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Precision irrigation scheduling is one approach that can conserve water by supplying crops with the minimum amount of water needed for sufficient vegetative growth and final crop yield. Improved methods for irrigation scheduling are needed for arid regions that rely mainly on irrigation for crop water needs, and humid regions that supplement water received from precipitation with added irrigation. Methods that directly determine plant physiological responses to water availability have potential to be significantly more sensitive and accurate than indirect approaches like soil moisture measurement. Stomatal conductance is a rapid physiological response to leaf water potential. Stomatal conductance in single leaves has long been calculated using biophysical and energy balance principles. This same biophysical approach can be extended to plant communities using: 1) standard meteorological measurements, 2) accurate measurement of average canopy temperature, and 3) knowledge of canopy architecture. Here we use a model designed to separate the energy balance of the soil and plant canopy for the calculation of stomatal conductance (gC) in row crops. This model is modified for application in row crops which differ in their spatial distribution when compared to more uniform crops such as turfgrass or alfalfa. The energy balance model requires measurement or estimation of the soil and canopy temperatures. Various methods can be used to derive these temperatures, i.e., using a composite temperature of the two and either directly measuring or estimating one of the temperatures to derive the other, or directly measuring both component temperatures. This study compares two methods to determine which one is more appropriate in determining canopy temperature for calculation of canopy stomatal conductance for the measurements taken on the fields studied. By using the necessary environmental measurements, and model modifications, gC was continuously determined for 10 corn and 6 cotton crops throughout the Midwest and Southern United States. This gC value was then compared to a calculated reference gC for a well-watered crop. This reference gC represents the stomatal conductance of a well-watered crop experiencing no water stress. The ratio of the calculated and reference gC is an indicator of crop water status, which is called the stomatal conductance ratio (SCR). The SCR increased closer to one (indicating minimal water stress) after each irrigation or significant precipitation event, and steadily declined until the next irrigation event. Significant drought stress occurred in several of the fields. Daily SCR values were weighted to correspond with growth stage sensitivity to drought stress. These weighted values were highly correlated with yield (r2 values up to 0.79). SCR values for cotton were also highly correlated with yield (r2 values up to 0.96). This biophysical approach has the potential to provide a powerful tool for precision irrigation management. Growers can more efficiently apply water to their crops and more accurately determine when to apply irrigation.

Current irrigation scheduling technologies are limited to refilling the root zone based on measured or predicted amount of water stored within the root zone. This needs measurement of soil-water status and specifying soil field capacity that make this approach expensive and challenging. The FullStopTM wetting front detector (FS) was specifically developed to be a simple and affordable technology to help farmers manage water, nutrients and salts in the root zone. This device responds to a strong wetting front, but research has shown it is less sensitive to weak redistributing wetting fronts, and this may compromise its efficacy in certain situations. The objectives of this study were to recommend a modified version of the FS that responds to weak redistributing wetting fronts and to develop guidelines for the deployment of these detectors to schedule irrigation. The research described herein comprises of two phases: the first phase focused on literature review, field evaluation of wetting front detector of varying sensitivities (WFD) and laboratory measurements of hydraulic properties of soil and wick materials. The second phase validates the HYDRUS-2D/3D for the development of guidelines on how to use WFD to schedule irrigation. The first phase includes: i) a literature review on passive lysimetry that relates design features to the sensitivity of WFD and how prototypes of WFD operate; ii) hydraulic