Infrared Radiometry as a Tool for Early Water Deficit Detection: Insights into Its Use for Establishing Irrigation Calendars for Potatoes Under Humid Conditions

Abstract

Low radiation is one of the most important factors which limits potential yield in potato. Under humid conditions, the dominance of diffuse radiation not only imposes challenges for radiation use efficiency in crops but also limits the water status surveillance through non-invasive methods like infrared radiometry. This study was carried out in the humid desert of the Peruvian central coast with the aim to relate maximum stomatal conductance (gₛ_ₘₐₓ, an important water status indicator) with leaf and air temperature (dT) and crop water stress index (CWSI). In a potted trial, gₛ_ₘₐₓ vs. dT were compared along the day in well-irrigated (field capacity) and water restricted (half field capacity) plants. In an additional field experiment, CWSI was validated by testing two irrigation timing treatments with pre-established gₛ_ₘₐₓ threshold (0.15 [T1] and 0.50 [T2] mol H₂O m⁻² s⁻¹) against a control (frequently irrigated). An acute stomatal closure sensitivity was detected which drove a gₛ_ₘₐₓ fall (gₛ↓) near the solar noon. The intense stomatal closure caused a dT rise which showed positive higher values (> 2 °C) after gₛ↓. The significant yield reduction of T1 in relation to the control (− 38.2 ± 10.7%) highlighted that gₛ_ₘₐₓ values > 0.15 must be used to warrant a high potato yield. These findings support the use of CWSI values ≤ 0.3–0.4 as thresholds for an appropriate irrigation in potatoes with assessments taken at around 15:00 hours, time in which plants have accumulated enough radiation allowing an appropriate detection of thermal emission under humid conditions.

Plant phenotyping relevance

赤外放射計とCWSIによるジャガイモの水ストレス・水状態推定を比較検証し、灌漑判定の閾値まで評価しており、表現型取得手法が中心です。

Code and data availability

The article blocks contain no data availability statement, no public phenotype dataset, no deposited images/sensor data, and no author code or model release. Analysis was done in R and Sigmaplot with no availability or URL given. All URLs in the text are references, funding, or license links, none paper-specific reproD

No evidence-backed public reproduction asset is currently recorded.