IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agiwat/v227y2020ics037837741930959x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Characterization of water use and productivity dynamics across four C3 and C4 row crops under optimal growth conditions

Author

Listed:
  • Kukal, M.S.
  • Irmak, S.

Abstract

Crop selection in irrigated conditions entails characterization of crop water use and productivity dynamics under limited freshwater availability in a changing climate and environment. There is ample scope to optimally irrigate row crops, given the associated economic returns under full irrigation, and relatively non-alarming groundwater declines to require limited irrigation, at least in many parts of the United States, including Nebraska. However, a fair and careful comparative assessment of cereal row crops for their efficiency of water use and associated metrics under optimal growth conditions is lacking. We conducted field research in semi-arid south central Nebraska during 2016–2018 to comprehensively characterize water use and productivity dynamics in four major C3 (soybean and winter wheat) and C4 [maize (long season or L.S. and shorter season or S.S.) and sorghum] crops under consistent and well-managed conditions. Crop-specific signatures were found in seasonal profiles of total soil-water and soil-water depletion. The highest seasonal total evapotranspiration (ETa) was demonstrated by winter wheat (604 mm), followed by L.S. maize (594 mm), soybean (591 mm), S.S. maize (547 mm), and sorghum (518 mm). Normalization and scaling of ETa was accomplished so as to better reflect comparative ETa per unit of heat accumulation (thermal units or TU). ETa was also studied relative to evaporative demand using single and basal crop coefficients (Kc and Kcb, respectively). Consequently, empirical functions were developed for Kc and Kcb using base-scales of days after emergence, cumulative TU (CTU), and normalized CTU. Crop-specific sensitivity of Kcb to morphological area was studied. Crop water productivity based on grain yield (WPGY) and aboveground biomass (WPAGB) was quantified and it was found that the two C4 crops were 89% more water-efficient than their C3 counterparts. Finally, the importance of VPD to explain the variability and improve prediction of WPAGB in various crops was established.

