Water management on agricultural catchment areas

The VesiMa project investigates the effects of water management measures on plant production and the environment, and creates practical guidelines for water management planning in agricultural catchment areas. The measures are subsurface drainage, supplementary drainage, control drainage, subsurface irrigation, and damming of the main ditch. The effects of the measures on the hydrology of arable areas, the loading of water bodies, greenhouse gas emissions and the yield level are studied in three experimental fields located in Sievi, Jokioinen and Siuntio.

Luke is in charge of the Jokioinen Nummela experimental field and 1) produces information on the effects of supplementary drainage on the field's water economy, nutrient load, soil structure and yield, 2) produces information on the effects of mechanical and biological loosening of the soil on the field's water economy, nutrient load, soil structure and yield, 3) determines the effect of soil moisture status and soil structure on greenhouse gas emissions, 4) investigates the improvement of the poor phosphorus status of the soil caused by long-term wetness with phosphorus fertilization and 5) is responsible for producing data for nutrient load calculations and water management modeling made by other parties. Luke's part in the VesiMa project thus produces information about the interactions between water management and soil properties.