How does increased humidity influence the water requirements of different crops?
Increased humidity can influence the water requirements of different crops in several ways:
Specific Crop Responses
Leafy Vegetables (e.g., lettuce, spinach):
- Tend to benefit from high humidity as it reduces water stress and improves leaf quality.
- Watering needs may decrease slightly due to lower evapotranspiration rates. Fruit-Bearing Plants (e.g., tomatoes, cucumbers):
- High humidity can reduce water loss through leaves but may increase the risk of diseases like mildew and blight.
- Water requirements might be lower, but careful monitoring is needed to manage disease risks. Root Crops (e.g., carrots, potatoes):
- Benefit from consistent soil moisture levels.
- High humidity can reduce the frequency of watering but may necessitate disease management practices. Grains and Cereals (e.g., wheat, rice):
- High humidity can benefit rice, which thrives in moist conditions, but might negatively impact wheat, which prefers drier conditions.
- Water management practices need to be tailored to specific crop needs and local climate conditions.
General Considerations
Choen Krainara
You said something very true sir that higher humidity reduces the need for frequent watering because it slows down water loss from soil and plants. For example, leafy vegetables like lettuce need less watering in high humidity. However, the risk of fungal diseases, like mildew in tomatoes, increases, so we need to monitor plants closely and manage diseases. Overall, higher humidity can help conserve water but requires careful disease management.
I would like to rephrase the question:
Why is humidity different than irrigation? they both put water into soil and then take the water out again. Why can't humidity replace irrigation?
Another question that would require a different lecture/chapter/essay: Humidity is partially a product of water evaporating from soil. Irrigation puts water back into soil. Does irrigation disrupt natural humidity cycles? If so, how long can that disruption continue before it becomes harmful to the crops and to the soil microbes?
One more: Soil microbes turn nutrients into molecular forms that plants can eat, through their roots. Does extreme humidity mean that soil microbes are suffering from extreme osmosis, and dying? If so, can irrigation replenish their water, thereby preserving the microbes that convert nutrients into biological forms that the crops can uptake? If that can be done, does it mean we can increase beneficial microbes with irrigation and reduce the need for expensive artificial fertilizers?
Terry Trowbridge
Sir ...I'm really impressed the way you rephrases the questions is excellent ... it shows your interest and expertise in subject matter....
as far as humidity and water is concerned .... Humidity and irrigation are different because humidity is water vapor in the air, while irrigation directly supplies water to plant roots. Humidity can help reduce plant water loss but can't provide the deep, consistent watering that crops need to grow. That's why irrigation, which uses about 70% of global freshwater, is crucial for agriculture.
Terry Trowbridge
Similarly, sir...... Irrigation can affect natural humidity cycles because it changes the amount of water in the soil, which then evaporates into the air. For example, in areas like California's Central Valley, heavy irrigation can increase local humidity. While this can benefit crops in the short term, too much irrigation can lead to problems like soil salinization and harming soil microbes, which are essential for healthy soil. If these issues persist, crop yields can decrease, and the soil can become less fertile over time.
Terry Trowbridge
At last but not least....... Soil microbes play a vital role in converting nutrients into forms that plants can absorb through their roots. Extreme humidity alone doesn't necessarily mean soil microbes are suffering, but it can lead to conditions like waterlogged soil. In waterlogged soil, the oxygen levels drop, and many soil microbes, especially those requiring oxygen (aerobic microbes), can die off due to extreme osmosis or lack of air.
Irrigation can help replenish water and maintain a balance, supporting soil microbes' health. However, proper irrigation management is crucial. Over-irrigation can cause similar problems to high humidity, like waterlogging and reduced oxygen in the soil. On the other hand, well-managed irrigation ensures soil remains moist but not waterlogged, creating a conducive environment for beneficial microbes.
By maintaining a healthy balance through proper irrigation, we can indeed support the growth of beneficial soil microbes. These microbes can enhance nutrient availability to plants, potentially reducing the need for artificial fertilizers. However, it's not a simple replacement. Artificial fertilizers provide a quick and controlled supply of nutrients, while relying solely on soil microbes and irrigation requires careful soil and water management to maintain nutrient levels and soil health.
