Vapor Losses Through Soil Mulch at Different Wind Velocities¹

Abstract

Abstract Rates of water vapor loss, E, through surfactant treated soil mulch of varying porosity and thickness were measured in pots exposed to various wind velocities under a wide range of evaporative demand. Empirical values of constant ‘BD’ obtained from the relation Eo/E = 1+BDZn (where Eo is the potential evaporation from the medium and Zn is the thickness of mulch) were expressed in terms of wind velocity (X 1 ) and porosity mulch (X 2 ). Multiple regression of the type BD = q + q 1 X 1 + q 2 X 2 was used to express BD as a function of wind velocity and porosity of mulch within the range of linearity of the relation Eo/E = f (Zn).