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Water Use by Crops as Determined by Weighing Monolith Lysimeters
Author(s) -
Harrold L. L.,
Dreibelbis F. R.
Publication year - 1953
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1953.03615995001700010019x
Subject(s) - lysimeter , loam , environmental science , evapotranspiration , soil water , hydrology (agriculture) , agronomy , transpiration , crop coefficient , water content , growing season , groundwater recharge , crop , groundwater , soil science , geology , aquifer , chemistry , ecology , geotechnical engineering , biology , biochemistry , photosynthesis
The purpose of this study is to present information on water use by crops as determined from evapo‐transpiration data obtained by weighing monolith lysimeters. Additional information on the accretion, depletion, and storage of soil water as influenced by soil type and land use effects is also included. Most of the data presented were obtained during the period 1941–1951. Water use by crops during the growing season is evaluated in terms of weight of water used to produce one pound of crop. For the corn years (May to September), 438 and 421 pounds of water were consumed in producing one pound of crop (dry matter) on the Muskingum and Keene silt loams, respectively. For the wheat years (April to June 1942, 1946, 1950), consumptive use was 624 and 641 pounds of water respectively; for the first‐year meadow years (April to August) 945 and 1,238 pounds of water per pound of crop were used, respectively, on the same two soil types. Daily soil moisture, accumulated daily precipitation, evapotranspiration, and percolation data are presented in graphs for 1951 from three lysimeters each representing a different soil type. Tabular data from these areas were also given showing monthly accretion, depletion, and storage of soil water. Monthly evapo‐transpiration data are presented for the growing season, April to September for the period 1944–1951. On the lysimeter of Muskingum silt loam the values averaged 23.26, 25.30, and 25.66 inches of water for the corn, wheat, and meadow years, respectively. On the lysimeter of Keene silt loam, values for the same crops averaged 26.42, 28.00, and 26.03 inches, respectively.