Post on 25-Jul-2020
Deyanira Lobo1, Donald Gabriels2,
Duilio Torres3, Giovanni Depaola4
Arid and Semi Arid Development through Water Augmentation
December 13-17 2010, Valparaiso, Chile
1 Universidad Central de Venezuela, Facultad de Agronomía, 2 Ghent University, Department of Soil Management, UNESCO Chair on Eremology, Belgium
3 Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado Decanato de Agronomía, Venezuela4 Instituto Universitario de Tecnología de Maracaibo, Venezuela
Objective:
to evaluate the effect of a water absorbent (hydrogel) soil conditioner and other organic conditioners on the water use efficiency and biomass production of green pepper plants in two localities in Venezuela
Lat: 0º 45' - 12º 11' 46" N
912.050 km2
Zulia State Falcón State
CAZALAC, 2008
0
50
100
150
200
250
E F M A M J J A S O N D
(mm)
Months
Rainfall
ETo
ETo/2
Zulia State: Ustic Haplargids sandy (≈ 80% sand)Low fertilityLow water retentionpH 5,7Low organic carbon
Falcón State: Haplargids sandy (> 80% sand)Low fertilityLow water retentionVery low organic carbonpH 7,7
Soil + ‘Bocashi’ (BK) mixed with the soil in a 3:1 volume ratio ( 3 soil/1 compost).
Soil + ‘Terracottem®’ hydrogel (TC): two dose
4 g per kg of soil (TC1) and
2 g per kg of soil (TC2).
Soil + NPK fertilizer (18-18-18) (FQ) at a doses of 8,6 g/pot.
A control treatment (SS) (without conditioner or fertilizer) was included in the experiment
At Falcón state soilAt Falcón state soil
o Soil + Terracottem: mixture of hydroabsorbent polymers + fertilizers
(5% N; 1% P2O5; 4% K2O). Dose 3 g kg-1 (STC)
o Soil + Cow Manure: equivalent dose 13 t ha-1, + urea (1,58 g/pot) + K2SO4 (1,27 g/pot) (SEB)
o Soil + Chemical Fertilizer: 0,391g urea (1,8 g N); 0,254 g SPT (1,17 g P2O5) y 0,288 g de K2SO4 (1,44 g K2O) (SFQ)
o Soil without conditioners (SS)
At Zulia state soilAt Zulia state soil
Irrigation doses o 100 % ‘pot’ capacity (100) (similar to field
capacity FC).
o 80 % ‘pot’ capacity (80)
Crop
Green Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) var. California wonder
FQ EB TC SS
the total volume of applied irrigation water
Interval of irrigation
plant heightabove ground and root biomasses yield
In crop
Ev a
lua t
ion
sE
v alu
a tio
ns
Results Results
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
SS-L1 SS-L2 TC1-L1
TC1-L2
TC2-L1
TC2-L2
BK-L1 BK-L2 FQ-L1 FQ-L2
Treatments
Wat
er v
olu
me
(ml)
C
B
A
AAAA
A
AB
Total water consumption after 28 days of green pepper cultivation at Falcón state soil
0
5
10
15
20
25
SOLO-L1
SOLO-L2
TC1-L1
TC1-L2
TC2-L1
TC2-L2
BK-L1 BK-L2 FQ-L1 FQ-L2
Treatments
Pla
nts
dry
we
igh
t (g
)
AA
C C
BB
BB
AA
Above ground biomass production at Falcón state soil
Root biomass at Falcón state soil
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
SS-L1 SS-L2 TC1-L1
TC1-L2
TC2-L1
TC2-L2
BK-L1 BK-L2 FQ-L1 FQ-L2
Treatments
Wat
er v
olum
e / P
lant
wei
ght
ratio
B B
B
B
A A
AA
A
A
Water consumption per unit of above ground biomass at Falcón state soil
.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
SS 100 STC 100 SEB100 SFQ 100 SS 80 STC 80 SEB 80 SFQ 80
Treatments
Wa
ter
vo
lum
e (
L)
Total volume of applied irrigation water at Zulia state soil
0
1
2
3
4
5
SS 100 STC 100 SEB100 SFQ 100 SS 80 STC 80 SEB 80 SFQ 80
Treatments
Inte
rva
l of
irri
ga
tio
n (
da
ys
)
Interval of irrigation at Zulia state soil
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
SS 100 STC 100 SEB100 SFQ 100 SS 80 STC 80 SEB 80 SFQ 80
Treatments
Pla
nt
He
gh
t (c
m)
ab
abab
ab
ab
ab
a
b
Plant height at Zulia state soil
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
SS 100 STC 100 SEB100 SFQ 100 SS 80 STC 80 SEB 80 SFQ 80
Treatments
Nu
mb
er o
f fr
uit
s
a
abcabcd
d
bcd
bcd
bcd
bcd
Number of fruits at Zulia state soil
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
SS 100 STC 100 SEB100 SFQ 100 SS 80 STC 80 SEB 80 SFQ 80
Treatment
We
igh
t o
f fr
uit
pe
r p
lan
t (g
)
a
b
h
cdef
efgh
efgh
efghgh
Weight of fruit per plant at Zulia state soil
0,00
0,02
0,04
0,06
0,08
0,10
0,12
0,14
0,16
0,18
0,20
SS 100 STC 100 SEB100 SFQ 100 SS 80 STC 80 SEB 80 SFQ 80
Treatments
Vo
lum
e o
f w
ate
r u
se
d p
er
un
it w
eig
ht
of
fru
it
Volume of water used per unit weight of fruit at Zulia state soil
At Falcon state soil
• Above ground biomass production:
Terracottem > Bocaschi > FQ = SS
• Root biomass
Terracottem >
• Volume of water used per unit weight of fruit: > WUE
Terracottem < Bocaschi < Fertilizer
BocaschiBocaschi
FertlizerFertlizer
At Zulia State
Water retention:
Terracottem > Cow manure
Plant height and yield
Terracottem > Cow manure > Fertilizer
Volume of water used per unit weight of fruit: > WUE
Terracottem < Cow manure < Fertilizer