En este grupo se trabaja en la mejora de estrategias de riego de los cultivos principales en la zona, a partir de un mejor conocimiento de los procesos fisiológicos que regulan la respuesta de las especies estudiadas a las condiciones medioambientales y de cultivo. El objetivo principal del grupo REC es un uso racional del riego, con el que se consiga aumentar la productividad del cultivo a la par que se reduce el impacto de las prácticas agrícolas en el medioambiente.
Tras estudiar mecanismos fisiológicos relacionados con el uso del agua por el cultivo y con la influencia del riego en la planta y en el suelo, se usan los conocimientos adquiridos en la elaboración y mejora de modelos de absorción de agua desde el suelo, de transpiración y de fotosíntesis. Estos modelos se adaptan para que puedan usarse como herramientas para mejorar la comprensión de los mecanismos fisiológicos que subyacen a la respuesta de los cultivos al estrés hídrico, y para optimizar las estrategias de riego y de otras prácticas de cultivos orientadas a un uso más racional del agua. Se trabaja sobre todo con estrategias de riego deficitario, por lo que se presta especial atención al desarrollo de indicadores de estrés hídrico con registro automático y continuo, aptos para plantaciones comerciales. Se trabaja sobre todo con cultivos leñosos, principalmente olivo, cítricos, almendro y vid. Las líneas de trabajo principales del grupo son las siguientes:
- Caracterización de mecanismos fisiológicos que regulan la respuesta del cultivo a condiciones del suelo y de la atmósfera.
- Elaboración y mejora de modelos de absorción de agua, de transpiración y de fotosíntesis.
- Evaluación de indicadores de estrés hídrico convencionales (potencial hídrico, conductancia estomática, crecimiento) y automáticos (flujo de savia, variación del diámetro del tronco, potencial de turgencia de la hoja)
- Efecto del riego deficitario en la cantidad y calidad de la cosecha.
- Impacto del riego en el medioambiente: lavado de agroquímicos, gasto energético, etc.
- Desarrollo de controladores automáticos de riego
En enero de 2009 el grupo formó una Unidad Asociada con el Centro Las Torres-Tomejil (IFAPA), con el nombre de “Gestión Sostenible de los Recursos Suelo y Agua”. Los responsables de la Unidad Asociada son Karl Vanderlinden por parte del IFAPA y José Enrique Fernández por parte del CSIC.
Cuevas M.V., Martín-Palomo M.J., Diaz-Espejo A., Torres-Ruiz J.M., Rodriguez-Dominguez C.M., Perez-Martin A., Fernández J.E. Assessing water stress in a hedgerow olive orchard from sap flow and trunk diameter measurements. Enviado a Irrigation Science.
Diaz-Espejo A., Cuevas M.V., Ribas-Carbó M., Flexas J., Martorell S., Fernández J.E. Leaf gas exchange, water use efficiency and ABA in grapevines treated with strobilurin fungicide. Aceptado en Journal of Plant Physiology.
Egea G., González-Real M.M., Baille A., Nortes P.A., Diaz-Espejo A. Disentangling the contributions of ontogeny and water stress to photosynthetic limitations in almond trees. Plant, Cell and Environment, 2001, 34: 962-979.
Ehrenberger W., Sann C., Rüger S., Rodríguez-Domínguez C. M., Diaz-Espejo A., Fernández J.E., Sukhorukov V., Zimmermann U. Which information for water management of olives can be deduced from leaf patch pressure probe measurements in the nearly turgorless state? An experimental and theoretical approach. Aceptado en Plant Biology.
Fernández J.E., Moreno F., Martín-Palomo M.J., Cuevas M.V., Torres-Ruiz J.M., Moriana A. Combining sap flow and trunk diameter measurements to assess water needs in mature olive orchards. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 2011, 72: 330-338.
Fernández J.E., Rodriguez-Dominguez C.M., Perez-Martin A., Zimmermann U., Rüger S., Martín-Palomo M.J., Torres-Ruiz J.M., Cuevas M.V., Sann C., Ehrenberger W., Diaz-Espejo A. Online-monitoring of tree water stress in a hedgerow olive orchard using the leaf patch clamp pressure probe. Agricultural Water Management, 2011, 100: 25-35.
Fernández J.E., Torres-Ruiz J.M., Diaz-Espejo A., Montero A., Álvarez R., Jiménez M.D., Cuerva J., Cuevas M.V. Use of maximum trunk diameter measurements to detect water stress in mature ‘Arbequina’ olive trees under deficit irrigation. Agricultural Water Management, 2011, 98: 1813-1821.
Torres-Ruiz J.M., Diaz-Espejo A., Morales-Sillero A., Martín-Palomo M.J., Mayr S., Beikircher B., Fernández J.E. Effects of localized irrigation on plant water status, stomatal response and xylem hydraulic characteristics of 'Manzanilla' olive trees. Enviado a Plant and Soil.
