Evaluating The Relationship Between Cumulative Rainfall and Yield of Wheata and Barley Using a Evenness Index in The Semi-Arid Region of Mashhad

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agronomy, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad., Mashhad., Iran

2 PhD Student of Agroecoloy, Department of Agronomy, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad., Mashhad., Iran

3 Ph.D. student of Agricultural Meteorology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad., Mashhad., Iran

4 Ph.D. student of Agricultural Meteorology., Ferdowsi University of Mashhad., Mashhad., Iran

Abstract

Rainfall pattern in any location has its own distribution, while visual analysis of that can lead to subjective and vague statements. So, finding usefull indices which can explain rainfall distribution is an urgent to better interpret rainfall pattern. Some indices are calculated based on the distance between cumulative rainfall curves and the respective theoretical evenness rainfall lines, which join the lowest and highest cumulative rainfall values within the considered period. In present study the relationship between the indices and yield of two major crops (wheat and barley) are evaluated over a 30-year period (1984-2013) in Mashhad. The indices were applied for two periods (the planting to the harvest of crop and critical stage). Critical stage was limited to 30 days from May-Jun. Results showed that both crops were significantly related to ER (the slope of the evenness line) (up to 0.5), while they were not related to UR (uneven distribution index rainfall). When the evenness index was weighted on the mean daily rainfall, the slope of the evenness line declined (up to 0.45). Significant correlations were also found by calculating the indices over strategic short-term periods for crops (up to 0.48), which indicates that how the effectiveness of these indices may be improved by choosing appropriate periods for different crops.

