Effect of irrigation on soil oxygen status and root and shoot growth of wheat in a clay soil

1985 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 171 ◽  
Author(s):  
WS Meyer ◽  
HD Barrs ◽  
RCG Smith ◽  
NS White ◽  
AD Heritage ◽  
...  

Two watering treatments (flood and control) were applied to undisturbed (bulk density �? 1.6 mg mm-3 ) and repacked �? 1.2 mg mm-3 ) cylinders of Marah clay loam. The cylinders (0.75 m o.d. by 1.4 m deep) were housed in a lysimeter facility. Wheat (cv. Egret) was grown in the cylinders and the soil was either kept well watered with frequent small amounts of water (control treatment) or subjected to three separate periods, ranging from 4 to 72 h, of surface inundation (flood treatment). The greater pore space and better drainage of the repacked soil ensured that its average level of soil oxygen (O2) was about three times that of the undisturbed soil. Nevertheless, inundation of the soil surface for either 48 or 72 h rapidly decreased soil O2 levels in both soils. Root growth in these soils appeared to be slowed when soil O2 levels became less than 15% of the maximum that would occur in dry, aerated soil. Root growth ceased in both repacked and undisturbed soil cores after a 48-h flooding, when the soil O2 status was probably < 10% of the maximum. Root growth was greatest in the repacked soil with controlled water additions. The ranking of treatments, by either root intercept counts or O2 status, were the same. Leaf and stem growth were not very sensitive to the root zone conditions, but this may have been due to the advanced stage of plant growth when the treatments were applied and to the generally low nitrogen status of all treatment plants. There was a 44% reduction in yield from the best to the worst aerated soil treatment. The data show that if soil O2 levels become low as the result of flooding, root growth of wheat will stop and grain yield will be substantially decreased. Greatly improved aeration of these fine-textured soils is only possible if both the internal drainage properties of the soil are improved and prolonged periods of surface inundation are avoided.

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 713
Author(s):  
Edward G. Barrett-Lennard ◽  
Rushna Munir ◽  
Dana Mulvany ◽  
Laine Williamson ◽  
Glen Riethmuller ◽  
...  

This paper focuses on the adverse effects of soil sodicity and alkalinity on the growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in a rainfed environment in south-western Australia. These conditions cause the accumulation of salt (called ‘transient salinity’) in the root zone, which decreases the solute potential of the soil solution, particularly at the end of the growing season as the soil dries. We hypothesized that two approaches could help overcome this stress: (a) improved micro-water harvesting at the soil surface, which would help maintain soil hydration, decreasing the salinity of the soil solution, and (b) soil amelioration using small amounts of gypsum, elemental sulfur or gypsum plus elemental sulfur, which would ensure greater salt leaching. In our experiments, improved micro-water harvesting was achieved using a tillage technique consisting of exaggerated mounds between furrows and the covering of these mounds with plastic sheeting. The combination of the mounds and the application of a low rate of gypsum in the furrow (50 kg ha−1) increased yields of barley grain by 70% in 2019 and by 57% in 2020, relative to a control treatment with conventional tillage, no plastic sheeting and no amendment. These increases in yield were related to changes in ion concentrations in the soil and to changes in apparent electrical conductivity measured with the EM38.


2009 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 232-240
Author(s):  
Michael Arnold ◽  
Garry McDonald

Three experiments investigated the effects of various groundcovers on establishment of redbuds [Cercis canadensis L. var. texensis (S. Watson) M. Hopkins ‘Alba’] and baldcypress [Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.]. The first experiment involved eight surface treatments. Controls were bare soil. Remaining treatments were pine bark mulch; Asian jasmine [Trachelospermum asiaticum (Siebold & Zucc.) Nakai]; St. Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze]; decorative gravel; recycled paper mulch; decorative brick pavers; or seasonal rotations of herbaceous annuals. Other experiments compared brick-on-sand treatments ranging in color from light blonde to dark charcoal with bare soil on establishment of redbuds or baldcypress. Most organic and living soil surface covers were preferable to bare soils, however, some inorganic surface covers were detrimental to tree growth. Paving surfaces adversely affected survival, shoot or root growth, but differences were species dependent. Soil moisture, pH, and bulk density did not appear to be limiting under pavers, but substantial seasonal fluctuations in soil temperatures were observed. Light and medium bricks reflected more photosynthetically active radiation than dark bricks or bare soil. Atmospheric temperatures were greatest above dark and medium bricks. Root growth decreased as darkness of brick color increased. Redbud survival and growth were more adversely affected than with baldcypress


HortScience ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Xu ◽  
Bingru Huang