Cuevas M.V., Torres-Ruiz J.M., Álvarez R., Jiménez M.D., Cuerva J., Fernández J.E.* Assessment of trunk diameter variation derived indices as water stress indicators in mature olive trees. Agricultural Water Management, 2010, 97:1293-1302
Fernández J.E.*, Cuevas M.V. Irrigation scheduling from stem diameter variations: a review. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 2010, 150:135-151.
López-Garrido R., Díaz-Espejo A., Madejón E., Murillo J. M., Moreno F. Carbon losses by tillage under semi-arid mediterranean rainfed agriculture (SW Spain). Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research, 2009, 7: 706-716.
Niinemets U., Díaz-Espejo A., Flexas J., Galmés J., Warren C.R. Importance of mesophyll diffusion conductance in estimation of plant photosynthesis in the field. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2009, 60: 2271-2282.
Niinemets U., Díaz-Espejo A., Flexas J., Galmés J., Warren C.R. Role of mesophyll diffusion conductance in constraining potential photosynthetic productivity in the field. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2009, 60: 2249-2270.
Morales-Sillero A.*, Fernández J.E., Ordovás J., Suárez M.P., Pérez J.A., Liñán J., López E.P., Girón I., Troncoso A. Plant-soil interactions in a fertigated ‘Manzanilla de Sevilla’ olive orchard. Plant and Soil, 2009, 319:147-162.
Perez-Martin A., Flexas J., Ribas-Carbó M., Bota J., Tomás M., Infante J.M., Diaz-Espejo A. Interactive effects of soil water deficit and air vapour pressure deficit on mesophyll conductance to CO2 in olives and grapevines. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2009, 60: 2391-2405.
Cuevas M.V.*, Cox L., Hermosín M.C., Calderón M.J., Fernández J.E. Chloridazon and lenacil dissipation in a clayey soil of the Guadalquivir river marshes (southwest Spain). Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 2008, 124: 245-251
Fernández J.E.*, Diaz-Espejo A., D’Andria R., Sebastiani L., Tognetti R. Potential and limitations of improving olive orchard design and management through modeling. Plant Biosystems, 2008, 142: 130-137.
Fernández J.E.*, Green S.R., Caspari H.W., Diaz-Espejo A., Cuevas M.V. The use of sap flow measurements for scheduling irrigation in olive, apple and Asian pear trees and in grapevines. Plant and Soil, 2008, 305: 91-104
Fernández J.E.*, Romero R., Montaño J.C., Diaz-Espejo A., Muriel J.L., Cuevas M.V., Moreno F., Girón I.F., Palomo, M.J. Design and testing of an automatic irrigation controller for fruit tree orchards, based on sap flow measurements. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 2008, 59: 589-598.
Flexas J., Ribas-Carbó M., Díaz-Espejo A., Galmés J., Medrano H. Mesophyll conductance to CO2: current knowledge and future prospects. Plant, Cell and Environment, 2008, 31, 602–621.
Morales-Sillero A.*, Fernández J.E., Rejano L., Jiménez R., Troncoso A. The effect of fertigation on the ‘Manzanilla de Sevilla’ table olive quality before and after ‘Spanish-style’ green processing. HortScience, 2008, 43(1): 153-158
Morales-Sillero A.*, Rapoport H., Fernández J.E., Troncoso A. Olive fruit pulp and pit growth under differing nutrient supply. Scientia Horticulturae, 2008, 117: 182-184.
Tognetti R.*, Morales-Sillero A., D’andria R., Fernández J.E., Lavini A., Sebastiani L., Troncoso A. Deficit irrigation and fertigation practices in olive growing: convergences and divergences in two case studies. Plant Biosystems, 2008, 142: 138-148.
Diaz-Espejo A.*, Nicolás E., Fernández J.E. Seasonal evolution of diffusional limitations and photosynthetic capacity in olive under drought. Plant, Cell and Environment, 2007, 30:922-933.
Flexas J., Díaz-Espejo A., Berry J.A., Cifre J., Galmés J., Kaldenhoff R., Medrano H., Ribas-Carbó M. Analysis of leakage in IRGA's leaf chambers of portable open gas exchange systems: quantification and its effects in photosynthesis parameterization. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2007, 58: 1533–1543.
Flexas J., Diaz-Espejo A., Galmés J., Kaldenhoff R., Medrano H., Ribas-Carbo M. Rapid variations of mesophyll conductance in response to changes in CO2 concentration around leaves. Plant Cell and Environment, 2007, 30:1284-1298.
