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Modelling waterlogging impacts on crop growth: A review of aeration stress definition in crop models and sensitivity analysis of APSIM

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journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-21, 09:31 authored by Githui, F, Beverly, C, Aiad, M, McCaskill, M, Ke LiuKe Liu, Matthew HarrisonMatthew Harrison
Currently, crop physiological responses to waterlogging are considered only in a few crop models and in a limited way. Here, we examine the process bases of seven contemporary models developed to model crop growth in waterlogged conditions. The representation of plant recovery in these models is over-simplified, while plant adaptation or phenotypic plasticity due to waterlogging is often not considered. Aeration stress conceptualisation varies from the use of simple multipliers in equations describing transpiration and biomass to complex linkages of aeration-deficit factors with root growth, transpiration and nitrogen fixation. We recommend further studies investigating more holistic impacts and multiple stresses caused by plant behaviours driven by soils and climate. A sensitivity analysis using one model (a developer version of APSIM) with default parameters showed that waterlogging has the greatest impact on photosynthesis, followed by phenology and leaf expansion, suggesting a need for improved equations linking waterlogging to carbon assimilation. Future studies should compare the ability of multiple models to simulate real and in situ effects of waterlogging stress on crop growth using consistent experimental data for initialisation, calibration and validation. We conclude that future experimental and modelling studies must focus on improving the extent to which soil porosity, texture, organic carbon and nitrogen and plant-available water affect waterlogging stress, physiological plasticity and the ensuing temporal impacts on phenology, growth and yield.

Funding

Grains Research & Development Corporation

History

Publication title

International Journal of Plant Biology

Volume

13

Pagination

180-200

ISSN

2037-0156

Department/School

Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA)

Publisher

Pagepress

Place of publication

Italy

Rights statement

© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) (https:// mons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Climate change adaptation measures (excl. ecosystem); Ecosystem adaptation to climate change; Climatological hazards (e.g. extreme temperatures, drought and wildfires)