Summer decline in turf quality and growth of cool-season grass species is a major concern in turfgrass management. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether foliar application of trinexapac-ethyl (TE) and two biostimulants (TurfVigor and CPR) containing seaweed extracts would alleviate the decline in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) growth during summer months and to examine effects of TE and the biostimulants on leaf senescence and root growth. The study was performed on a ‘Penncross’ putting green built on a sandy loam soil at Hort Farm II, North Brunswick, NJ, in 2007 and 2008. Turf was foliar-sprayed with water (control), TE (0.05 kg a.i./ha), TurfVigor (47.75 L·ha−1), or CPR (19.10 L·ha−1) from late June to early September in a 2-week interval in both years. Turf quality, density, chlorophyll content, canopy photosynthetic rate (Pn), and root growth exhibited significant decline during July and August in both 2007 and 2008, to a greater extent in each parameter for the control treatment. Foliar application of TE resulted in significant improvement in turf quality, density, chlorophyll content, and Pn on certain sampling dates from July to September in both years compared with the control. Both TurfVigor and CPR significantly improved visual quality during July and August in both years by promoting both shoot and root growth. This study suggests that proper application of TE and selected biostimulants could be effective to improve summer performance of creeping bentgrass.


Plant Disease ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiamei Geng ◽  
Shan Jiang ◽  
Jian Hu

Hybrid bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon×C. transvaalensis) is widely used as turf in transition zone of China. Spring dead spot (SDS) is one of the most damaging diseases of hybrid bermudagrass. Symptoms of SDS appear when hybrid bermudagrass starts to break dormancy with warm temperature in early spring. The symptoms show sunken, circular or irregularly shaped, straw-colored patches, with 20 to 100 cm in diameter. The patches maintain dormant as the surrounding uninfected turfgrass resumes growth and turns green. SDS pathogens are soilborne fungi that colonize roots, stolons and rhizomes, infected roots or rhizomes become black and eventually collapse. Three species of fungi are reported to cause SDS: Ophiosphaerella herpotricha (Fr) J. Walker; O. korrae (J. Walker & A.M. Smith) Shoemaker & C.E. Babcock; or O. narmari (J. Walker & A.M. Smith) Wetzel, Hubert & Tisserat (Walker and Smith 1972; Walker 1980; Shoemaker and Babcock 1989; Wetzel et al. 1999). However, distribution of the three species may vary by geographical region (Cottrill et al. 2016). In October 2020, symptoms of SDS were observed on hybrid bermudagrass fairways of Taihu golf course in Wuxi, Jiangsu province. Root samples of SDS were collected, symptomatic roots with 3-4 cm length were cut, washed 2-3 times, surface sterilized in 0.6% NaOCl for 5 min, rinsed and blotted dry for 2 min and placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with 50 mg L-1 each of ampicillin, streptomycin sulfate and tetracycline. Plates were incubated in the dark at 25℃ for 5-7 days, Hyphae growing from the roots were transferred to new PDA plates. A total of 7 fungal isolates with morphology similar to SDS pathogens were obtained (Tredway et al. 2009). The genomic DNA was extracted from 2 of them (7-41, 8-6) and amplified with universal primers ITS5 and ITS4 (White et al. 1990). PCR products were sequenced (deposited as MW536995 and MW536994 in GenBank, not available yet) and showed 99.79% similarity to O. narmari (KP690979). Pathogenicity tests were performed on ‘Tifdwarf’ hybrid bermudagrass (9-week-old in 5 × 20 cm Cone-Tainers containing a sand and nutrition substrate mixture). Eight oat seeds infested with O. narmari were inserted 5 cm below the soil surface in the root zone of hybrid bermudagrass. The inoculated turfgrass grew for five weeks in the growth chamber with a 12-h day/night cycle of 25/20°C and 90% relative humidity. A control treatment was inoculated with 8 noninfested sterile oat seeds, and each treatment was replicated 3 times. The root tissues of hybrid burmudagrass inoculated with O. narmari became black and necrotic, no symptoms were observed on the roots of noninfested plants. O. narmari was consistently reisolated from symptomatic roots, and confirmed by PCR as mentioned above. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of O. narmari caused spring dead spot in the transition zone of China. The identification of SDS caused by O. narmari will have important implications for the management of this root-rot species on hybrid bermudagrass.


HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 504b-504
Author(s):  
Chris A. Martin ◽  
S. Bhattacharya

Acacia smalli (sweet acacia) and Cercidium praecox (palo brea) trees were grown during June–Oct. 1997 outdoors in full sun in 19-L containers positioned either PIP or above ground on the soil surface. The 38-L PIP holder containers were placed in the ground. Cyclic pulses of water were controlled by soil moisture sensors interfaced with electronic solenoid irrigation valves. Rooting substrate water potentials at 20 cm below the substrate surface and 10 cm inside the container wall were consistently maintained at either >–0.01 MPa (wet) or between –0.02 and –0.03 MPa (dry) for both above ground and PIP container substrates. Less than 1.25 cm of rainfall occurred during the study period. No incidences of rooting-out were observed with PIP trees. Maximum root-zone temperatures of PIP containers were 19 °C lower than temperatures measures in substrate of aboveground containers. Growth of both species was stimulated by the wet substrate regimen compared with the dry regimen. Positioning trees in a below-ground PIP configuration under the wet substrate regimen stimulated growth of sweet acacia compared with the PIP dry regimen. The PIP configuration did not affect growth of palo brea trees.


