Assessment of rainfall efficiency in an apple orchard

Atmospheric precipitation is the major input to the soil water balance. Its amount, intensity, and temporal distribution have an indubitable influence on soil moisture. The aim of the study (conducted in the years 2010-2013) was to evaluate soil water balance in an apple orchard as determined by daily rainfall. The amount and intensity of rainfall and daily evapotranspiration were measured using an automatic weather station. Changes in soil water content was carried out using capacitance probes placed at a depth of 20, 40 and 60 cm. The most common were single events of rainfall of up to 0.2 mm, while 1.3-3.6 mm rains delivered the greatest amount of water. A significant correlation was found between the amount of daily rainfall and changes in water content of individual soil layers. The 15-45 cm and 15-65 cm layers accumulated the greatest amount of high rainfall. The study showed a significant influence of the initial soil moisture on changes in the water content of the analysed layers of the soil profile. The lower its initial moisture content was, the more rainwater it was able to accumulate.

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Opracowanie rekordu ze środków MEiN, umowa nr SONP/SP/546092/2022 w ramach programu "Społeczna odpowiedzialność nauki" - moduł: Popularyzacja nauki i promocja sportu (2022-2023).