Recent developments and strategies in the use of plant indicators for irrigation scheduling

Abstract

Plants experience water stress when the internal deficit in plant tissues reaches a critical level affecting various physiological processes including growth. Plant indicators of water stress and allied measurements have traditionally been developed and used to detect water stress, diagnose water availability and interpret plant growth. Systems used for physiological measurements of water stress in plants are generally less flexible than soil and /or atmospheric measurement systems for the diagnosis of water availability and irrigation scheduling. This paper compares various direct and indirect measurements of water stress in plants and identifies the technological opportunities for improving irrigation scheduling using indicators of plant stress. Key features of the commonly used plant indicators are discussed along with strategies for integration with existing scheduling tools to improve irrigation effectiveness.