Estimation of transpiration of physic nut using the method of thermal dissipation

• Grant number: 13/25686-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: June 01, 2014
• End date: February 28, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agricultural Engineering - Soil and Water Engineering
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Marcos Vinícius Folegatti
• Grantee: João Paulo Francisco
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Nowadays the world is changing its energy patter, starting to use cleaner and renewable sources of energy. Considering the eminent scenery of water scarcity, despite the necessity of produce cleaner energy, it is also necessary to rationalize the water utilization and, thereby is important to study crops water consumption. So, this project has as objectives to calibrate and use measures of sap flow obtained by the heat dissipation sensors on the determination of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) transpiration. For the calibration procedure there will be utilized physic nut plants that are currently been cultivated under greenhouse on 250 L containers. These containers will rest over weighing lysimeters and will be kept with its soil surface covered in order to avoid water evaporation. The calibration will be done during 60 consecutive days, when during 15 days the soil moisture will be close to the container capacity due to frequent irrigation, followed by 30 days of soil moisture reduction due to the suppression of irrigation and by 15 days after the irrigation restart to promote plants rehydration. Transpiration values will be determined by the lysimeters and these data will be used to calibrate measures obtained from sap flow sensors inserted radially on plants trunks. After calibration, sensors will be installed in field to monitor the transpiration of plants, about two years old, which are cultivated under center pivot irrigation, drip irrigation, and without irrigation. Associated with different types of pruning that plants were submitted, will be assessed the combination of water consumption of plants physic nut associated with these treatments pruning. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

FRANCISCO, João Paulo. Estimation of Jatropha perspiration using the thermal dissipation method. 2017. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC) Piracicaba.