Skip to main content
Log in

Soil water depletion in irrigated mature pecans under contrasting soil textures for arid Southern New Mexico

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Irrigation Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Relationship between plant water stress and soil water depletion (SWD) is not investigated thoroughly for irrigated pecans of southern New Mexico. In this study, transient soil water contents, rootzone SWD, and midday stem water potential (SWP) were monitored in mature pecan orchards in sandy loam (Site 1) and silty clay loam (Site 2) soils near Las Cruces, New Mexico. Corresponding to transient variations of soil water content at different depths, daily SWD varied with soil depth but not spatially. The SWD within the rootzone (0–80 cm) was higher in the shallow depths (0–40 cm) where root length density (RLD) was also higher than in the deeper depths (40–80 cm). The SWD at Site 1 was higher compared to Site 2 due to the higher clay content of the latter. The SWD patterns at outside the tree driplines were similar to those under-canopy locations because of similar RLD at the shallow depths. At both pecan orchards, differences in SWP at 2.5, 4.5, and 7.6 m tree heights were evident particularly 10–14 days after irrigation. This was due to the stress caused by decreasing soil water contents at different depths, which were generally significantly correlated with SWP. Midday air temperature was as useful as midday atmospheric vapor pressure deficit for interpreting SWP. Combined influence of soil water content (0–40 cm) and air temperature on midday SWP was significant at both orchards, which can be used as an adjunct for the clear interpretation of SWP to help refine irrigation scheduling.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen RG, Pereira LS, Raes D, Smith M (1998) Crop evapotranspiration: guidelines for computing crop water requirements. Irrig Drain Paper 56. UN-FAO, Rome, Italy

  • Baier W, Robertson GW (1968) The performance of soil moisture estimates as compared with the direct use of climatological data for estimating crop yields. Agric Meteorol 5:17–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Begg JE, Turner NC (1970) Water potential gradients in field tobacco. Plant Physiol 46:343–346

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blake GR, Hartge KH (1986) Bulk density. In: Klute A (ed) Methods of soil analysis, Part 1, Agron Monogr 9 Am Soc Agron and Soil Sci Soc Am, 2nd edn. Madison, Wisconsin, pp 363–375

    Google Scholar 

  • Böhm W (1979) Methods of studying root systems (Ecological studies volume 33). Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell Scientific Inc (2006) CS616 and CS625 Water Content Reflectometers, Revision 8/06. Campbell Scientific http://www.campbellsci.com/documents/manuals/cs616.pdf. Accessed 17 May 2010

  • Choné X, van Leeuwen C, Dubourdieu D, Gaudillère JP (2001) Stem water potential is a sensitive indicator of grapevine water status. Ann Bot 87:477–483

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clausnitzer V, Hopmans JW (1994) Simultaneous modeling of transient three–dimensional root growth and soil water flow. Plant Soil 164:299–314

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clothier BE, Green SR (1997) Roots: the big movers of water and chemicals in soil. Soil Sci 162:534–543

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • de Jong R, Bootsma A (1996) Review of recent developments in soil water simulation models. Can J Soil Sci 76:263–273

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fereres E, Goldhamer DA (1990) Deciduous fruit and nut trees. In: Stewart BA, Nielsen DR (eds) Irrigation of agricultural crops. Agron No 30 Am Soc Agron. Madison, Wisconsin, pp 987–1017

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardner WR (1960) Dynamic aspects of water availability to plants. Soil Sci 80:63–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner WR (1964) Relation of root distribution to water uptake and availability. Agron J 56:41–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garnier E, Berger A (1985) Testing water potential in peach tree as an indicator of water stress. J Hortic Sci 60:47–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Gee GW, Bauder JW (1986) Particle–size analysis. In: Klute A (ed) Methods of soil analysis, Part 1, Agron Monogr 9 Am Soc Agron and Soil Sci Soc Am, 2nd edn. Madison, Wisconsin, pp 383–411

    Google Scholar 

  • Gile LH, Hawley JW, Grossman RB (1981) Soils and geomorphology in the basin and range area of southern New Mexico–Guide book to the Desert Project. Memoir 39. New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Socorro

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldhamer DA, Fereres E (2001) Simplified tree water status measurements can aid almond irrigation. Calif Agric 55:32–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grauke LJ (1991) Appropriate name for pecan. HortScience 26:1358

    Google Scholar 

  • Grimes DW, Williams LE (1990) Irrigation effects on plant water relations and productivity of Thompson seedless grapevines. Crop Sci 30:255–260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagan RM, Vaadia Y, Russel MB (1959) Interpretation of plant responses to soil moisture regimes. Advan Agron 11:77–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Intrigliolo DS, Castel JR (2004) Continuous measurement of plant and soil water status for irrigation scheduling in plum. Irrig Sci 23:93–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones HG (1990) Physiological aspects of the control of water status in horticultural crops. HortScience 25:19–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones HG (2004) Irrigation scheduling: advantages and pitfalls of plant–based methods. J Experim Bot 55:2427–2436