characterization of soil and wick materials to describe the functioning of the different WFD designs; iii) an empirical investigation to determine whether the wick characteristics limits the attainment of equilibrium between the opening of the outer tube and the water table in the inner tube; iv) field evaluations of five types of WFD under sprinkler and natural rainfall to examine the accuracy and sensitivity of the different WFD designs; and v) analysis of the equilibrium between the WFD and the surrounding soil, and recommendations for the best design options based on the sensitivity requirement for different situations. The second phase of the study used observed data sets to validate the Hydrus-2D/3D model. After validation, the model was used to simulate different irrigation scenarios to develop guidelines for the deployment of WFD to schedule irrigation. Field evaluations of various WFD designs showed that length has significant effect on the sensitivity of WFD (P ≤ 0.05). The 90-cm-long Tube wetting front detector (90TD) was significantly more sensitive than the original FS design. The hydraulic conductivity function of two wick materials (Diatomaceous Earth and Fine sand) were not limiting for the attainment of the equilibrium between the Tube Detector and the surrounding soil, and the opening of the Tube Detector and the water level in the inner tube. The Hydrus-2D/3D model performed well in simulating the measured responses of FS or 90TD and the experimental sensitivity thresholds of these detectors. This model was deployed to link WFD responses to different simulated irrigation scenarios to generate monitoring protocol such as detector placement depth, irrigation amount or interval. The model simulations showed that FS can be used to schedule irrigation objectively for sprinkler or drip irrigations, i.e. adjusting irrigation amount or interval based on the response of a detector. Though further study is warranted, model simulation has indicated that 90TD can be used to improving furrow irrigation management. It is envisaged that WFD technology can guide farmers to make informed irrigation decisions and alerting farmers to percolation losses below the root zone. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014 / gm2015 / Plant Production and Soil Science / PhD / Unrestricted

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Irrigation scheduling decisions are based either on the direct measurement of soil water status (SWS) or on physiological measurements like plant water status (PWS). Soil based measurements are quick and easily automated, but the plant response for a particular quantity of soil moisture varies as a complex function of evaporative demand. A plant-based approach measures the plant stress response directly, but is an integration of environmental effects as well. In contrary to soil-based methods, plant based measurements can indicate when to irrigate, but not the quantity. Pre-dawn leaf water potential (ΨPD) is determined mostly by the soil moisture level, and can serve as a measure of static water stress in plants and an index of bulk soil water availability or even as an estimate of soil water potential at the root surface. Therefore it should be possible to establish a link between SWS and PWS, but it is largely unknown how stable the link in a heterogeneous vineyard would be, and how the grapevine vegetative and reproductive response relates to this link. Plant water status plays a large role in determining vigour and yield of the plant. The levels of PWS are influenced by irrigation, but it was mostly affected by the season and vine location in the vineyard. More negative plant water potentials reduced vigour, but had a less pronounced effect on yield, while also reducing overall wine quality. Vigour variability in the vineyard was largely attributed to soil heterogeneity, which seemed to have a strong effect on SWS. SWS measurements were calibrated according to the observed variability, increasing the accuracy of measurements significantly. Soil water content values were used to establish a link between SWS and PWS. This link was determined over time using nine plots, consisting of rain-fed and irrigated regimes, in variable vigour areas. A non-linear relationship was found between ΨPD and percentage extraction of plant available water for rain-fed plots. When irrigation was applied, no correlation could be found. In this study, for Merlot in the Stellenbosch region, PWS differences affected vigour, and to a lesser extent yield, as well as wine quality. More negative plant water potentials reduced vigour more in high vigour areas than in lower vigour areas, which in turn led to unbalanced vegetative: reproductive ratios. This disturbed vine balance may have had a bigger impact on wine quality than PWS levels. Therefore a well-managed and balanced vine is able to withstand more stress, with less detrimental effects. This study also highlights the danger of limiting the assessment of soil and plant water status conditions to point measurements in vineyards with high levels of vigour variability. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Besluite rakende die skedulering van besproeiing word gewoonlik gebaseer op die direkte meting van grondwaterstatus (GWS), of op fisiologiese metings soos byvoorbeeld plantwaterstatus (PWS). Grond gebaseerde metings is relatief vinnig en maklik om te outomatiseer, maar die plantrespons vir ʼn spesifieke grondwaterinhoud varieer as ʼn komplekse funksie van dampdruktekorte. ‘n Plantgebaseerde benadering meet die plantstresreaksie direk, maar is ʼn integrasie van omgewingstoestande. In teenstelling met grondgebaseerde metodes, kan plantgebaseerde metodes aandui wanneer om te besproei, maar nie die hoeveelhede wat besproei moet word nie. Voorsonsopkoms blaarwaterpotensiaal (ΨPD) word grootliks deur die grondwaterinhoud bepaal, en kan as ʼn maatstaf van statiese waterspanning in plante en as ʼn indeks van bulk grondwaterbeskikbaarheid dien, of selfs as ʼn benadering van die grondwaterpotensiaal by die worteloppervlak. Dit behoort dus moontlik te wees om ʼn verwantskap te bepaal tussen GWS en PWS, maar dit is grootliks onbekend hoe stabiel hierdie verwantskap sal wees in ʼn heterogene wingerd, asook hoe die wingerdstok se vegetatiewe en reproduktiewe reaksie die verwantskap kan beïnvloed. Plantwaterstatus speel ʼn groot rol in die bepaling van groeikrag en opbrengs in die wingerdstok. Die vlakke van plantwaterstatus word deur besproeiing beïnvloed, maar word skynbaar meesal deur die seisoen en wingerdstok se ligging in die wingerd bepaal. Meer negatiewe plantwaterpotensiaalvlakke het gelei tot laer groeikrag, maar het ʼn minder uitgesproke effek gehad op opbrengs, terwyl dit in die algemeen wynkwaliteit verswak het. Groeikrag variasie in die wingerd kon grootliks aan grond heterogeniteit toegeskryf word, wat skynbaar ʼn sterk invloed op grondwaterstatus gehad het. Grondwaterstatus metings is gekalibreer volgens die variasie wat waargeneem is, wat die akkuraatheid van metings beduidend verhoog het. Grondwaterinhoud waardes is gebruik om ʼn verwantskap aan te dui tussen SWS en PWS. Hierdie verwantskap is oor tyd bepaal vir nege persele, wat bestaan het uit droëland asook besproeide persele, in areas waarvan die groeikrag verskil het. ʼn Nie-liniêre verband is gevind tussen ΨPD en die persentasie onttrekking van plantbeskikbare water vir die droëland persele. Waar besproei was, kon geen verband gevind word nie. In hierdie studie, vir Merlot in die Stellenbosch area, het PWS vlakke groeikrag en tot ʼn mindere mate opbrengs en wynkwaliteit beïnvloed. Meer negatiewe plantwaterpotensiaal vlakke het groeikrag meer beïnvloed in hoër groeikrag areas as in die laer groeikrag areas, wat ook gelei het tot ongebalanseerde vegetatiewe:reproduktiewe verhoudings. Hierdie versteurde balans in die wingerdstokke kon dalk ʼn groter impak op wynkwaliteit gehad het as PWS vlakke. Daar moet dus gepoog word om goed bestuurde en gebalanseerde wingerdstokke te hê, sodat strestoestande beter weerstaan kan word met minder nadelige gevolge. Die studie beklemtoon ook die gevaar verbonde daaraan om die bepaling van grond- en plantwaterstatus te beperk tot puntmetings in wingerde met groot variasie in groeikrag.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Orchard evapotranspiration (ET) is a complex flux which has been the subject of many studies. It often includes transpiration from the trees, cover crops and weeds, evaporation from the soil, mulches, and other orchard artefacts. Studies of evapotranspiration in orchards often quantify tree water use and soil evaporation, treating the water use from the understorey vegetation on the orchard floor as negligible. Therefore, there is a paucity of information; first about the water use of cover crops in general, and secondly about the contribution of cover crops to whole orchard ET. This information is important, especially in semi-arid regions like South Africa where water resources are already under great strain and the situation is predicted to worsen in future due to climate change.