1967 ◽  
Vol 7 (28) ◽  
pp. 447
Author(s):  
TR Evans

A new technique is described for placement of radioactive solutions for studies on root growth. This technique involves placement of a perforated ring of polythene tubing at a predetermined depth with an access tube leading to the soil surface. Cylinders of 16 gauge galvanised iron and of different diameters are used for placement of polythene rings. Soil is excavated from outside the cylinder as it is forced to the required depth ; the polythene is placed in position and soil back-filled over it as the cylinder is withdrawn, thus leaving an undisturbed core of soil of the same diameter as the cylinder to the depth of placement. Radioactive solution introduced through the access tube from an automatic burette is distributed evenly in the soil by percolation from the perforated polythene ring. Rate of root growth of single plants through the undisturbed soil can be determined from measurement of radioactivity in plant leaves at various intervals of time. The technique was tested using radioactive phosphate (32P) as tracer and Paspalm commersonii Lam. as the test species. Root growth both vertically and laterally was measured. The advantages of this technique compared with others at present in use are : 1. Non-disturbance of the soil through which root growth is being measured. 2. Repeated applications of radioactive solution without disturbance of the system may be made in long-term studies. 3. Soil contamination by 32P solution above the point of placement is eliminated. The technique is well suited for studies on root growth and activity of single plants, or for competition studies.


1960 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 894 ◽  
Author(s):  
RJ Millington

Root growth of Trifolium subterraneum L. (var. Bacchus Marsh) in pot culture was substantially reduced when the available soil-surface pore space was reduced to 0.06 c.c. per c.c. Top growth was also reduced. Measurements of oxygen concentration in the soil atmosphere showed that both sealing of the soil surface and sowing at high density depressed oxygen concentrations in the soil. It is suggested that the available pore space at the soil surface limited gas exchange, resulting in a depression of both the quantity of respiring root tissue and the resultant oxygen concentrations. The amount of root material present at any time is a function of sowing density and may further modify the response to sealing of the soil surface.


Soil Research ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 139 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. P. Clemente ◽  
C. E. G. R. Schaefer ◽  
R. F. Novais ◽  
J. H. Viana ◽  
N. F. Barros

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Eucalyptus grandis root growth on localised soil compaction and fracturing. Undisturbed soil (Kandiustox) samples subjected to root growth pressure were used, employing 2 methods to study the phenomenon: (i) micromorphological analysis of thin sections of soil samples compacted by roots of 0.3, 0.9, 1.3, 2.8, 3.5, 6.4, 8.0, 9.0, and 10.2 cm diameter, carried out in the zone under direct root influence, up to 1 cm from the root–soil surface, compared with a reference area at a distance of 3 cm from the contact surface; (ii) a localised infiltration test to assess the time taken to infiltrate one drop of water into the surface of root-compacted soils, compared with the time taken in a reference sample without root compaction. The soil compaction was greater around root diameters >3.5 cm, and this effect was accompanied by reduced water infiltration in the soil surface at the root contact. Presence of chiseling fractures at an approximate 45° angle to the soil surface suggested helicoidal growth of the E. grandis root, causing both soil compression and shearing. At microscopic level the soil-root contact showed clay-oriented features, microfractures, fungi coatings, and micro-slickensides. The lower infiltration rate in the compacted soil–root surface is associated with both physical (compaction) and chemical (possibly hydrophobicity) mechanisms. The use of micromorphological techniques and image analysis allowed the observation and quantification of soil porosity in the vicinity of roots.


1971 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. J. KRISTENSEN ◽  
H. C. ASLYNG

The lysimeter installation described comprises 36 concrete tanks each with a soil surface of 4 m2. The installation is useful for plant growth experiments under natural conditions involving different treatment combined with various controlled water supplies. The ground installation is at least 20 cm below the soil surface and tillage can be done with field implements. The lysimeter tanks are provided with a drainage system which can drain the soil at the bottom (100 cm depth) to a tension of up to 100 cm. A constant ground-water table at less than 100 cm soil depth can also be maintained. The soil moisture content at different depths is determined from an underground tunnel by use of gamma radiation equipment in metal tubes horizontally installed in the soil. Rainfall is prevented by a movable glass roof automatically operated and controlled by a special rain sensor. Water is applied to the soil surface with a special trickle irrigation system consisting of a set of plastic tubes for each lysimeter tank and controlled from the tunnel. Fertilizers in controlled amount can be applied with the irrigation water.


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