A Trial Application of the Phytomonitoring

Technique for Litchi in Shenzhen Area of China

Shiwen Song, Ph. D.
Agr. Sci. & Tech. Cen.,Baoan,518101,China, e-mail: songshiwen@x263.net.

Michael Kopyt, Ph. D.

Phytech Ltd, Yad Mordehai, 79145, Israel, e-mail: kopyt@eldarshany.com

Yuri Ton, Ph. D.

Phytech Ltd, Yad Mordehai, 79145, Israel, e-mail: yuri@phytech.co.il

Shigong Xie.
Agr. Sci. & Tech. Cen.,Baoan,518101,China,e-mail:bankzx@sohu.com

Written for presentation at the

2004 CIGR International ConferenceBeijing
Sponsored by CIGR, CSAM and CSAE
Beijing, China
11- 14 October 2004
Abstract. Phytomonitoring technology is used now in crop growing as a new information tool for
detecting physiological disorders in plants and for adjusting irrigation and climate control. The
phytomonitoring study of litchi plants, grown in commercial orchard of Shenzhen Area in China,
was conducted during 2003-2004 for determining plant water requirements.
The phytomonitoring measuring system (Phytech Ltd., Israel) included both plant sensors (trunk
diameter micro-variations, leaf temperature, fruit growth) and environmental sensors (air
temperature, air humidity, solar radiation, and soil moisture). The system was equipped with the
GSM modem for remote data transmission. The following main indications of plant state were
used for analysis: the trends of trunk and fruit daily maximums; deviation of those trends under
variable environmental factors; daily contraction of trunk and fruit diameter, and effect of
evapotranspiration factors on the leaf-air temperature difference.
It was found out that the seasonal trunk diameter growth curve was characterized by intensive
growth in summer time and depression of growth rate in wintertime. A temporary increase of
trunk diameter growth rate was observed after harvesting.
High sensitivity of plant state indicators to vapour pressure deficit (VPD) fluctuations was
observed during the summer rainy season. A certain water deficit was observed in plants when
the period between rains reached several weeks. The water deficit was manifested in shrinkage
of trunk diameter, depression of fruit growth and overheating of the leaves.
It was also found out that each occasional air dryness at night significantly affected plant water
state in wintertime.
Keywords. Phytomonitoring, litchi, irrigation control.

Introduction
Last time, more and more experts have agreed in opinion that knowledge of internal
characteristics of plants can be appreciably helpful for crop cultivation and opportune avoidance
of internal water deficit . Only the plant itself can show reliably when lack of water becomes a
stress (Larcher, 1995, p. 383), which actually affects metabolism and plant development. Many
authors have noted a great importance of plant-related indications for accurate irrigation control
of different crops (Selles and Berger, 1990; Amegllo et al., 1994; Chone et al., 2001; Van
Leeuwen et al., 2001; Naor and Cohen, 2003), including litchi (Naor, 2000). This approach is
realized by different ways in practice.
Phytomonitoring methodology developed and promoted by Phytech Ltd. as a tool for adjusting
irrigation and climate control. This plant related operative information channel includes
continuous and standardized measurement of plant-related and environmental values, rules of
data interpretation and decision-making (Ton, 1997; Ton et al., 2001;Ton and Kopyt, 2003a,b).
Last few years phytomonitoring technique was successfully tested on dozens of crops (Kopyt et
al., 2001; Gratacos and Gurovich, 2003; Ton et al., 2004a,b).
Litchi is one of the most environmentally sensitive tropical tree fruit crops (Ghosh, 2001).
Ambient temperature can strongly affect on vegetative growth and flowering (Menzel and
Simpson, 1990). Plant growth and development are also sensitive to internal water deficit
caused by lack of soil water or dry air conditions (Menzel et al., 1986). Introduction of
phytomonitoring technique to litchi growing in China may be seriously profitable, because China
is the largest litchi producer (Chen and Huang, 2001).
The main objective of the presented work was to find factors, which limit litchi production during
the season, and to detect periods with plant water deficit. The most interesting results are
presented in given paper.

Materials and methods

The experimental plot consisted of an 18-year-old no irrigated orchard of Noumici litchi,
growing on a sandy loam soil and placed on Songgan Town in Shenzhen Area of China. The
experiment was conducted from May 2003 to April 2004.
Commercial phytomonitoring system Phytalk (Phytech Ltd., Israel) was installed. Two visually
representative plants were selected for continuous monitoring with interval 30 min. Following
sensors were placed on every examined plant: one RS-DE-1R dendrometer (LVDT), one RS-FIMR fruit growth sensor (LVDT) with range 15-70mm, two RS-LT-1R leaf temperature sensors
and two RSD-SMS-2R soil moisture sensor. Air temperature and humidity (RSD-ATH-5R) and
total irradiance (RS-TIR-4R) were also monitored. The system was equipped with the GSM
modem for remote data transmission.
RS-DE-1R dendrometers for trunk radius variation measurement were installed on the mane
part of trunk 30 cm above soil surface. Dry bark was neatly peeled on the point of
measurement. For interpretation measured data of radius as trunk diameter variation all
measured readings were doubled.
Visually representative internal fruits were tested from suitable for measurement size (from
15mm).
East oriented sunlit leaves were examined.
Volume soil moisture measured on the depth 20 and 40 cm near every examined tree on the
distance about 1m from the trunk.

