Directed Manipulation of Crop Water Status Through Canopy Temperature-based Irrigation Management

摘要

While the relationship between canopy temperature and plant water status is well established, canopy temperature as a means of controlling crop irrigation has been limited in production applications due to the cost and complexity of temperature monitoring. A new low-cost infrared thermometry system, coupled with the BIOTIC irrigation protocol of the USDA/ARS allows for a biologically-based, simple, reliable and affordable approach to crop irrigation that is well suited to production agriculture. Beyond meeting the crop's water "needs", this system has shown promise for an ability to actively manipulate the water status of the crop to achieve desirable outcomes (e.g. product quality and water savings) that results in water-management derived improvements in the profitability of agricultural systems. Results from field level studies of full irrigation and managed deficits will be presented.