Use of Thermography to Evaluate Alternative Crops for Off-Season in the Cerrado Region

Abstract

Future predictions due to climate change are of decreases in rainfall and longer drought periods. The search for new tolerant crops is an important strategy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of water stress on the physiology and productivity of crops with potential for growing in the off-season period in the Cerrado, and evaluate correlations with the temperature of the canopy obtained by means of thermography. The experiment was conducted under field conditions, with experimental design in randomized blocks, in a split-plot scheme and four replications. The plots were: common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris); amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus); quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa); and buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum). The subplots were composed of four water regimes: maximum water regime (WR 535 mm), high-availability regime (WR 410 mm), off-season water regime (WR 304 mm) and severe water regime (WR 187 mm). Under WR 304 mm, the internal concentration of CO2 and photosynthesis were reduced by less than 10% in amaranth. Common bean and buckwheat reduced 85% in photosynthesis. The reduction in water availability increased the canopy temperature in the four crops and, in general, common bean was the most sensitive species, while quinoa had the lowest canopy temperatures. Furthermore, canopy temperature correlated negatively with grain yield, biomass yield and gas exchange across all plant species, thus thermal imaging of the canopy represents a promising tool for monitoring crop productivity for farmers, For the identification of crops with high water use management for research.