Phytech Ltd. standard interpretation (Ton, 1997; Ton et al., 2001;Ton and Kopyt, 2003a,b) was
used for plant physiological status estimation. Dynamics of replicates of all equitype parameters
were similar during the seasons and average values of replicates are presented.

Results and discussion

The main indicators of plant status used in Phytech Ltd. standards are based on data of stem
diameter and fruit growth fluctuations in time. At the same time ontogenetic changes of stem
and fruit growth rate take also place during the season. Thus, knowledge of trunk and fruit
seasonal curves may make easier interpretation of variations of these parameters and operative
detection plant physiological disorders (Ton et al., 2004a).

Seasonal variation of the main plant related and environmental parameters

In spite of about 6 weeks recess in phytomonitoring (October-November) caused by technical
reasons, two different periods may be selected for trunk diameter growth curve (See Figure 1.).

Figure 1. Seasonal variation of the main environmental and plant related parameters: air
temperature, VPD, soil moisture on depth 20cm, trunk diameter variation and fruit size.
First period (May September) was characterized by relatively intensive trunk diameter growth.
High temperature and Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) level took place in combination with a lot of
precipitation (since June) this period. Rain events are observed from soil moisture readings on
depth 20cm.

Active fruit growth took place in May and June, sigmoidal fruit growth curve was observed, like
in literature (Hieke et al., 2002).
More detail observation of trunk diameter fluctuations shown temporary significant increase of
trunk growth rate (See Figure 2.). This phenomenon was corresponded with harvest. One can
suppose that it was caused by dramatic decrease of fruit load, because there were no observed
favourable for growth environmental factors (some of them are presented on Figure 2.) No
significant increase of air temperature, level of air dryness and soil water deficit even increased.

Figure 2. Main environmental and plant related parameters: air temperature, VPD, soil moisture
on depth 20cm, trunk diameter variation and fruit size in period of fruit growth (Dotted line
daily average air temperature).
The second period (November March on Figure 1.) was characterized by significant trunk
diameter growth deceleration. We suppose that it is result of temperature decrease, because
reaction on rain was no observed in this dry period.

Plant sensitivity to environment factors variation during the season

As it was mentioned above, fruit growth took place in hot rainy period. But nature plant water
supply was not so regular. It is clear from soil moisture data (See Figure 1. and Figure 2.). In
case of long interval between precipitations and before start of rainy period tested plants

demonstrated indicators of water deficit (See Figure 3, for example) in period of active fruit
growth.

Figure 3. Indication of plant water deficit.

Decrease of VPD maximum level led to trunk and fruit growth intensification (from 0.52 to 0.85
mm/day for fruit size and from 0.01 to 0.06 mm/day for trunk diameter accordingly) and also to
significant decrease of Leaf-Air Temperature Difference (LATD) in this no watered period. This
phenomenon was not observed if interval between rains was not too long in period of fruit
growth. So high plant sensitivity to change of VPD level without water supply, which was noted
also earlier (Menzel et al., 1986), may be explained by the fact that most litchi roots are placed
not far from the soil surface (Menzel et al., 1990).
High trunk diameter sensitivity to nighttime increase of VPD level was also detected in this
period (marked by arrows on Figure 3.). Depression of trunk diameter growth at night took
place. Considerable effect of nocturnal transpiration of plant water state has been observed on
fruit trees (Green et al., 1989; Lakatos and Buban, 2000). We observed the effect of nighttime
air dryness on phytomonitoring indicators of plant state many times on different crops (Kopyt et
al., 2001; Ton et al., 2004a).
Nighttime air drought continued to be the main factor, limiting trunk growth after harvest too both
in summer warm rainy period and in no rainy cold winter one (See Figure 4 and Figure 5, for
example).

In case of humid night on July 19 trunk diameter nighttime growth was higher than in dry nights
and as a result trunk diameter maximum daily increment was also higher.

Figure 4. Nighttime depression of trunk diameter growth by increase of air dryness.

In winter increase of VPD dryness led to shrinkage of trunk diameter and even to negative trend
of trunk diameter maximum (See Figure 5.). Significant decrease of LATD at night (overcooling)
in comparison with humid nights (marked by arrows on Figure 5.) may be evidence, that
nighttime to intensive transpiration is a reason of trunk turgor depression and worsening of plant
water balance.

Figure 5. Nighttime depression of trunk diameter growth by increase of air dryness.

So, signs of plant water deficit were detected in phytomonitored plants both in winter and in
summer, including fruiting period. Additional water supply (drip irrigation) may be useful in this
case.

Conclusion
First seasonal curves of trunk diameter and fruit growth for litchi trees were obtained in
estimated plot. Trunk diameter curve is characterized by more intensive growth in summer and
growth depression in winter. Sigmoid fruit growth was observed. Temporary trunk diameter
growth rate increase was detected after harvest.
Trunk diameter negative reaction on nighttime VPD level increase was observed during all the
season.
Negative reaction of fruit, trunk and leaves was detected in rainy period in case of too long
interval between precipitations.
Additional plant water supply (drip irrigation) may be perspective for better crop control. It is an
object of future experimental work.

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