Thesis (MScAgric (Viticulture and Oenology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Grapevine water status is considered to be the most important factor limiting plant growth and production in the Mediterranean zones. In these regions with limited summer rainfall and limited water resources for irrigation grapevines may experience water deficits for an extended period of time. The demand of water for agriculture is constantly increasing, and will continue to do so due to the rise in the world population and to the effects of climate change on rainfall and evaporative demand in these regions. The Western Cape wine region is also classified as Mediterranean and grapevines grown in this region are often exposed to water “stress” conditions due to high evaporative demand and low water availability in the soil. Plant water status of grapevines may dependent on, amongst other factors, the water potential of soil layers close to the root system, canopy size and evaporative demand. The canopy size of a grapevine can inherently be seen as a measure of grapevine vigour, and vigour variation among grapevines within a vineyard is a common phenomenon in the Western Cape. The importance of the contributions from several factors causing vigour variation within vineyards is still a subject of debate. This may be largely ascribed to the significant amount of variability in vineyards that researchers have to deal with during viticultural studies. However, the recent advances in remote sensing technology have established new methods to assess grapevine vigour variability. In the face of the recognized variation within vineyards and the importance of a sustained grapevine water status, for wine grape productivity and -quality, it is alarming to think that a vineyard block is generally managed as a homogeneous entity when it comes to irrigation scheduling. What is more alarming is the assumption that grape, juice and wine quality will be homogeneous throughout a vineyard block – even without irrigation. With this in mind, a study was conducted to study the interaction between grapevine vigour and grapevine water status within a commercial vineyard with variable vigour by implementing various irrigation regimes. Vigour variation was identified through multispectral aerial imagery and plant-based water status determinants were used to assess grapevine water status in plots of differing vigour within the vineyard. Soil water status was also assessed, and vegetative growth quantified to ultimately determine the variability in vigour and its possible contribution to the variability through the water status of the plant. Reproductive growth was monitored continually before evaluating the effect of water status and grapevine vigour on grape composition and subsequent wine quality. The various methods used to evaluate grapevine vigour showed good correspondence. Pruning mass measured at the end of the season confirmed leaf area measurement (main leaves and lateral leaves) during vegetative growth, and corresponded well, in terms of main vigour classifications with the NDVI images collected. Berry weight and volume responded to the various classifications, with a decrease in water deficits from one classification to the next accompanying an increase in berry weight and volume. Analyses of the berry composition and wines showed statistically significant differences between the classifications. This was found for sugar content per berry, total phenols, total red pigment, malic acid, nitrogen and pH for the grape juice analyses. Wine pH and total acidity also differed significantly. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die Mediterreense sones word plantwaterstatus beskou as `n hooffaktor wat groei en produksie van `n wingerdstok negatief beinvloed. In hierdie sones kan wingerdstokke vir lang periodes `n tekort aan water ervaar a.g.v `n tekort aan reënwater gedurende die somer en lae beskikbaarheid van besproeingswater. Die vraag na water vir landbou is ook konstant besig om toe te neem in dié sones en die tendens sal voorduur a.g.v die groei in die wêreldbevolking, die effek van klimaatsveranderig op reënvalpatrone en die hoë verdampingsfaktor. Die wingerd- en wynstreek van die Wes-Kaap word ook geklassifiseer as Mediterreens en wingerdstokke in hierdie streek ervaar dikwels waterspanning