Achieving Sustainable Intensive Agriculture (ASSIST) is a cross-research centre project with our partners the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and Rothamsted Research.
We are investigating how shallow groundwater may affect crop yield. The work involves using measured soil moisture and groundwater values from an observation network within a small subcatchment (around 100 ha) on an arable farm in southern England to develop models of groundwater level. Results from these models are then applied to successive years of combined yield maps to spatially identify areas within the catchment where groundwater may buffer soil moisture content in dry years, increasing yield, and where in wet years high groundwater level may decrease crop growth through (oxygen) (O2) depletion. We can then determine the overall impact on yield.
Outline of soil moisture-sensing data being used by BGS soil scientists on the ASSIST project.
We are examining the potential effects of shallow groundwater and soil moisture on yield of arable crops. BGS © UKRI.
The BGS’s work is a high-resolution study into the role of how soil moisture affects yield and complements regional and national approaches being undertaken by our partners.
Contact
If you want to discover more then please contact Andy Tye.
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