Suggested Citation

  • Kukal, M.S. & Irmak, S., 2020. "Characterization of water use and productivity dynamics across four C3 and C4 row crops under optimal growth conditions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:227:y:2020:i:c:s037837741930959x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2019.105840
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037837741930959X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agwat.2019.105840?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. P. C. D. Milly & K. A. Dunne & A. V. Vecchia, 2005. "Global pattern of trends in streamflow and water availability in a changing climate," Nature, Nature, vol. 438(7066), pages 347-350, November.
    2. Payero, J.O. & Tarkalson, D.D. & Irmak, S. & Davison, D. & Petersen, J.L., 2009. "Effect of timing of a deficit-irrigation allocation on corn evapotranspiration, yield, water use efficiency and dry mass," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(10), pages 1387-1397, October.
    3. Payero, José O. & Tarkalson, David D. & Irmak, Suat & Davison, Don & Petersen, James L., 2008. "Effect of irrigation amounts applied with subsurface drip irrigation on corn evapotranspiration, yield, water use efficiency, and dry matter production in a semiarid climate," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 95(8), pages 895-908, August.
    4. Kang, Shaozhong & Gu, Binjie & Du, Taisheng & Zhang, Jianhua, 2003. "Crop coefficient and ratio of transpiration to evapotranspiration of winter wheat and maize in a semi-humid region," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 59(3), pages 239-254, April.
    5. Payero, Jose O. & Melvin, Steven R. & Irmak, Suat & Tarkalson, David, 2006. "Yield response of corn to deficit irrigation in a semiarid climate," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 84(1-2), pages 101-112, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kukal, Meetpal S. & Irmak, Suat, 2022. "Nocturnal transpiration in field crops: Implications for temporal aggregation and diurnal weighing of vapor pressure deficit," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    2. Sharma, Kiran & Irmak, Suat & Kukal, Meetpal S., 2021. "Propagation of soil moisture sensing uncertainty into estimation of total soil water, evapotranspiration and irrigation decision-making," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    3. Huanyuan Wang & Baoguo Li & Liang Jin & Kelin Hu, 2020. "Exploring a Sustainable Cropping System in the North China Plain Using a Modelling Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-16, June.
    4. Kukal, M.S. & Irmak, S., 2020. "Impact of irrigation on interannual variability in United States agricultural productivity," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kukal, M.S. & Irmak, S., 2020. "Impact of irrigation on interannual variability in United States agricultural productivity," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    2. Qin, Shujing & Li, Sien & Kang, Shaozhong & Du, Taisheng & Tong, Ling & Ding, Risheng & Wang, Yahui & Guo, Hui, 2019. "Transpiration of female and male parents of seed maize in northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 397-409.
    3. Zou, Haiyang & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Fucang & Xiang, Youzhen & Wu, Lifeng & Yan, Shicheng, 2020. "Optimization of drip irrigation and fertilization regimes for high grain yield, crop water productivity and economic benefits of spring maize in Northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    4. Mohammed, Ali T. & Irmak, Suat, 2022. "Maize response to irrigation and nitrogen under center pivot, subsurface drip and furrow irrigation: Water productivity, basal evapotranspiration and yield response factors," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).
    5. Rivera-Hernández, B. & Carrillo-Ávila, E. & Obrador-Olán, J.J. & Juárez-López, J.F. & Aceves-Navarro, L.A., 2010. "Morphological quality of sweet corn (Zea mays L.) ears as response to soil moisture tension and phosphate fertilization in Campeche, Mexico," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(9), pages 1365-1374, September.
    6. DeJonge, K.C. & Ascough, J.C. & Andales, A.A. & Hansen, N.C. & Garcia, L.A. & Arabi, M., 2012. "Improving evapotranspiration simulations in the CERES-Maize model under limited irrigation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 92-103.
    7. Irmak, Suat & Sharma, Vasudha & Haghverdi, Amir & Jhala, Amit & Payero, José O. & Drudik, Matthew, 2021. "Maize Crop Coefficients under Variable and Fixed (Uniform) Rate Irrigation and Conventional and Variable Rate Fertilizer Management in Three Soil Types," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    8. Murley, Cameron B. & Sharma, Sumit & Warren, Jason G. & Arnall, Daryl B. & Raun, William R., 2018. "Yield response of corn and grain sorghum to row offsets on subsurface drip laterals," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 357-362.
    9. Comas, Louise H. & Trout, Thomas J. & DeJonge, Kendall C. & Zhang, Huihui & Gleason, Sean M., 2019. "Water productivity under strategic growth stage-based deficit irrigation in maize," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 433-440.
    10. Tarkalson, David D. & King, Bradley A. & Bjorneberg, Dave L., 2022. "Maize grain yield and crop water productivity functions in the arid Northwest U.S," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    11. Nakabuye, Hope Njuki & Rudnick, Daran & DeJonge, Kendall C. & Lo, Tsz Him & Heeren, Derek & Qiao, Xin & Franz, Trenton E. & Katimbo, Abia & Duan, Jiaming, 2022. "Real-time irrigation scheduling of maize using Degrees Above Non-Stressed (DANS) index in semi-arid environment," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 274(C).
    12. Mukherjee, A. & Kundu, M. & Sarkar, S., 2010. "Role of irrigation and mulch on yield, evapotranspiration rate and water use pattern of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.)," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(1), pages 182-189, December.
    13. Karandish, Fatemeh & Šimůnek, Jiří, 2016. "A field-modeling study for assessing temporal variations of soil-water-crop interactions under water-saving irrigation strategies," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 291-303.
    14. Rudnick, D.R. & Irmak, S. & Djaman, K. & Sharma, V., 2017. "Impact of irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer rate on soil water trends and maize evapotranspiration during the vegetative and reproductive periods," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 77-84.
    15. Benjamin, J.G. & Nielsen, D.C. & Vigil, M.F. & Mikha, M.M. & Calderon, F., 2015. "Cumulative deficit irrigation effects on corn biomass and grain yield under two tillage systems," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 107-114.
    16. Wu, Yang & Jia, Zhikuan & Ren, Xiaolong & Zhang, Yan & Chen, Xin & Bing, Haoyang & Zhang, Peng, 2015. "Effects of ridge and furrow rainwater harvesting system combined with irrigation on improving water use efficiency of maize (Zea mays L.) in semi-humid area of China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 1-9.
    17. Sharma, Vasudha & Irmak, Suat, 2021. "Comparative analyses of variable and fixed rate irrigation and nitrogen management for maize in different soil types: Part II. Growth, grain yield, evapotranspiration, production functions and water p," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    18. Mansouri-Far, Cyrus & Modarres Sanavy, Seyed Ali Mohammad & Saberali, Seyed Farhad, 2010. "Maize yield response to deficit irrigation during low-sensitive growth stages and nitrogen rate under semi-arid climatic conditions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(1), pages 12-22, January.
    19. Tarkalson, David D. & King, Bradley A. & Bjorneberg, Dave L., 2018. "Yield production functions of irrigated sugarbeet in an arid climate," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 1-9.
    20. Manning, Dale T. & Lurbé, Salvador & Comas, Louise H. & Trout, Thomas J. & Flynn, Nora & Fonte, Steven J., 2018. "Economic viability of deficit irrigation in the Western US," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 114-123.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    C3 crops; C4 crops; Crop coefficients; Evapotranspiration; Crop water productivity; Maize; Sorghum; Soybean; Wheat;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C3 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables
    • C4 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:227:y:2020:i:c:s037837741930959x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/agwat .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.