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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #133937
Title: CONSTRUCTION OF THREE WEIGHING LYSIMETERS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF CROP COEFFICIENTS FOR IMPROVING WATER USE EFFICIENCY AND MANAGING IRRIGATION OF ROW AND VEGETABLE CROPS IN THE WINTER GARDEN

Author
item PICCINNI, G - TAES
item MAREK, T - TAES
item JETT, M - TAES
item SCHNEIDER, ARLAND - USDA-ARS RETIRED
item DUSEK, DON - USDA-ARS RETIRED
item Howell, Terry

Submitted to: Uvalde Research and Extension Center
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2002
Publication Date: 8/1/2002
Citation: Piccinni, G., Marek, T., Jett, M., Schneider, A.D., Dusek, D.A., Howell, T.A. 2002. Construction of three weighing lysimeters for the determination of crop coefficients for improving water use efficiency and managing irrigation of row and vegetable crops in the winter garden. Uvalde Research and Extension Center, Uvalde, Texas. UREC-02/019.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Improving irrigation application efficiency and distribution uniformity through new technologies could allow greater total crop water use efficiency. Lysimeters, which are essentially large, weighing "flower pots," are used to measure real time water use during the growing season. The three weighing lysimeters consisted of undisturbed 60 in. by 80 in. area by 84 in. depth cores of soil comprise the Uvalde facility. Two lysimeters are to be under a sprinkler system for crop and vegetable water use studies, and the third will be in a grassed weather station with subsurface drip irrigation. The ratio of the crop water use to a calibrated computed grass water use will define the crop coefficient. This progress report provides design details and construction details for the lysimeters.