EFFECT OF SAP FLOW AT OPTIMIZATION IRRIGATION.

Climate-change scenarios all around the world indicate that many areas of the globe will increase in aridity. Plants need a large amount of water and nutrients throughout their life cycle and all aspects of plant development are affected by a reduction in water content in the soil. This reduction in soil moisture leads to changes in the physical environment, which subsequently affect physiological and biochemical processes in plants. Based on sap flow measurements, it is possible to optimize irrigation. For our experiment were used apple trees in Nové Zámky region in Slovakia. On stem were installed Dynagage Sap Flow Sensors with the Flow 32-1K Sap flow system, which measure the sap flow and thus water consumption of plants. These energy balance sensors measure the amount of heat carried by the sap, which is converted into real-time sap flow. The measurements were going continuously during the summer in 2018 and the spring 2019. Values were compared with soil moisture, rainfalls and air temperature. The results showed us when it is necessary time the irrigation dose in real time, which save amount of water for irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]