Keywords


Alexandrov,V.A and Hoogenboom,G. 2000. The impact of climate variability and change on crop yield in Bulgaria. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 104.4: 315–327.
Araus,J.L., Slafer,G.A., Reynolds,M.P and Royo,C. 2002. Plant breeding and drought in C3 cereals: What should we breed for? Annals of Botany, 89: 925-940.
Armandpisheh,O., Bannayan,M., Khazaei,H., Aghaei,M., Kafi,M. 2015. Study of Drought Stress Patterns in Khorasan Province using Climatic-Agricultural Indices. Biological Forum-An International Journal. 7.1: 912-920
Asseng,S., Turner,N.C and Keating,B.A. 2001. Analysis of water- and nitrogen-use efficiency of wheat in a Mediterranean climate. Plant Soil. 1: 127–143
Asseng,S., Turner,N.C and Keating,B.A. 2003. Analysis of water- and nitrogen-use efficiency of wheat in a Mediterranean climate. Plant Soil. 1: 127–143.
Baigorri,H., Antolini,M.C and Sanchez-Diaz,M. 1999. Reproductive response of two morphological different pea cultivars to drought. European Journal of Agronomy. 10: 119–128
Baker,F.W.G. 1989. Drought resistance in cereals. CAB Internatinal. pp: 222.
Bannayan,M., Kobayashi,K., Kim,H.Y., Liffering,M., Okada,M and Miura,S. 2005. Modeling the interactive effects of atmospheric CO2 and N on rice growth and yield. Field Crops Research. 93: 237–251
Bannayan,M., Lotfabadi,S., Sanjani,S., MohammadianA and Agaalikhani,M. 2011. Effects of precipitation and temperature on cereal yield variability in northeast of Iran. International Journal of Biometeorology. 55: 387–401
Bannayan,M., Sanjani,S., Alizadeh,A., Lotfabadi,S and Mohammadian,A. 2010. Association between climate indices aridity index, and rainfed crop yield in northeast of Iran. Field Crops Research. 118.2: 105–114.
Barrios,A.N., Hoogenboom,G and Nesmith,D.S. 2005. Drought stress and the distribution of vegetative and reproductive traits of a bean cultivar. Journal of Agricultural Science. 62.1: 18–22
Barzegar,A.R., Asoodar,M.A., Khadish,A., Hashemi,A.M and Herbert,S.J. 2003. Soil physical characteristics and chickpea yield responses to tillage treatments. Soil Tillage Research. 71: 49–57.
Bindraban,P.S., Sayre,K.D and Solis-Moya,E. 1998. Identifying factors that determine kernel number in wheat. Field Crops Research. 58: 223–234.
Cantelaube,P and Terres,J.M. 2005. Seasonal weather forecasts for crop yield modeling in Europe. Tellus 57A. 3: 476–487.
Chloupek,O., Hrstkova,P and Schweigert,P. 2000. Yield and its stability, crop diversity, adaptability and response to climate change, weather and fertilization over 75 years in the Czech Republic in comparison to some European countries. Field Crops Research. 85.2-3: 167–190.
Chmielewski,F.M and Köhn,W. 1999. Impact of weather on yield components of spring cereals over 30 years. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 96: 49–58.
Condon,A.G., Richards,R.A., Rebetzke,G.J and Farquhar,G.D. 2004. Breeding for high water-use efficiency. Journal Experimental Botany. 55: 2447–2460.
Costa-Franca,M.G., Thi,A.T., Pimentel,C. Pereyra,R.O., Zuily-Fodil,Y., Laffray,D. 2000. Differences in growth and water relations among Phaseolus vulgaris cultivars in response to induced drought stress. Environmental and Experimental Botany. 43: 227–237.
Guttman,N. 1998. Comparing the Palmer Drought Index and the Standardized Precipitation Index, J. of Am. Water Resources Association. 34: 113-121.
Hakala,K., Jauhiainen,L., Himanen,S.J., Rotter,R., Salo,T., Kahiluoto,H. 2012. Sensitivity of barley varieties to weather in Finland.  Journal of Agricultural Science. 150: 145–160.
Heim,J. 2002. A Review of Twentieth-century Drought Indices Used in the United States. Bulletin of Am, Meteorological Society. 83.8: 1149-1165.
Hochman,Z.V.I. 1982. Effect of water stress with phasic development on yield of wheat grown in a semi-arid environment. Field Crops Research. 5: 55–67.
Hodder,B.W. 1980. Economic Development in the Tropics. Methuen, London.
Jasiñska,Z.A. 1993. Roœliny str¹czkowe. PWN Warszawa. 97-99.
Kar,G., Kumar,A and Martha,M. 2007. Water use efficiency and crop coefficients of dry season oilseed crops. Agriculture Water Management. 87: 73–82.
Keating,B.A and McCown,R.L. 2001. Advances in farming systems analyses. Agriculture System. 70: 555–579.
Lashkari,A and Bannayan,M. 2013. Agrometeorological study of crop drought vulnerability and avoidance in northeast of Iran. Theoretical and Applied Climatology. 113:17–25
McMaster,G.S and Wilhelm,W.W. 2003. Phenological responses of wheat and barley to water and temperature: improving simulation models. Journal of Agricultural Science. 141: 129–147.
Monti,A, Venturi,G. 2007. A simple method to improve the estimation of the relationship between rainfall and crop yield. Agronomy for Sustainable Development. 27: 255 – 260.
Mulat,D., Guta,F and Ferede,T. 2004. Agricultural development in Ethiopia: are there alternatives to food aid. Department of Economics Addis Ababa University.
Noohi,K and Asgari,A. 2006. Study of Drought and Return Priod Drought in Qum Region, Agricultural Aridity and Drought, Scientific and Extension Quarterly, Hahad Agriculture. 15:47-64.
Olesen,J.E and Bindi,M. 2002. Consequences of climate change for European agricultural productivity, land use and policy. European Journal of Agronomy. 16.4: 239–262.
Peltonen-Sainio,P., Jauhiainen,L and Hakala,K. 2011. Crop responses to temperature and precipitation according to long-term multi-location trials at high-latitude conditions. Journal of Agricultural Science. 148: 49–62.
Podleœny,J and Kocoñ,A. 2000. The effect of soil drought on the development and yielding of two different genotypes of faba bean. Zeszyty Problemowe PostÄ™pów Nauk Rolniczych. 509: 125-131.
Wood,M., Pibean,C.A.M., Neill,M.C and Harries,H. 1997. Nitrogen cycling in a dry- land cereal-legume rotation system. Pages: 71-78. In: J. Ryan (Ed.). Accomplishments and future challenges in dryland soil fertility research in the Mediterranean area. ICARDA. Aleppo Syria