico Water Research Symposium: Resource Interdependence, August 03, 2010, Macey Center, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, New Mexico.
• Gonzalez A. and M. K. Shukla. 2010. Coupled Transport of Nitrate and Chloride in Unsaturated porous Media. 2010 International annual meetings, ASA-CSSA-SSSA, Oct. 31-Nov. 4, 2010, Long Beach, CA.
• Sharma, P., M. K. Shukla, and J. Mexal. 2010. Spatial variability of soil hydraulic properties in agricultural fields of Southern New Mexico: Implication on irrigation management. New Mexico Water Research Symposium held in New Mexico Tech Campus, Scorro, NM, August 3, 2010.
• Sharma, P., M. K. Shukla, J. Mexal, and T. W. Sammis. 2010. Spatial variability of soil properties in agricultural fields of Southern New Mexico. 2010 International annual meetings, ASA-CSSA-SSSA, Oct. 31-Nov. 4, 2010, Long Beach, CA.