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Soil Moisture Outweighs Climatic Factors in Critical Periods for Rainfed Cereal Yields: An Analysis in Spain

Author

Listed:
  • Jaime Gaona

    (Instituto de Investigación en Agrobiotecnología (CIALE), Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Villamayor, Spain)

  • Pilar Benito-Verdugo

    (Instituto de Investigación en Agrobiotecnología (CIALE), Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Villamayor, Spain)

  • José Martínez-Fernández

    (Instituto de Investigación en Agrobiotecnología (CIALE), Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Villamayor, Spain)

  • Ángel González-Zamora

    (Instituto de Investigación en Agrobiotecnología (CIALE), Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Villamayor, Spain)

  • Laura Almendra-Martín

    (Instituto de Investigación en Agrobiotecnología (CIALE), Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Villamayor, Spain)

  • Carlos Miguel Herrero-Jiménez

    (Instituto de Investigación en Agrobiotecnología (CIALE), Universidad de Salamanca, 37185 Villamayor, Spain)

Abstract

Cereals are keystone crops for achieving food security and socioeconomic equilibrium, but rainfed cropland is highly sensitive to environmental anomalies that impact yields. The impact of soil moisture on cereal yield is particularly overlooked. This study evaluates the impact of root-zone soil moisture on yield compared to nine common climatic variables: maximum and minimum temperature, diurnal temperature range, growing degree days, accumulated rainfall, radiation, photothermal quotient, relative humidity of the air, and vapor pressure deficit. This study used the climatic database E-OBSv23 and the soil moisture databases ERA5-Land and LISFLOOD, focused on wheat and barley over the main cereal areas of Spain. Correlation analysis between annual yield and daily soil moisture and climatic data provided indicated the prevalence and concurrence of the impact factors on phenological stages of the Zadoks scale. Critical periods of impact on wheat and barley yields primarily concentrate during the growth and reproductive phases of spring. Soil moisture exceeds all other factors in magnitude and duration of influence, and our results suggest a complex interplay of factors during the critical spring period. This study highlights the preeminent role of soil moisture over climatic factors on the variability of rainfed cereal yields in water-limited areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaime Gaona & Pilar Benito-Verdugo & José Martínez-Fernández & Ángel González-Zamora & Laura Almendra-Martín & Carlos Miguel Herrero-Jiménez, 2022. "Soil Moisture Outweighs Climatic Factors in Critical Periods for Rainfed Cereal Yields: An Analysis in Spain," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-22, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:12:y:2022:i:4:p:533-:d:790113
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Weiwei Deng & M. Cristina Casao & Penghao Wang & Kazuhiro Sato & Patrick M. Hayes & E. Jean Finnegan & Ben Trevaskis, 2015. "Direct links between the vernalization response and other key traits of cereal crops," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8, May.
    2. Marijn Velde & Francesco Tubiello & Anton Vrieling & Fayçal Bouraoui, 2012. "Impacts of extreme weather on wheat and maize in France: evaluating regional crop simulations against observed data," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 113(3), pages 751-765, August.
    3. Ludwig, Fulco & Asseng, Senthold, 2010. "Potential benefits of early vigor and changes in phenology in wheat to adapt to warmer and drier climates," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 103(3), pages 127-136, March.
    4. Deepak K. Ray & James S. Gerber & Graham K. MacDonald & Paul C. West, 2015. "Climate variation explains a third of global crop yield variability," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-9, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pilar Benito-Verdugo & José Martínez-Fernández & Ángel González-Zamora & Laura Almendra-Martín & Jaime Gaona & Carlos Miguel Herrero-Jiménez, 2023. "Impact of Agricultural Drought on Barley and Wheat Yield: A Comparative Case Study of Spain and Germany," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-20, November.
    2. Gaona, Jaime & Benito-Verdugo, Pilar & Martínez-Fernández, José & González-Zamora, Ángel & Almendra-Martín, Laura & Herrero-Jiménez, Carlos Miguel, 2023. "Predictive value of soil moisture and concurrent variables in the multivariate modelling of cereal yields in water-limited environments," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).

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