Simulation of Water Stress in Brachiaria Ruziziensis Under, a High Evaporattve Demano

Abstract

An attempt to simulate the water potential in Brachiaria Ruziziensis, under high evaporative demand, was made using Ohm’s law analog concept and the catenary concept including plant capacitance. Both models follow fairly well the measured plant water potential as long as the soil remains relativsly moist. At high soil moisture deficits, both models tend to overestimate strongly the water stress. The concept taking into account the plant capacitance results, under adversed conditions, to slightly better computed water stress values, although not significantly better than the calculated results obtained with the single catenary concept.