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PhD Student Explores Water Use Efficiency
20/02/08

Irrigation scheduling for efficient water use is central to the sustainability of Australian irrigated cropping industries. One method of irrigation scheduling is the monitoring of plant stress through leaf canopy temperature. Warren Contay, a PhD student with The University of Sydney is looking to develop new methodologies relating to the thermal leaf optima for irrigation scheduling in cotton.

It is well established that water stressed plants exhibit higher leaf temperatures due to reduced evaporative cooling. BIOTIC (Biologically Identified Optimal Temperature Interactive Console) uses this concept to determine when the crop canopy temperature, as measured by infra red thermometers, exceeds a pre-determined species-specific optimum. This optimum temperature threshold is based on enzymatic thermal response.

This project will examine the application of BIOTIC to Australian conditions through field and laboratory experiments. The Experiments will determine the optimal in vivo temperatures of a range of commercially available cotton genotypes will be conducted using both enzyme kinetics to determine specific enzymatic thermal response and recovery of variable fluorescence of leaves.

“Field experiments will determine whether employing BIOTIC as an irrigation scheduling tool can improve water use efficiency in both furrow and over-head application systems” said Warren.

Thermal imaging will be used in the first field season to provide independent calibration of key elements of BIOTIC. Thermal imagers gather pixel-based information which allows for accurate delineation of foliage, accurate estimation of mean foliage temperature and estimation of the variability in foliage temperature.

This research will utilise BIOTIC as an irrigation scheduling tool to explore the application of this technique in the Australian environment. Field experiments will determine whether employing BIOTIC as an irrigation scheduling tool can improve water use efficiency in both furrow and over-head application systems. BIOTIC may also allow genotype selection for tolerance to water stress. Improvements in the timing of the application of irrigation water may also help protect and enhance landscapes and the environment through the reduced demand for water resources.

“I am passionate about working in the Australian irrigation industry to contribute to the sustainability of the cotton industry through my research,” said Warren.

Warren’s supervisors are Bruce Sutton, Sydney University and James Neilsen, CSIRO and Daniel Tan, Sydney University .

This is a joint project with the Cotton CRC and Irrigation Futures CRC

For more information please contact Warren Contay on 02 6799 1500