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klute A (1986) Water retention: laboratory methods. In: Klute A (ed) Methods of soil analysis, Part 1 Agron Monogr 9 Am Soc Agron and Soil Sci Soc Am, 2nd edn. Madison, Wisconsin, pp 635–662

    Google Scholar 

  • Klute A, Dirksen C (1986) Hydraulic conductivity and diffusivity: laboratory methods. In: Klute A (ed) Methods of soil analysis, Part 1 Agron Monogr 9 Am Soc Agron and Soil Sci Soc Am, 2nd edn. Madison, Wisconsin, pp 687–734

    Google Scholar 

  • Knipling EB (1967) Measurement of leaf water potential by the dye method. Ecology 48:1038–1040

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lal R, Shukla MK (2004) Principles of soil physics. Marcel Dekker, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Lampinen BD, Shackel KA, Soutwick SM, Olson WH, DeJong TM (2001) Leaf and canopy level photosynthetic responses of French prune (Prunus domestica L. ‘French’) to stem water potential based on deficit irrigation. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 79:638–644

    Google Scholar 

  • Lascano RJ, van Bavel CHM (1984) Root water uptake and soil water distribution: test of an available concept. Soil Sci Soc Am J 48:233–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marsal J, Mata M, del Campo J, Arbones A, Vallverdú X, Girona J, Olivo N (2008) Evaluation of partial root–zone drying for potential field use as a deficit irrigation technique in commercial vineyards according to two different pipeline layouts. Irrig Sci 26:347–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCutchan H, Shackel KA (1992) Stem–water potential as a sensitive indicator of water stress in prune trees (Prunus domestica L. cv. French). J Am Soc Hortic Sci 117:607–611

    Google Scholar 

  • Miyamoto S (1983) Consumptive water use of irrigated pecans. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 108:676–681

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray FW (1967) On the computation of saturation vapor pressure. J Appl Meterol 6:203–204

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naor A (1998) Relations between leaf and stem water potentials and stomata conductance in three field-grown woody species. J Hortic Sci Biotechnol 73:431–436

    Google Scholar 

  • Naor A, Gal Y, Peres M (2006) Inherent variability of a few water stress indicators in apple, nectarine and pear orchards, and the validity of a commercial leaf–selection procedure for water potential measurements. Irrig Sci 24:129–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira G, do Rosário M, van Noordwijk M, Gaze SR, Brouwer G, Bona S, Mosca G, Hairiah K (2000) Auger sampling, ingrowth cores and pinboard methods. In: Smit AL, Bengough AG, Engels C, van Noordwijk M, Pellerin S, van de Geijn SC (eds) Root methods: a handbook. Springer, Berlin, pp 176–210

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinones H, Ruelle P, Nemeth I (2003) Comparison of three calibration procedures for TDR soil moisture sensors. J Irrig and Drain 52:203–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sammis TW, Mexal JG, Miller D (2004) Evapotranspiration of flood-irrigated pecans. Agric Water Manag 69:179–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seyfried MS, Murdock MD (2001) Response of a new soil water sensor to variable soil, water content, and temperature. Soil Sci Soc Am J 65:28–34

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shackel KA, Ahmadi H, Biasi W, Buchner R, Godhamer D, Gurusinghe S, Hasey J, Kester D, Krueger B, Lampinen G, McGourty W, Micke W, Mitcham E, Olson B, Pelletrau K, Philips H, Ramos D, Schwankl L, Sibebett S, Southwick S, Stevenson M, Thorpe M, Weinbaum S, Yeager J (1997) Plant water status as an index of irrigation need in deciduous fruit trees. Hort Technol 7:23–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Smucker AJM, McBurney SL, Srivastava AK (1982) Quantitative separation of roots from compacted soil profiles by the hydropneumatic elutriation system. Agron J 74:500–503

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stevens RM, Harvey G, Aspinall D (1995) Grapevine growth of shoots and fruit linearly correlated with water stress indices based on root–weighted soil matric potential. Aust J Grape Wine Res 1:58–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams LE, Baeza P (2007) Relationships among ambient temperature and vapor pressure deficit and leaf and stem water potentials of fully irrigated, field–grown grapevines. Am J Enol Vitic 58:173–181

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Authors thank New Mexico State University Agricultural Experiment Station for support. The financial support from the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI), USDA–CSREES, is gratefully acknowledged. Authors appreciate the cooperation of Mr. Mid Ray Clark, the owner of the private pecan orchard (Site 1). Authors also thank Mr. Jeff Hamel, PMS Instrument Company, Albany, Oregon.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sanjit K. Deb.

Additional information

Communicated by K. Stone.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Deb, S.K., Shukla, M.K., Sharma, P. et al. Soil water depletion in irrigated mature pecans under contrasting soil textures for arid Southern New Mexico. Irrig Sci 31, 69–85 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-011-0293-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-011-0293-1

Keywords

Navigation