The pitfalls of water potential for irrigation scheduling

The water potential (Ψp), has been widely used as an indicator of plant water status for irrigation management purposes. The simple infrastructure needed for its measurement and its direct relation to basic plant physiological processes, have contributed to the popularity of the methodology. When used for irrigation scheduling, it is commonly assumed that an unavoidable relationship exists between plant transpiration (T), soil water content and Ψp. Nevertheless, it is worth remembering that variations in Ψp are not solely related to changes in soil water content, but are also an expression of the interaction between the plant and its environment. We used a soil-plant-atmosphere-continuum (SPAC) model to highlight the importance of considering such interactions through a series of in silico experiments. Our analysis shows that evaporative demand, the hydraulic architecture of the plant, and the texture and depth of the soil play key roles in the final Ψp observed. To establish irrigation programs based on Ψp, without considering the environmental and plant factors that influence it, can create the paradox of having a plant that suffers greater water stress even when high irrigation volumes are applied. The conclusions from our in silico analysis provide some warnings that should be considered when using Ψp to schedule irrigation.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: García-Tejera, Omar, López-Bernal, Álvaro, Orgaz Rosua, Francisco, Testi, Luca, Villalobos, Francisco J.
Other Authors: Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España)
Format: artículo biblioteca
Published: Elsevier 2021-01-01
Subjects:Water potential, Irrigation, Irrigation management, SPAC,
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/241334
http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003329
http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000780
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
id dig-ias-es-10261-241334
record_format koha
spelling dig-ias-es-10261-2413342021-05-21T01:30:00Z The pitfalls of water potential for irrigation scheduling García-Tejera, Omar López-Bernal, Álvaro Orgaz Rosua, Francisco Testi, Luca Villalobos, Francisco J. Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España) Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España) European Commission Water potential Irrigation Irrigation management SPAC The water potential (Ψp), has been widely used as an indicator of plant water status for irrigation management purposes. The simple infrastructure needed for its measurement and its direct relation to basic plant physiological processes, have contributed to the popularity of the methodology. When used for irrigation scheduling, it is commonly assumed that an unavoidable relationship exists between plant transpiration (T), soil water content and Ψp. Nevertheless, it is worth remembering that variations in Ψp are not solely related to changes in soil water content, but are also an expression of the interaction between the plant and its environment. We used a soil-plant-atmosphere-continuum (SPAC) model to highlight the importance of considering such interactions through a series of in silico experiments. Our analysis shows that evaporative demand, the hydraulic architecture of the plant, and the texture and depth of the soil play key roles in the final Ψp observed. To establish irrigation programs based on Ψp, without considering the environmental and plant factors that influence it, can create the paradox of having a plant that suffers greater water stress even when high irrigation volumes are applied. The conclusions from our in silico analysis provide some warnings that should be considered when using Ψp to schedule irrigation. This work was supported by project RTA2015-00089-C02-02 from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of the Spanish government and by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (No 730253). The authors would like to thank the “Juan de la Cierva Formación” funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [grant numbers FJCI-2017-34086 andFJCI-2015-24109] for providing the funds for Dr. Omar Garcia-Tejera and Dr. Alvaro Lopez-Bernal. 2021-05-20T13:40:11Z 2021-05-20T13:40:11Z 2021-01-01 2021-05-20T13:40:12Z artículo http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501 doi: 10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106522 e-issn: 0378-3774 Agricultural Water Management 243: 106522 (2021) http://hdl.handle.net/10261/241334 10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106522 http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003329 http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000780 #PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE# #PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE# #PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE# #PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE# info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/MINECO/Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2013-2016/RTA2015-00089-C02-02 info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/730253 info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/AEI/Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2017-2020/FJCI-2017-34086 info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/AEI/Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2017-2020/FJCI-2015-24109 Publisher's version http://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106522 Sí open Elsevier
institution IAS ES
collection DSpace
country España
countrycode ES
component Bibliográfico
access En linea
databasecode dig-ias-es
tag biblioteca
region Europa del Sur
libraryname Biblioteca del IAS España
topic Water potential
Irrigation
Irrigation management
SPAC
Water potential
Irrigation
Irrigation management
SPAC
spellingShingle Water potential
Irrigation
Irrigation management
SPAC
Water potential
Irrigation
Irrigation management
SPAC
García-Tejera, Omar
López-Bernal, Álvaro
Orgaz Rosua, Francisco
Testi, Luca
Villalobos, Francisco J.
The pitfalls of water potential for irrigation scheduling
description The water potential (Ψp), has been widely used as an indicator of plant water status for irrigation management purposes. The simple infrastructure needed for its measurement and its direct relation to basic plant physiological processes, have contributed to the popularity of the methodology. When used for irrigation scheduling, it is commonly assumed that an unavoidable relationship exists between plant transpiration (T), soil water content and Ψp. Nevertheless, it is worth remembering that variations in Ψp are not solely related to changes in soil water content, but are also an expression of the interaction between the plant and its environment. We used a soil-plant-atmosphere-continuum (SPAC) model to highlight the importance of considering such interactions through a series of in silico experiments. Our analysis shows that evaporative demand, the hydraulic architecture of the plant, and the texture and depth of the soil play key roles in the final Ψp observed. To establish irrigation programs based on Ψp, without considering the environmental and plant factors that influence it, can create the paradox of having a plant that suffers greater water stress even when high irrigation volumes are applied. The conclusions from our in silico analysis provide some warnings that should be considered when using Ψp to schedule irrigation.
author2 Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España)
author_facet Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España)
García-Tejera, Omar
López-Bernal, Álvaro
Orgaz Rosua, Francisco
Testi, Luca
Villalobos, Francisco J.
format artículo
topic_facet Water potential
Irrigation
Irrigation management
SPAC
author García-Tejera, Omar
López-Bernal, Álvaro
Orgaz Rosua, Francisco
Testi, Luca
Villalobos, Francisco J.
author_sort García-Tejera, Omar
title The pitfalls of water potential for irrigation scheduling
title_short The pitfalls of water potential for irrigation scheduling
title_full The pitfalls of water potential for irrigation scheduling
title_fullStr The pitfalls of water potential for irrigation scheduling
title_full_unstemmed The pitfalls of water potential for irrigation scheduling
title_sort pitfalls of water potential for irrigation scheduling
publisher Elsevier
publishDate 2021-01-01
url http://hdl.handle.net/10261/241334
http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003329
http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000780
work_keys_str_mv AT garciatejeraomar thepitfallsofwaterpotentialforirrigationscheduling
AT lopezbernalalvaro thepitfallsofwaterpotentialforirrigationscheduling
AT orgazrosuafrancisco thepitfallsofwaterpotentialforirrigationscheduling
AT testiluca thepitfallsofwaterpotentialforirrigationscheduling
AT villalobosfranciscoj thepitfallsofwaterpotentialforirrigationscheduling
AT garciatejeraomar pitfallsofwaterpotentialforirrigationscheduling
AT lopezbernalalvaro pitfallsofwaterpotentialforirrigationscheduling
AT orgazrosuafrancisco pitfallsofwaterpotentialforirrigationscheduling
AT testiluca pitfallsofwaterpotentialforirrigationscheduling
AT villalobosfranciscoj pitfallsofwaterpotentialforirrigationscheduling
_version_ 1777663310568620032