Flexas J., Ortuño M.F., Flórez-Sarasa I.D., Díaz-Espejo A., Medrano H., Ribas-Carbo M. Mesophyll conductance to CO2 in Arabidopsis thaliana. New Phytologist, 2007, 175: 501–511.
Morales-Sillero A.*, Fernández J.E., Beltrán G., Jiménez R., Troncoso A. Influence of fertigation in 'Manzanilla de Sevilla' olive oil quality. HortScience, 2007, 42(5):1157-1162.
Diaz-Espejo A.*, Walcroft A., Fernández J.E., Hafidi B., Palomo M.J. Girón I.F. Modelling photosynthesis in olive leaves under drought conditions. Tree Physiology, 2006, 26: 1445-1456.
Fernández J.E.*, Diaz-Espejo A., Infante J.M., Durán P., Palomo M.J., Chamorro V., Girón I.F., Villagarcía L. Water relations and gas exchange in olive trees under regulated deficit irrigation and partial rootzone drying. Plant and Soil, 2006, 284: 273-291.
Fernández J.E.*, Durán P.J., Palomo M.J., Díaz-Espejo A., Chamorro V., Girón I.F. Calibration of sap flow measurements by the compensation heat-pulse method in olive, plum and orange trees: relations with xylem anatomy. Tree Physiology, 2006, 26: 719-728.
Verhoef A.*, Diaz-Espejo A., Knight J.R., Villagarcía L., Fernández J.E. Adsorption of water vapour by bare soil in an olive grove in Southern Spain. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 2006, 7(5):1011-1027.
Verhoef A., Fernández-Galvez J., Díaz-Espejo A., Main B.E., El-Bishtia M. The diurnal course of soil moisture as measured by various dielectric sensors: Effects of soil temperature and the implications for evaporation estimates. Journal of Hydrology, 2006 321: 147-162.
Walczak R.T.*, Moreno F., Slawinski C., Fernández J.E., Arrue J.L. Modeling of soil water retention curve using soil solid phase parameters. Journal of Hydrology, 2006, 329: 527-533.
Díaz-Espejo A., Verhoef A., Knight R. Illustration of micro-scale advection using grid-pattern mini-lysimeters. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 2005, 129: 39-52
Fernández J.E.*, Palomo M.J., Díaz-Espejo A., Girón I.F. Influence of partial soil wetting on water relation parameters of the olive tree. Agronomie, 2003, 23: 545-552.
Moreno F.*, Murer E.J., Stenitzer E., Fernández J.E., Girón I.F. Simulation of the impact of subsoil compaction on soil water balance and crop yield of irrigated maize on a loamy sandy soil in SW Spain. Soil & Tillage Research, 2003, 73: 31-41.
Robinson B.*, Fernández J.E., Madejón P., Marañón T., Murillo J.M., Green S., Clothier B. Phytoextraction: an assessment of biogeochemical and economic viability. Plant and Soil, 2003, 249: 117-125.
Fernández J.E.*, Slawinski C., Moreno F., Walczak R.T., Vanclooster M. Simulating the fate of water in a soil-crop system of a semi-arid Mediterranean area with the WAVE2.1 and the EURO-ACCESS-II models. Agricultural Water Management, 2002, 56: 113-129.
Palomo M.J., Moreno F., Fernández J.E.*, Díaz-Espejo A., Girón I.F. Determining water consumption in olive orchards using the water balance approach. Agricultural Water Management, 2002, 1717: 1-21.
Walcroft A., Le Roux X., Díaz-Espejo A., Dones N., Sinoquet H. Effects of crown development on leaf irradiance, leaf morphology and photosynthetic capacity in a peach tree. Tree Physiology, 2002, 22: 929-938.
Fernández J.E.*, Palomo M.J., Díaz-Espejo A., Clothier B.E., Green S.R., Girón I.F., Moreno F. Heat-Pulse measurements of sap flow in olives for automating irrigation: tests, root flow and diagnostics of water stress. Agricultural Water Management, 2001, 51: 99-123.
Fernández J.E.*, Moreno F., Murillo J.M., Cuevas M.V., Kohler F. Evaluating the effectiveness of a hydrophobic polymer for conserving water and reducing weed infection in a sandy loam soil. Agricultural Water Management, 2001, 51: 29-59.
Moreno F.*, Cabrera F., Fernández-Boy E., Girón I.F., Fernández J.E., Bellido B. Irrigation with saline water in the reclaimed marsh soils of south-west Spain: impact on soil properties and cotton and sugar beet crops. Agricultural Water Management, 2001, 48(2): 133-150.
Nieva F.J.J., Díaz-Espejo A, Castellanos E, Figueroa M.E. Field variablility of invading population of Spartina densiflora grown in the different habitats of the Odiel marshes (SW, Spain). Estuarine Coastal and Shell Science, 2001, 52: 515-527.
