Soil‐ and atmosphere‐induced plant water stress in cotton as inferred from foliage temperatures

Abstract

Foliage temperatures of cotton obtained by means of infrared thermometry, along with air wet and dry bulb temperature measurements, were used to investigate certain relationships existing between the water contents of soil and air and the ability of the crop to maintain transpiration at the potential rate. It was found that as soil water content is progressively depleted following an irrigation, departure from potential transpiration begins to occur at smaller and smaller values of air vapor pressure deficit in a regularly predictable fashion. It was also demonstrated that the plant water potential of cotton transpiring at the potential rate is a function of the air vapor pressure deficit and that the difference between this base value and the tension that develops under nonpotential conditions is a unique function of a newly developed plant water stress index. Finally, an example of the application of this foliage temperature‐based index to evaluating the effects of an irrigation event is presented.