Infiltration Characteristics and Spatiotemporal Distribution of Soil Moisture in Layered Soil under Vertical Tube Irrigation

Abstract

The limited quantity of irrigation water in Xinjiang has hindered agricultural development in the region and water-saving irrigation technologies are crucial to addressing this water shortage. Vertical tube irrigation, a type of subsurface irrigation, is a new water-efficient technology. In this study, field and laboratory experiments were conducted to analyze (1) the infiltration characteristics and spatiotemporal distribution of moisture in layered soil and (2) the water-saving mechanism of vertical tube irrigation. In the field experiments, we analyzed jujube yield, irrigation water productivity (IWP), and soil moisture in the jujube root zone. In the laboratory irrigation experiments, two soil types (silty and sandy loam) were selected to investigate homogeneous and layered soil, respectively. Cumulative infiltration, wetting body, and soil water moisture distribution were also analyzed. Relative to surface drip irrigation, vertical tube irrigation resulted in slightly lower jujube yields but higher savings in water use (47–68%) and improved IWP. The laboratory experiments demonstrated that layered soil had less cumulative infiltration, a larger ellipsoid wetted body, slower vertical wetting front migration (hindered by layer interface), and faster horizontal wetting front migration than homogenous soil had. The irrigation amount for vertical tube irrigation decreased in layered soil, and water content increased at the layer interface. Vertical tube irrigation in layered soil facilitates the retention of water in the root zone, prevents deep leakage, reduces irrigation amount, and improves the IWP of jujube trees. This study aids the popularization and application of vertical tube irrigation technology.

Development of a soil wetting pattern estimation model for drip irrigation

“…The results revealed relatively large errors in the estimation of the wetting front advance of coarse-textured soils, which is consistent with previous researches (Al-Ogaidi et al 2016;Wang et al 2020). The same results were also reflected in the SZ model, the N model, and the AE model for estimating wetting front advance in coarse-textured soils (not shown in this study).…”

Effects of water volume of drip irrigation on soil bacterial communities and its association with soil properties in jujube cultivation

“…Jujube is an ancient, native species in China and has been contiunually cultivated for more than 4,000 years (Sheng and Shen, 2011). In 2018, China produced 8.78 million tons of jujube, which comprised 98% of the total worldwide yield (Wang et al, 2020). Currently, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is the largest jujube-producing area in China, in which, most crops have been planted with DI technology due to the shortage of water resources (Wang et al, 2019).…”

Influence of Long-Term Mulched Drip Irrigation on Upward Capillary Water Movement Characteristics in the Saline–Sodic Region of Northwest China

“…Their findings underscored the significant influence of the pore structure and particle size distribution on capillary water rise dynamics. Wang et al [20] explored the rise in capillary water under different densities and salinities in sandy loam soil, finding that sand layers had a significant inhibitory effect on soil moisture movement, and had a significant impact on the height, rate, and groundwater recharge of capillary water rise [21]. Li et al [20] studied the effect of mineralization on the height of the capillary water rise, discovering that higher mineralization reduces the height of the capillary water rise.…”