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Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering

ISSN 2095-7505

ISSN 2095-977X(Online)

CN 10-1204/S

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Front. Agr. Sci. Eng.    2018, Vol. 5 Issue (2) : 188-196    https://doi.org/10.15302/J-FASE-2017176
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Alternate partial root-zone irrigation with high irrigation frequency improves root growth and reduces unproductive water loss by apple trees in arid north-west China
Shaoqing DU1, Ling TONG1(), Shaozhong KANG1, Fusheng LI2, Taisheng DU1, Sien LI1, Risheng DING1
1. Center for Agricultural Water Research in China, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
2. College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China
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Abstract

Alternate partial root-zone irrigation (APRI) can improve water use efficiency in arid areas. However, the effectiveness and outcomes of different frequencies of APRI on water uptake capacity and physiological water use have not been reported. A two-year field experiment was conducted with two irrigation amounts (400 and 500 mm) and three irrigation methods (conventional irrigation, APRI with high and low frequencies). Root length density, stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, leaf water use efficiency, midday stem and leaf water potentials were measured. The results show that in comparison with conventional irrigation, APRI with high frequency significantly increased root length density and decreased water potentials and stomatal conductance. No differences in the above indicators between the two APRI frequencies were detected. A significantly positive relationship between stomatal conductance and root length density was found under APRI. Overall, alternate partial root-zone irrigation with high frequency has a great potential to promote root growth, expand water uptake capacity and reduce unproductive water loss in the arid apple production area.
Keywords alternate partial root-zone irrigation      apple tree      leaf water use efficiency      root length density      stomatal conductance      water potential     
Corresponding Author(s): Ling TONG   
Just Accepted Date: 08 November 2017   Online First Date: 28 December 2017    Issue Date: 28 May 2018
 Cite this article:   
Shaoqing DU,Ling TONG,Shaozhong KANG, et al. Alternate partial root-zone irrigation with high irrigation frequency improves root growth and reduces unproductive water loss by apple trees in arid north-west China[J]. Front. Agr. Sci. Eng. , 2018, 5(2): 188-196.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fase/EN/10.15302/J-FASE-2017176
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fase/EN/Y2018/V5/I2/188
Fig.1  Seasonal variations of net radiation (Rn) and precipitation (Precip) over the entire 2013 and 2014 growth seasons
Irrigation amount/mm Irrigation method Trunk diameter/mm Bark depth/mm Radius of sapwood/mm Radius of heartwood/mm
400 CI 269 6.0 128 76
251 6.3 111 45
263 7.0 142 48
PRIH 267 5.9 126 70
279 7.1 135 75
245 5.8 123 61
PRIL 252 6.0 120 68
287 7.9 129 58
239 6.0 119 62
500 CI 247 5.0 118 67
275 8.0 141 65
259 5.3 135 55
PRIH 266 6.2 126 54
258 6.0 125 45
281 7.3 131 55
PRIL 263 5.6 125 44
279 7.5 121 54
249 6.4 105 48
Average 263 6.4 126 58
Maximum 287 8.0 141 76
Minimum 245 5.0 105 44
Tab.1  Trunk diameter, bark depth, radii of sapwood and heartwood of apple trees used for field experiment
Year Amount/mm Method Detail
No. of times Quota/mm Date
2013 400 CI 4 100.0 26 April, 31 May, 27 June, 1 August
PRIH 8 50.0 26 April, 13 May, 31 May, 19 June, 27 June, 14 July, 1 August, 17 August
PRIL 4 100.0 26 April, 31 May, 27 June, 1 August
500 CI 4 125.0 26 April, 31 May, 27 June, 1 August
PRIH 8 62.5 26 April, 13 May, 31 May, 19 June, 27 June, 14 July, 1 August, 17 August
PRIL 4 125.0 26 April, 31 May, 27 June, 1 August
2014 400 CI 4 100.0 25 April, 5 June, 13 July, 7 August
PRIH 8 50.0 25 April, 24 May, 5 June, 26 June, 13 July, 29 July, 7 August, 31 August
PRIL 4 100.0 25 April, 5 June, 13 July, 7 August
500 CI 4 125.0 25 April, 5 June, 13 July, 7 August
PRIH 8 62.5 25 April, 24 May, 5 June, 26 June, 13 July, 29 July, 7 August, 31 August
PRIL 4 125.0 25 April, 5 June, 13 July, 7 August
Tab.2  Irrigation times, quota and date for different treatments
Fig.2  Description of subplot isolation by impermeable film and ridges, and the positions of soil cores. To avoid the exchange of water and nutrients between neighboring subplots, impermeable film (1.5 m deep, 3.0 m wide and 3.0 m long) was installed around the trees with a ridge (0.3 m high) formed at ground level (A). In addition, to avoid the movement of water and nutrients between the wet and dry areas, the APRI plots were divided into two equal subplots by impermeable film (0.5 m deep) with a ridge (0.3 m high) formed at ground level (B).
Source DF RLD gs Pn Tr WUEleaf Ystem Yleaf
IA 1 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 0.984 <0.001 <0.001
IM 2 <0.05 <0.001 <0.05 <0.01 0.488 <0.001 <0.001
Tab.3  Probabilities (P) of different treatment
Fig.3  Root length density (RLD) (a) and stomatal conductance (gs) (b) during the whole growth season as affected by year, irrigation amount and irrigation method. Bars labeled with different letters are significantly different (P<0.05) and with the same letter are not significantly different (P≥0.05). Error bars indicate standard error of means. CI, conventional irrigation; PRIH, alternate partial root-zone irrigation with high irrigation frequency; PRIL, alternate partial root-zone irrigation with low irrigation frequency.
Fig.4  Relationship between stomatal conductance (gs) and root length density (RLD) during the entire 2013 and 2014 growth seasons. CI, conventional irrigation; PRIH, alternate partial root-zone irrigation with high irrigation frequency; PRIL, alternate partial root-zone irrigation with low irrigation frequency; * P<0.05, **P<0.01, and ***P<0.001.
Fig.5  Photosynthetic rate (Pn) (a), transpiration rate (Tr) (b) and leaf water use efficiency (WUEleaf) (c) during the whole growth season as affected by year, irrigation amount and irrigation method. Bars labeled with different letters are significantly different (P<0.05) and with the same letter are not significantly different (P≥0.05). Error bars indicate standard error of means. CI, conventional irrigation; PRIH, alternate partial root-zone irrigation with high irrigation frequency; and PRIL, alternate partial root-zone irrigation with low irrigation frequency.
Fig.6  Midday stem and leaf water potentials [Ystem (a) and Yleaf (b)] during the whole growth season as affected by year, irrigation amount and irrigation method. Bars labeled with different letters are significantly different (P<0.05), and with the same letter are not significantly different (P≥0.05). Error bars indicate standard error of means. CI, conventional irrigation; PRIH, alternate partial root-zone irrigation with high irrigation frequency; and PRIL, alternate partial root-zone irrigation with low irrigation frequency.
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