Purdue Agronomy Farm Corn Moisture Stress (791801)
Differences in moisture availability account for much of the variation
from year to year in corn yields. This experiment was a limited
study of the effects of deficits in plant available moisture on the
spectral characteristics of corn canopies. Three levels of stress were
to be established when the corn reached approximately one meter
height: none, moderate, and severe. The corn was grown on sand
beds, unlain by perforated pipe for rapid drainage. Varying amounts
of water can be applied to the plots to provide different levels of
available moisture.
Spectral measurements were to be made with the Exotech 20C and
PRT-5 systems at weekly intervals, along with the standard
agronomic and meteorological measurements. However, due to an
unexpected nutritional problem associated with use of a new sand,
only a limited number of measurements were made of this
experiment.