Murillo J.M.*, López R., Fernández J.E., Cabrera F. Olive tree response to irrigation with wastewater from a table olive industry. Irrigation Science, 2000, 19, 175-180.
Díaz-Espejo A., Serrano L., Toja J. Changes in sediment phosphate composition of seasonal ponds during filling. Hydrobiologia, 1999, 392: 21-28.
Serrano L., Burgos M., Díaz-Espejo A., Toja J. Phosphorus inputs to wetlands following storm events after drought. Wetlands, 1999, 19: 318-326.
Fernández J.E.*, Murillo, J.M., Moreno F., Cabrera, F., Fernandez-Boy, E. Reducing fertilization for maize in southwest Spain. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 1998, Vol 29 (19&20): 2829-2840
Murillo J.M.*, Moreno F., Pelegrin F., Fernández J.E. Responses of sunflower to traditional and conservation tillage under rainfed conditions in southern Spain. Soil & Tillage Research, 1998, 49: 233-241.
Fernández J.E.*, Moreno F., Giron I.F., Blazquez O.M. Stomatal control of water use in olive tree leaves. Plant and Soil, 1997, 190: 179-192.
Moreno F*., Pelegrin F., Fernández J.E., Murillo J.M. Soil physical properties, water depletion and crop development under traditional and conservation tillage in southern Spain. Soil & Tillage Research, 1997, 41: 25-42.
Murillo J.M.*, Moreno F., Cabrera F., Fernández J.E., Fernandez-Boy E. Lowering the fertilisation rate for corn monocropping: nutritional parameters. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 1997, 73: 383-390.
Fernández J.E.*, Moreno F., Murillo J.M., Cayuela J.A., Fernandez-Boy E., Cabrera F. Water use and yield of maize with two levels of nitrogen fertilization in SW Spain. Agricultural Water Management, 1996, 29: 215-233.
Moreno F.*, Fernández J.E., Clothier B.E., Green S.R. Water use and root uptake by olive trees. Plant and Soil, 1996, 184: 85-96.
Moreno F.*, Cayuela J.A., Fernández J.E., Fernandez-Boy E., Murillo J.M., Cabrera F. Water balance and nitrate leaching in an irrigated maize crop in SW Spain. Agricultural Water Management, 1996, 32: 71-83.
Chalabi Z S.*, Fernández J.E. Estimation of net photosynthesis of a greenhouse canopy using mass balance and mechanistic models. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 1994, 71: 165-182.
Fernández J.E.*, Bailey B. The influence of fans on environmental conditions in greenhouses. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research, 1994, 58: 201-210.
Chalabi Z*., Fernández J.E. Spatio-temporal responses of a glasshouse to gaseous enrichment. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research, 1992, 51: 139-151.
Fernández J.E*., Bailey B.J. Measurement and prediction of greenhouse ventilation rates. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 1992, 58: 229-245.
Fernández J.E*., Moreno F., Cabrera F., Arrue J.L., Martin-Aranda J. Drip irrigation, soil characteristics and the root distribution and root activity of olive trees. Plant and Soil, 1991, 133: 239-251
Moreno F*., Vachaud G., Martin-Aranda J., Vauclin M., Fernández E. Balance hídrico de un olivar con riego gota a gota. Balance de cuatro años de experiencias. Agronomie, 1988, 8(6): 521-537
Diaz-Espejo A., Fernández J.E. Use of sap-flow profiles in trunks to derive canopy conductance. Acta Horticulturae, 2009, 846: 271-276.
Fernández, J.E., Morales, A., Martín-Palomo, M.J., Muriel, J.L., Romero, R., Diaz-Espejo, A. Seasonal changes on hydraulic conductance of mature olive trees under different water regimes. Acta Horticulturae, 2009, 846:263-269.
Fernández J.E., Romero R., Díaz-Espejo A., Cuevas M.V., Muriel J.L., Montaño J.C.A device for Scheduling irrigation in fruit tree orchards from sap flow readings. Acta Horticulturae, 2008, 792: 283-290.
Diaz-Espejo A., Fernández J.E., Durán P.J., Girón I.F., Sinoquet H., Sonohat G., Phattaralerphong J., Infante J.M., Chamorro V., Villagarcía L., Palomo M.J. Canopy architecture and radiation interception measurements in olive. Acta Horticulturae, 2008, 791: 531-538.
Fernández J.E., Díaz-Espejo, A., Girón, I.F., Durán P.J.,Palomo, M.J., Infante, J.M., Chamorro, V., Villagarcía, L. Sap flow, stem water potential and stomatal conductance to water and CO2 in mature olive trees under regulated deficit irrigation and partial root drying. Acta Horticulturae, 2008, 791: 465-472.