Bourgault

Legume Production and Irrigation Strategies in the Aral Sea Basin:: 

Legume Production and Irrigation Strategies in the Aral Sea Basin: Maryse Bourgault, Chandra A. Madramootoo, Heidi A. Webber, Mikhail G. Horst, Galina Stulina, Donald L. Smith WASAMED Conference Bari, Italy, February 15th, 2007 Yield, Yield components, and Water Relations of Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and Green Gram (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek)

Slide2: 

1964 1997 1987 2003 NASA

Social Consequences: 

Social Consequences Waterlogging and salinization Pollution of environment Collapse of fisheries and economy Loss of biodiversity Health Problems

Main Objective: 

Main Objective Evaluate two water saving techniques on two legume crops (common bean and green gram): alternate furrow irrigation deficit irrigation

Water Treatments: 

Water Treatments Alternate Furrow irrigation: 25% reduction in water use Deficit irrigation: when water not land is limiting maximizing return of water or water productivity

Slide6: 

LEGUME CROPS Common Bean: large-seeded pulse crop Green Gram: also known as mungbean, small-seeded crop Fit well after the harvest of winter wheat in the cotton-winter wheat rotation in Uzbekistan Jan Feb Mar Avr May Jun July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Avr May Jun July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

Experimental Design: 

Experimental Design Split-plot design with depletion levels as main treatments Data: yield, yield components: number of seeds per pod, 100-seed weight, number of pods per plant, harvest index, water potential before and after irrigation events, and stomatal conductance before and after irrigation events.

Results: 

Results

Yield: 

Yield

Number of Seeds per Pod: 

Number of Seeds per Pod

Number of Pods per Plant: 

Number of Pods per Plant

Harvest Index: 

Harvest Index

Stomatal Conductance: 

Stomatal Conductance

Leaf Water Potential: 

Leaf Water Potential

Alternate Furrow vs Conventional Every Furrow Irrigation: 

Alternate Furrow vs Conventional Every Furrow Irrigation

Alternate Furrow vs Conventional Every Furrow Irrigation: 

Alternate Furrow vs Conventional Every Furrow Irrigation

Interesting Points: 

Interesting Points The maximum yield in green gram is achieved in the moderate stress (2003) and severe stress (2004) treatments The reduction in yield in common bean in both years is not significant between the recommended irrigation schedule and the moderate stress level, indicating that some level of stress can be tolerated without affecting yields. Green gram increased tolerance could be due to lower stomatal conductance regardless of water availability, but not due to osmotic ajustment

Conclusions: 

Conclusions Water savings due to alternate furrow and deficit irrigation can be achieved without significantly reducing yields Green gram is more drought tolerant, but this is not fully explained by water relations such as stomatal conductance or osmotic potential Legume production is possible in the Aral Sea basin and could be done with little water

Thank you: 

Thank you Thank you: Brace Center and CIDA for financial assistance Prof. Don Smith Prof. Philippe Seguin Prof. Chandra A. Madramootoo Heidi Webber Staff at the SANIIRI institute in Tashkent, and all the field staff in Uzbekistan My colleagues in the Plant Physiology Lab