Author
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Kitchen, Newell |
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Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Other Publication Acceptance Date: 1/5/2006 Publication Date: 1/20/2006 Citation: Kitchen, N.R. 2006. Potential irrigation applications using sensor-based apparent soil electrical conductivity [abstract]. Bootheel Irrigation Conference. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) is a measure of a soil's ability to conduct an electrical charge and can be obtained quickly for mapping purposes using on-the-go sensors. Several important soil properties, important for irrigation management, have been successfully related to soil ECa. In areas where irrigation water is high in soluble salts, soil ECa has been very effective in mapping salt build up in soil, where salt leaching has been less than the salt contributed by the irrigation water. Elsewhere, soil ECa has been very effective in mapping of soil texture. Since this property largely determines plant available water of a profile, soil ECa sensing can be used to map drought-prone areas of fields for which irrigation plans can be tailored. Along this same line, soil ECa can effectively identify areas where subsoil sand layers may occur, an important feature when considering land leveling. For flood plain soils showing extreme variability in texture within fields (e.g., Mississippi Delta), soil ECa can also be used to define areas high at risk for nitrogen loss through either nitrate leaching (low ECa areas) or denitrification (high ECa areas). Fields with these ECa characteristics may benefit the most by site-specific water and nutrient management. |