wat deur hoë evapotranspirasie en min beskikbare grondwater veroorsaak word. Van die faktore wat die waterstatus van `n wingerdstok bepaal is onder andere die waterpotensiaal van die grondlae rondom die wortelstelsel, die grootte van die wingerdlowerraamwerk en die evapotranspirasiebehoefte. Die omvang van `n wingerdstok se lower binne die prieel word beskou as `n aanduiding van wingerdstokgroeikrag en variasie in groeikrag tussen wingerdstokke is `n algemene verskynsel in die Wes-Kaap. Die rangorde, wat die effek van die verskeie faktore wat groeikragvariasie tussen wingerdstokke bepaal, word steeds gedebatteer. Die debat kan groottendeels toegeskryf word aan die beduidende hoeveelheid variasie tussen wingerde waarmee navorsers te doen kry in wingerdkundige studies. Hoewel, met onlangse vordering aangaande afstandswaarnemingstegnologie is daar nou nuwe metodes beskikbaar om wingerdgroeikrag te evalueer. Dit is kommerwekend om te dink dat `n wyndruifwingerd normaalweg as `n homogene eenheid bestuur word as dit kom by besproeiing. Veral met die wete dat groeikragvariasie tussen wingerde algemeen erken en aangeteken word, en dat volhoubare waterstatus van `n wingerdstok van kardinale belang is vir produksie en kwaliteit van wyndruiwe. Die aanname dat wyndruiwe, die sap- en ook wynkwaliteit homogeen sal wees regdeur `n wingerdblok is egter meer kommerwekkend. Na aanvang van dié denke is daar `n studie geloods om die interaksie tussen wingerdstokgroeikrag en wingerdstokwaterstatus te evalueer. Met die studie is verskeie besproeiingsregimes aangebring binne `n kommersiële wingerd wat interne groeikragvariasie tentoonstel. Groeikragvariasie was geïdentifiseer deur middel van multispektrale lugfotos terwyl die wingerdstok se waterstatus geëvalueer is met behulp van plantgebaseerde metings in die verskillende groeikragareas. Die waterstatus van die grond is geëvalueer tesame met die vegetatiewe groei van die wingerd sodat die groeikragvariasie en die invloed van die plantwaterstatus op die groeikrag bepaal kon word. Die reproduktiewe groei is deurlopend gemonitor voor die effek van wingerdstokwaterstatus en wingerdstokgroeikrag op druifsamestelling en wynkwaliteit bepaal is. Daar was `n goeie ooreenkoms tussen die verskeie metodes wat gebruik is om wingerdgroeikrag te bepaal. Snoeimassa aan die einde van die seisoen was ooreenkomstig met die blaaroppervakte (hooflootblare en sylootblare) wat tydens vegetatiewe groei gemeet is, en het ook goed korreleer, met die multispektrale lugfotos se hoof groeikragklassifikasie. Korrelgewig en -volume het reageer op die verskeie besproeiingsregimes, en daar was `n toename in korrelgewig en -volume saam met die afname in watertekort van een regime tot `n ander. Daar was beduidende verskille tussen die verskeie klassifikasies t.o.v. korrelsamestelling analise en wynevaluasie. Die suikerinhoud per korrel, totale fenole, totale rooi pigment, appelsuur, stikstof en pH het verskil in druiwesap analises. Die pH en suur van die wyne het ook beduidend verskil.

Thesis title: Legal regulation of watercourse protection Abstract Watercourses are the most important form of surface water occurrence in the Czech Republic, and therefore their condition also significantly affects the overall state of all our aquatic ecosystems. Despite of it, the ecological and chemical status of watercourses is still not satisfying. This fact requires an increase in the efficiency and complexity of their legal protection, which is the subject of this thesis. The aim of the first part of this thesis is to describe the national legal regulation of watercourses protection in the context of European and international law. At present, national and international legislation is significantly influenced by European legislation provided by the Water Framework Directive. The first part pays attention to the instruments of national legislation, that are relevant to the second part of the work. The first aim of the second part of this thesis is to analyse the basic measures proposed in the two selected sub-basins in order to achieve the objectives of the Water Framework Directive, particularly the good water status. Following this analysis, the second aim is to find out what specific instruments the current legislation provides for the realization of the proposed measures and whether these...

