We examine the water-use balance, fruit yield and water-use efficiency of five-year-old peach trees with two different mulching systems: plastic film mulched ridge, with furrows (PFM) and straw mulched (SM). Compared with the clean tillage (CT) water management method, PFM increased, and SM...

In this research, the model of SWCT (soil water content and temperature) was developed for simulation of fluxes of soil water (liquid water and water vapor) and heat. The governing equations for water and heat fluxes were solved using numerical finite difference method. Soil water content and...

Soil mulching material significantly affects the energy balance and soil thermal regime. In order to study the effect of soil mulching with a paraffin-wax emulsion on soil thermal regime, we developed a one-dimensional numerical model, which simulates the microclimate of the mulched soil. The...

Advancement in genetic algorithm (GA) optimization tools for design applications, coupled with techniques of soft computing, have led to new possibilities in the way computers interact with the optimization process. In this paper, the concept of goal-oriented GA has been used to design a tool...

The spatial variability of surface temperature has been examined under greenhouse conditions at Al-Mada'in Research station. Soil temperatures were measured at 14:00 h on 3 consecutive days after a trickle irrigation. Measurements were made every 0.5 m along a 55-m transect with...

An agricultural greenhouse with natural ventilation in Thailand has to deal with high temperature. This problem shows the necessity of having a tool capable of predicting soil temperature and moisture in the greenhouse using the statistical data from the meteorological station. Rice husks were...

Caragana microphylla is one of the key species for vegetation restoration in Horqin Sandy Land. Adopting field investigation and outdoor experiments, the microclimate effect of artificial C. microphylla communities with different restoration years were studied by observing wind velocity, air...

Evaporation from the soil is an important part of the water balance of a crop, when considering water use efficiency. In this paper, a non-intensive method is tested to estimate relative soil evaporation, which is based upon a linear function of soil surface temperature change between a...

Effects of plastic mulching in ridges and furrows for varying durations on yield and water use efficiency (WUE) in potato were investigated in rainfed areas of north-western China in 2009 and 2010. The experiment comprised four mulched treatments (M50, M65, M80/85, and Mw – indicating plastic...

Rain-fed maize production in semi-arid areas of the Loess Plateau in China is constrained by low temperatures and water limitations during the early growth stage. Traditionally, gravel mulching was an effective strategy to increase soil temperature and moisture and, therefore, crop production;...