Hydrological and hydraulic behaviour of a surface flow constructed wetland treating agricultural drainage water in northern Italy

A surface flow constructed wetland (SFCW) treating agricultural drainage water was investigated with the aim to detect modifications in hydrological and hydraulic characteristics after more than a decade of operation. Ponded infiltration tests were conducted to estimate the saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ks, of the surface soil layer at the point scale. At the global scale, infiltration rate, i, was computed from the water balance to detect leakages from the pervious wetland surface. Tracer tests were conducted to analyse the existence of preferential flow inside the system and to estimate its hydraulic retention time (HRT). Clogging phenomena occurred given a mean Ks value of 30 mm h 121 was measured near the SFCW inlet, that was 9.61 times lower than the value at the outlet zone. The estimated infiltration losses were two orders of magnitude lower than infiltration measured at the point scale. The results also confirmed the existence of a moderate amount of preferential flow paths and dead zones in the SFCW as the actual HRT (6.7 days) was shorter than the nominal one (8.1 days). Despite this, it can be concluded that the system performance is still good after 17 years of operation

Hydrological and hydraulic behaviour of a surface flow constructed wetland treating agricultural drainage water in northern Italy

A surface flow constructed wetland (SFCW) treating agricultural drainage water was investigated with the aim to detect modifications in hydrological and hydraulic characteristics after more than a decade of operation. Ponded infiltration tests were conducted to estimate the saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ks, of the surface soil layer at the point scale. At the global scale, infiltration rate, i, was computed from the water balance to detect leakages from the pervious wetland surface. Tracer tests were conducted to analyse the existence of preferential flow inside the system and to estimate its hydraulic retention time (HRT). Clogging phenomena occurred given a mean Ks value of 30 mm h-1 was measured near the SFCW inlet, that was 9.61 times lower than the value at the outlet zone. The estimated infiltration losses were two orders of magnitude lower than infiltration measured at the point scale. The results also confirmed the existence of a moderate amount of preferential flow paths and dead zones in the SFCW as the actual HRT (6.7 days) was shorter than the nominal one (8.1 days). Despite this, it can be concluded that the system performance is still good after 17 years of operation

Tecnologia e intelligenze artificiali per sistemi irrigui di precisione

è essenziale conoscere le potenzialità dei sensori, strumenti ausiliari per la scelta del metodo irriguo. Interazione tra sistemi di monitoraggio fisiologico dello stato irriguo dell'albero e del suolo attraverso modelli di bilancio per una gestione di bilancio per una gestione di precisione dell'irrigazione del frutteto in tempi di cambiamento climatico

Nuovi parametri per l'irrigazione di Abate F\ue9tel su vari cotogni

Riassunto La ricerca ha lo scopo di valutare l\u2019effetto della riduzione degli apporti irrigui sulle performance fisiologiche ed agronomiche della cultivar Abate Fet\ue9l innestata sui 4 portinnesti pi\uf9 comunemente utilizzati nella Valle del Po. La prova \ue8 stata effettuata presso l\u2019azienda agricola dimostrativa \u201cFondazione per l\u2019Agricoltura Fratelli Navarra\u201d sita in Ferrara, Emilia Romagna, mettendo a confronto quattro differenti portinnesti e densit\ue0 di impianto: MC, Sydo, Adams ed MH. Le 4 combinazioni sono state sottoposte ai seguenti 4 livelli di irrigazione decrescenti:100%, 50%, 25% RDI-IRRINET, test asciutto. L\u2019irrigazione \ue8 stata gestita seguendo un bilancio idrico secondo il modello IRRINET fornito dal Consorzio per il Canale Emiliano Romagnolo (CER), che tiene conto del regime di Deficit di irrigazione controllato (RDI). Il bilancio idrico del modello IRRINET ha confermato la propria validit\ue0 nella stima dell\u2019umidit\ue0 del terreno, avendo registrato una buona corrispondenza con i valori di umidit\ue0 misurati dai sensori disposti nella prova. I dati produttivi medi del biennio, relativi alla fase di piena produzione, inoltre, hanno evidenziato che il cotogno C, abbinato a forme di allevamento e impianti superfitti (12.000 piante/ha), deprime la pezzatura in misura significativa rispetto agli altri portinnesti, con un conseguente calo di prodotto commerciale. Summary This three-year trial is carried out at the Demonstration Farm of the \u201cFondazione per l'Agricoltura Fratelli Navarra\u201d located near Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna. On Abb\ue9 F\ue9tel grafted on 4 of the most currently used rootstocks in the Po Valley (MC, Sydo, Adams and MH) contrasting irrigation volumes are assessed, in each phenological stage and scion/rootstock combination, to determine the minimum irrigation level at which plants are not exposed to damaging water stress conditions. The different volumes were determined as fractions of the IRRINET daily recommendation for Regulated Deficit Irrigation (RDI) in this orchard, and various agronomic parameters were determined. The IRRINET model proved suited to predict soil water content; decreasing irrigation volumes determined decreasing % of marketable yields, and diminishing fruit size, while total yields were not decreasing (for some rootstocks) between 100 and 50% IRRINET. MC performance was generally lower than for the other rootstocks, revealing the limits of its quite low vigour

Root architecture affected by pear degeneration in relation to rootstock and soil characteristics

The functionality of the roots has both physiological-productive and phytosanitary implications for pear in high density orchards. The dynamic equilibrium that exists between the root system and the above ground system is known: the functionality of one part is conditioned by the health of the other. It is no coincidence that many of the agronomic operations carried out in the field (such as irrigation, fertilization, soil tillage, weed control) aim to create an environment suitable for root growth and absorption. In 8 farms in Emilia Romagna (Italy) with cases of pear tree degeneration, a study about the impact of different factors on the root system has been carried out: different pear rootstocks (pear and quince clones) grafted with Abbé Fétel (in one case, self-rooted), and two different types of irrigation systems (drip and under-foliage sprinkling) were investigated in commercial orchards with problems of pear tree degeneration. The soil samples were collected in 2021 at a depth of 0-30 cm at 30 cm distance from the trunk along the row. The architecture analysis of the roots and the analysis of microbial biomass and respiration were carried out. An interaction was observed between sample origin, microbial activities, and root architecture with possible consequences in the response of pear plants to anomalous seasonal trends (summer temperatures above normal and reduced rainfall). The superficial root systems are in fact very sensitive to high soil temperatures and temporary asphyxia induced by localized irrigation and anomalous microbial activity

Testato un nuovo modello per l'irrigazione del noce da frutto

La moderna coltivazione intensiva non può prescindere da una corretta gestione dell'apporto irriguo per garantire uno standard produttivo e qualitativo costante