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de NÃvel Superior / A pesquisa foi conduzida em casa de vegetaÃÃo no Campus do Pici da Universidade Federal do CearÃ, no perÃodo de janeiro a marÃo de 2006, com o objetivo de estudar a resposta das culturas da mamona (Ricinus communis L.), gergelim (Sesamum indicum L.) e amendoim (Arachis hypogaea L.) a ciclos de deficiÃncia hÃdrica na fase de crescimento vegetativo. Foi avaliado o comportamento de duas cultivares de cada espÃcie, a saber: amendoim, cultivares PI 165317 (grupo âSpanishâ) e 57422 (grupo VirgÃnia); gergelim, cultivares CNPA-G3 e CNPA-G4 e mamona, cultivares Mirante e BRS 149 Nordestina. As sementes foram semeadas em tubos de PVC com 100 cm de comprimento e 15 cm de diÃmetro, em solo de textura arenosa. As cultivares foram submetidas a dois regimes hÃdricos - irrigaÃÃo diÃria e ciclos de deficiÃncia hÃdrica. Foram determinadas variÃveis relativas Ãs condiÃÃes hÃdricas da planta, trocas gasosas, crescimento da parte aÃrea e crescimento e estratificaÃÃo do sistema radicular. A colheita das plantas ocorreu aos 50, 55, 56 dias apÃs o plantio para as culturas do gergelim, amendoim e mamona, respectivamente. As variÃveis potencial hÃdrico, conteÃdo relativo de Ãgua, transpiraÃÃo foliar, fotossÃntese foliar e condutÃncia estomÃtica foram reduzidas nas trÃs culturas em resposta aos ciclos de deficiÃncia hÃdrica. A relaÃÃo entre a temperatura foliar e a ambiente aumentou em resposta ao estresse aplicado. O uso eficiente de Ãgua nÃo foi alterado nas culturas da mamona e amendoim, apresentando reduÃÃo significativa no gergelim em resposta ao dÃficit hÃdrico. A matÃria seca da parte aÃrea, das raÃzes e total, bem assim o volume radicular foram reduzidos em todas as espÃcies em resposta ao dÃficit hÃdrico. A relaÃÃo raiz/parte aÃrea aumentou em resposta ao estresse hÃdrico nas culturas do amendoim e gergelim, enquanto na mamona essa relaÃÃo permaneceu inalterada. O amendoim apresentou a menor partiÃÃo de matÃria seca para as raÃzes; o gergelim ficou numa posiÃÃo intermediÃria e a mamona destinou a maior proporÃÃo de biomassa para as raÃzes. O amendoim apresentou a maior modificaÃÃo da estratificaÃÃo do sistema radicular em resposta ao dÃficit hÃdrico, com um maior aprofundamento das raÃzes. A mamona apresentou a menor resposta e o gergelim ficou numa posiÃÃo intermediÃria. Independentemente do regime hÃdrico as trÃs culturas apresentaram maior proporÃÃo do sistema radicular nos primeiros 25 cm de solo. O nÃmero de folhas e a Ãrea foliar foram reduzidos nas trÃs espÃcies em resposta ao dÃficit hÃdrico. / A greenhouse research was carried out at the Universidade Federal do CearÃ, Campus do Pici, from January to March 2006, with the objectives of studying the response of castorbean (Ricinus communis L.), sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) to cycles of water deficit in the early vegetative growth phase. The following cultivars for each crop were evaluated: peanut cultivars PI 165317 (group Spanish) and 57422 (group Virginia); sesame CNPA G3 and CNPA G4; and castorbean Mirante and BRS 149 Nordestina. The seeds were planted in PVC tubes 100 cm log and 10 cm wide, filled with sand soil. The cultivars received two water regime treatments: daily irrigation and cycles of water stress. Several variables were determined relative to plant water status, gas exchange, top and root growth and root system distribution in the soil profile. Plant harvest was accomplished at 50, 55 and 56 days after planting for sesame, peanut and castorbean, respectively. The variables water potential, relative water content, leaf transpiration, leaf photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were reduced in all three crops in response to water stress. The relation between leaf and ambient temperature increased in response to water stress. The water use efficiency was not affected by the stress imposed in castorbean and peanut. On the other hand, in sesame this variable decreased in response to water stress. Tops, roots and total dry matter as well as the root system volume were reduced in all species in response to water stress. Root shoot ratio increased in response to water stress for sesame and peanut, while for castorbean this relation remained unchanged. Among the crops studied, peanut plants had the smallest dry matter partition to the roots; sesame stayed in an intermediary position and castorbean partitioned the higher proportion of dry matter to roots. Peanut showed a large modification in the root system stratification in response to the water stress, with the increase of proportion of the root system in the deep soil. Castorbean showed the smaller response as far as deepening of the root system and sesame retained an intermediary position. All three crops, no matter the water regime was, had the most proportion of the root system in the first 25 cm layer of soil. The leaf number and leaf area were reduced in the three species in response to water stress.

