Vegetable Crops Grown under High Soil Water Availability in Mediterranean Greenhouses
The soil water availability of six vegetable crop cycles, irrigated with water of 0.4 dS m<sup>−1</sup> electrical conductivity, was modified by varying the irrigation frequency in typical Mediterranean greenhouses at SE Spain. The soil matric water potential (SMP) in the middle of the l...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-04-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/4/1110 |
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| author | Santiago Bonachela Alicia M. González María D. Fernández Francisco J. Cabrera-Corral |
| author_facet | Santiago Bonachela Alicia M. González María D. Fernández Francisco J. Cabrera-Corral |
| author_sort | Santiago Bonachela |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The soil water availability of six vegetable crop cycles, irrigated with water of 0.4 dS m<sup>−1</sup> electrical conductivity, was modified by varying the irrigation frequency in typical Mediterranean greenhouses at SE Spain. The soil matric water potential (SMP) in the middle of the loamy soil layer where most roots usually grow was maintained between −10 and −20 kPa (H), −20 and −30 kPa (C), and −30 and −50 kPa (L) for the crops grown under high, conventional and low soil water availability, respectively, while the total irrigation water applied was similar for the three treatments. The high soil water availability (H) did not improve the fresh weight of total, marketable and first class fruits, or the shoot biomass and partitioning. The irrigation frequency did not affect the total root biomass at the end of the autumn–winter cucumber, but the crop under L distributed its root biomass more homogenously throughout the soil profile than the crop under H. Regulating the soil water availability (maintaining the SMP higher than or close to the level at which crop water stress may occur) over the cycle as a function of crop conditions or farmers’ requirements appears to be a useful management practice for controlling soil root distribution or shoot partitioning. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:28:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2d3daa5b5c504217835175db065214aa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:28:49Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-2d3daa5b5c504217835175db065214aa2023-11-19T21:31:48ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412020-04-01124111010.3390/w12041110Vegetable Crops Grown under High Soil Water Availability in Mediterranean GreenhousesSantiago Bonachela0Alicia M. González1María D. Fernández2Francisco J. Cabrera-Corral3Departament de Agronomy, Research Centre for Mediterranean Intensive Agrosystems and Agri-Food Biotechnology (CIAMBITAL), Campus of International Excellence in Agri-Food (ceiA3), University of Almería, 04120 Almería, SpainCajamar Foundation research station “Las Palmerillas”, Cajamar Caja Rural, Paraje Las Palmerillas 25, El Ejido, 04710 Almería, SpainCajamar Foundation research station “Las Palmerillas”, Cajamar Caja Rural, Paraje Las Palmerillas 25, El Ejido, 04710 Almería, SpainDepartament de Agronomy, Research Centre for Mediterranean Intensive Agrosystems and Agri-Food Biotechnology (CIAMBITAL), Campus of International Excellence in Agri-Food (ceiA3), University of Almería, 04120 Almería, SpainThe soil water availability of six vegetable crop cycles, irrigated with water of 0.4 dS m<sup>−1</sup> electrical conductivity, was modified by varying the irrigation frequency in typical Mediterranean greenhouses at SE Spain. The soil matric water potential (SMP) in the middle of the loamy soil layer where most roots usually grow was maintained between −10 and −20 kPa (H), −20 and −30 kPa (C), and −30 and −50 kPa (L) for the crops grown under high, conventional and low soil water availability, respectively, while the total irrigation water applied was similar for the three treatments. The high soil water availability (H) did not improve the fresh weight of total, marketable and first class fruits, or the shoot biomass and partitioning. The irrigation frequency did not affect the total root biomass at the end of the autumn–winter cucumber, but the crop under L distributed its root biomass more homogenously throughout the soil profile than the crop under H. Regulating the soil water availability (maintaining the SMP higher than or close to the level at which crop water stress may occur) over the cycle as a function of crop conditions or farmers’ requirements appears to be a useful management practice for controlling soil root distribution or shoot partitioning.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/4/1110crop evapotranspirationcrop yieldirrigation frequencyroot biomasssoil matric potentialwater deficit |
| spellingShingle | Santiago Bonachela Alicia M. González María D. Fernández Francisco J. Cabrera-Corral Vegetable Crops Grown under High Soil Water Availability in Mediterranean Greenhouses Water crop evapotranspiration crop yield irrigation frequency root biomass soil matric potential water deficit |
| title | Vegetable Crops Grown under High Soil Water Availability in Mediterranean Greenhouses |
| title_full | Vegetable Crops Grown under High Soil Water Availability in Mediterranean Greenhouses |
| title_fullStr | Vegetable Crops Grown under High Soil Water Availability in Mediterranean Greenhouses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Vegetable Crops Grown under High Soil Water Availability in Mediterranean Greenhouses |
| title_short | Vegetable Crops Grown under High Soil Water Availability in Mediterranean Greenhouses |
| title_sort | vegetable crops grown under high soil water availability in mediterranean greenhouses |
| topic | crop evapotranspiration crop yield irrigation frequency root biomass soil matric potential water deficit |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/4/1110 |
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