Rohit Kumar
ncreased humidity can influence the water requirements of different crops by affecting the rate of evaporation and transpiration. With higher humidity, the rate of evaporation from the soil surface tends to decrease, potentially reducing the need for frequent irrigation. However, the impact on transpiration, which is the process of water movement through plants and its evaporation from leaf surfaces, can be complex. While higher humidity can reduce transpiration rates, making crops less reliant on external water sources, it can also create conditions conducive to diseases and pests that might affect plant health and water uptake. Thus, while crops might require less irrigation directly due to slower evaporation, maintaining optimal water management practices remains essential to ensure healthy growth and mitigate the risks of humidity-related issues.
Hello,
Several of the online tools and models included in the Hydrology Tool Set (HTS; https://portal.hydrotools.tech ) could help with this. I included below a short description of the tools, but you can scroll towards the end to see the solution that I propose.
All HTS tools and models are free and do not require user registration. None of the tools and models is restricted to specific climate zones or geographical areas and they can be used for any location for which the input data is available.
All HTS tools and models have a streamlined interface, allow for adjusting of the various parameters used, where meant to require minimal input data, and integrate input, visualization (graphs and tables) and export functions.
All HTS tools and models operate with daily datasets and also include test data sets to allow the users to familiarize with them. All the tools come with a Reference Guide and most of the tools are accompanied by peer-review publications.
As of 2024, there are six tools included in HTS as follows:
1) SepHydro (https://sephydro.hydrotools.tech ) for estimating surface runoff and groundwater contributions to streamflow via hydrograph separation. SepHydro is based on 11 previously published algorithms and includes various adaptations;
2) ETCalc (https://etcalc.hydrotools.tech ) for the estimation of potential, reference and actual evapotranspiration based on weather data and crop coefficients. ETCalc is based on 8 previously published methods (Penman-Monteith, Thornthwaite, Blaney-Criddle, Turc, Priestley-Taylor, Hargreaves, Jensen-Haise and Abtew) and includes various adaptations;
3) SWIB (Soil Water Stress, Irrigation Requirement and Water Balance; https://swib.hydrotools.tech ) for assessing crop water stress (either as water deficit or excess), soil water balance and irrigation requirements and its impact on aquifer storage, using soil moisture, evapotranspiration and precipitation data. SWIB has been developed using an innovative conceptual model;
4) SNOSWAB (Snow, Soil Water and Water Balance; https://snoswab.hydrotools.tech ) for estimation of soil water content and soil water balance using air temperature, precipitation, rainfall and evapotranspiration data. SNOSWAB has been developed using an innovative conceptual model and is the most complex model in the suite.
5) RECHARGE BUDDY (or Groundwater Recharge Estimation Tool; https://rbuddy.hydrotools.tech ) for the estimation of groundwater recharge, discharge and change in aquifer storage, based on user-provided specific yield and water table elevations;
6) SNOWFALL BUDDY (or Snowfall and Rainfall Estimation Tool; https://sbuddy.hydrotools.tech ) for the estimation of the snowfall and rainfall components of total precipitation based on air temperature and total precipitation.
Considering the (limited) elements included in your question, I would say that the influence of increased humidity on crop water requirements can be evaluated using the tools included in HTS; https://portal.hydrotools.tech ) as follows:
1. Use weather data with ETCalc (https://etcalc.hydrotools.tech ) to calculate actual evapotranspiration. The crop can be simulated in ETCalc by using crop coefficients;
2. Use actual evapotranspiration, soil water content and total precipitation with SWIB (https://swib.hydrotools.tech ) to calculate irrigation water requirements for the different crops;
3. If soil water content measurements are not available; you could use SNOSWAB (Snow, Soil Water and Water Balance; https://snoswab.hydrotools.tech ) to estimate soil water content. Soil water content can then used in SWIB to calculate the crop water requirement.
I hope this helps.
Regards, SD
Serban Danielescu
Thank you so much sir for such detailed explanation of the topic....
Thank you very much once again....
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Chemistry