Irrigation needs to be applied to soils in relatively humid regions such as western Kentucky to supply water for crop uptake to optimize and stabilize yields. Characterization of soil and crop variability at the field scale is needed to apply site specific management and to optimize water application. The objective of this work is to propose a characterization and modeling of soil and crop processes to improve irrigation management. Through an analysis of spatial and temporal behavior of soil and crop variables the variability in the field was identified. Integrative analysis of soil, crop, proximal and remote sensing data was utilized. A set of direct and indirect measurements that included soil texture, electrical conductivity (EC), soil chemical properties (pH, organic matter, N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Zn), NDVI, topographic variables, were measured in a silty loam soil near Princeton, Kentucky. Maps of measured properties were developed using kriging, and cokriging. Different approaches and two cluster methods (FANNY and CLARA) with selected variables were applied to identify management zones. Optimal scenarios were achieved with dividing the entire field into 2 or 3 areas. Spatial variability in the field is strongly influenced by topography and clay content. Using Root Zone Water Quality Model 2.0 (RZWQM), soil water tension was modeled and predicted at different zones based on the previous delineated zones. Soil water tension was measured at three depths (20, 40 and 60 cm) during different seasons (20016 and 2017) under wheat and corn. Temporal variations in soil water were driven mainly by precipitation but the behavior is different among management zones. The zone with higher clay content tends to dry out faster between rainfall events and reveals higher fluctuations in water tension even at greater depth. The other zones are more stable at the lower depth and share more similarities in their cyclic patterns. The model predictions were satisfactory in the surface layer but the accuracy decreased in deeper layers. A study of clay mineralogy was performed to explore field spatial differences based on the map classification. kaolinite, vermiculite, HIV and smectite are among the identified minerals. The clayey area presents higher quantity of some of the clay minerals. All these results show the ability to identify and characterize the field spatial variability, combining easily obtainable data under realistic farm conditions. This information can be utilized to manage resources more effectively through site specific application.

Submitted by Jordan (jordanbiblio@gmail.com) on 2017-05-05T13:55:14Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISS_2015_Magdiel Josias do Prado.pdf: 1377746 bytes, checksum: c0558030ad829d4b3388055267457759 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Jordan (jordanbiblio@gmail.com) on 2017-05-18T16:23:32Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DISS_2015_Magdiel Josias do Prado.pdf: 1377746 bytes, checksum: c0558030ad829d4b3388055267457759 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-18T16:23:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISS_2015_Magdiel Josias do Prado.pdf: 1377746 bytes, checksum: c0558030ad829d4b3388055267457759 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-23 / CNPq / O Pantanal norte de Mato Grosso é caracterizado por quatro períodos sazonais: a enchente, a cheia, a vazante e a seca. Esses períodos determinam uma intensa variação na disponibilidade de água e no grau de oxigenação do solo da região, agindo como um filtro seletivo que permite que somente as espécies com capacidade de adaptação consigam ali sobreviver. Considerando esses aspectos, o objetivo com esta pesquisa foi o de analisar a capacidade adaptativa de duas espécies do gênero Combretum, o C. lanceolatum Pohl ex Eickl e o C. laxum Jacq, que figuram como espécies invasoras na região. Dois aspectos fisiológicos foram levados em consideração para tal avaliação, o intercâmbio gasoso e as relações hídricas. Para ambos os aspectos analisados foram medidas as variáveis inerentes em cada um dos quatro períodos sazonais. Para as medições