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Title: MACROSCOPIC APPROACHES TO MODELING ROOT WATER UPTAKE AS A FUNCTION OF WATER AND SALINITY STRESS

Author
item Skaggs, Todd
item Van Genuchten, Martinus
item Shouse, Peter

Submitted to: Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/2/2006
Publication Date: 11/12/2006
Citation: Skaggs, T.H., Van Genuchten, M.T., Shouse, P.J. 2006. Macroscopic approaches to modeling root water uptake as a function of water and salinity stress. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting. In annual meeting abstracts (CD-ROM). Paper No. 81-1

Interpretive Summary: Analyzing irrigation, soil salinization, or crop production problems often requires simulations of root water uptake as a function of water and salinity stress. We give an overview of macroscopic modeling approaches that are based on the Richards equation with a sink term specifying water uptake. Various parameterizations of the sink term as functions of water and salinity stress are reviewed and example applications are presented. We also review the incorporation of more dynamic root functions into sink terms, such compensatory uptake. Lastly, we discuss the challenge of estimating uptake reduction parameters from crop salt tolerance databases.

Technical Abstract: Analyzing irrigation, soil salinization, or crop production problems often requires simulations of root water uptake as a function of water and salinity stress. We give an overview of macroscopic modeling approaches that are based on the Richards equation with a sink term specifying water uptake. Various parameterizations of the sink term as functions of water and salinity stress are reviewed and example applications are presented. We also review the incorporation of more dynamic root functions into sink terms, such compensatory uptake. Lastly, we discuss the challenge of estimating uptake reduction parameters from crop salt tolerance databases.