de intercâmbio gasoso foi utilizado um analisador de gás infravermelho portátil, modelo LI-6400 (LI-COR, Inc., Lincoln, NE, USA) e para análise das relações hídricas foi utilizado uma bomba de pressão do tipo Scholander. Observou-se que a sazonalidade climática, afetou de forma particular o intercambio gasoso das espécies em estudo. Apesar de ambas as espécies ocorrerem de forma extensiva no Pantanal, o que por si é um indicador da adaptabilidade das mesmas ao local, as estratégias fisiológicas adotadas pelas mesmas são diferentes. Do ponto de vista da assimilação do carbono, enquanto o período de vazante causa redução na taxa fotossintética de C. lanceolatum, é o período seco que causa esse mesmo efeito no C. laxum. Enquanto a redução na taxa fotossintética líquida no C. laxum pode estar associada a um efeito estomático, porque nesse período, independentemente das espécies, é quando se verifica o menor valor da condutância estomática; para o C. lanceolatum a redução deve estar mais relacionada com aspectos não estomáticos. Nas relações hídricas observou-se que a capacidade de ressaturação de ambas as espécies variou com a sazonalidade, sendo mais efetivos durante os períodos de enchente e cheia e menos efetivos durante a vazante e a seca. Ambas as espécies não apresentaram variações significativas do conteúdo relativo de água a plena turgência e do módulo volumétrico de elasticidade da parede celular. As variações no potencial osmótico à turgescência plena e à turgescência insipiente não revelam claramente a busca por um ajuste sazonal dessas variáveis. Aparentemente a relativa constância dos valores das variáveis das relações hídricas verificada para ambas as espécies ao longo dos períodos sazonais sugere uma adaptação à qualquer variação extrema na disponibilidade de água no ambiente. / The North Pantanal of Mato Grosso is characterized by four seasonal periods: the flood, full, the ebb and dry. These periods determine an intense variation in water availability and the degree of oxygenation of the soil of the region, acting as a selective filter that allows only the species with adaptability able to survive there. Considering these aspects, the aim of this study was to analyze the adaptive capacity of two species of the genus Combretum, C. lanceolatum Pohl ex Eickl and C. laxum Jacq, listed as invasive species in the region. Two physiological aspects were taken into account in this assessment, the gas exchange and water relations. For both aspects analyzed were measured variables inherent in each of the four seasonal periods. For gas exchange, measurement was performed using a portable infrared gas analyzer, Model LI-6400 (Li-COR Inc., Lincoln, NE, USA) and water relations analysis was used a pressure type pump Scholander. It was observed that the seasonality, affected in a particular way the gas exchange of the species studied. Although both species occur extensively in the Pantanal, which in itself is an indicator of the adaptability of the same location, the physiological strategies adopted by them are different. Carbon assimilation of view, while the ebb period causes a reduction in photosynthetic rate of C. lanceolatum, is the dry season, which causes the same effect on C. laxum. While the reduction in net photosynthetic rate in C. laxum may be associated with a stomatal effect because this period, regardless of species, when there is the lowest value of stomatal conductance; for C. lanceolatum the reduction must be more related to aspects not stomatal. In water relations noted that the resaturation capacity of both species with varied seasonally, being more effective during flood periods and full and less effective during ebb tide and dried. Both species showed no significant changes in relative water content at full turgor and bulk modulus of elasticity of the cell wall. Changes in osmotic potential at full turgor and swelling incipient not clearly reveal the search for a seasonal adjustment of these variables. Apparently, the relative constancy of variable water relations values observed for both species along seasonal periods suggests an adaptation to any extreme variation in water availability in the environment.