Wheat root penetration and total available water on a range of soil types

1976 ◽  
Vol 16 (81) ◽  
pp. 570 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Tennant
Keyword(s):  
Shallow Water ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Wheat Root ◽  
Consistent Pattern ◽  
Clay Soils ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Root Penetration

Depth of root penetration was examined over three years on a range of soil types in Western Australia. A consistent pattern was recognized. Roots penetrated rapidly to 5 to 10 cm from the soil surface within the first week from planting. Subsequent penetration was slow to 6 weeks, at which stage, depending on soil types, depth of root penetration was 15 to 30 cm. Rates of root penetration increased after 6 weeks from planting with greatest penetration occurring between 8 to 13 weeks. Respective maximum depths of root penetration in the deep sand, sandy loam, grey clay and sand over clay soils investigated were 169, 173, 31 and 73 cm. These depths were reached between 10 to 14 weeks after planting. Potential available soil water to maximum depths of root penetration were 2.6, 20.1, 5.6 and 8.1 cm for the deep sand, sandy loam, grey clay and sand over clay respectively. More than half of this available soil water was accessible for crop exploitation over the 9 to 14 week period after planting, except with shallow water and root penetration in the grey clay.

scholarly journals The accuracy of simple soil water models in climate forecasting

1997 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Blyth ◽  
C. C. Daamen
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Sandy Soils ◽  
Clay Soils ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Layer Model ◽  
Climate Forecasting ◽  
Number Of Layers ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
Two Layer Model ◽  
Water Models

Abstract. Several simple soil water models with four layers or less, typical of those used in GCMS, are compared to a complex multilayered model. They are tested by applying a repeating wetting/drying cycle at different frequencies, and run to equilibrium. The ability of the simple soil models to reproduce the results of the multilayer model vary according to the frequency of the forcing cycle, the soil type, the number of layers and the depth of the top layer of the model. The best overall performance was from the four layer model. The two layer model with a thin top layer (0.1 m) modelled sandy soils well while the two layer model with a thick top layer (0.5 m) modelled clay soils well. The model with just one layer overestimated evaporation during long drying periods for all soil types.

Subsurface Application and Shallow Incorporation of Herbicides on Cotton

Weed Science ◽  
1968 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 494-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. F. Wiese ◽  
E. B. Hudspeth
Keyword(s):  
Gossypium Hirsutum ◽  
Weed Control ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Sandy Loam Soil ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Loam Soil

In a 3-year study on four soil types, subsurface application just ahead of a planter with a device that removed the top from the bed, applied a band of spray, and covered the band with soil reduced weed control in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) obtained with 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (diuron), 2,4-bis(isopropylamino)-6-methylmercapto-s-triazine (prometryne), 3-(hexahydro-4,7-methanoindan-5-yl)-1,1-dimethylurea (norea), dimethyl-2,3,5,6-tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA), and 1,1-dimethyl-3(α,α,α,-trifluoro-m-tolyl)urea (fluometuron) compared to applications on the soil surface. This machine improved weed control with α,α,α,-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-p-toluidine (trifluralin). Shallow incorporation, with two helical blades, after planting increased weed control with trifluralin, diuron, and DCPA by 10% or more over the surface applications. This incorporator increased weed control obtained with prometryne and norea 5%. Very shallow incorporation, with metal tines, after planting improved weed control obtained with trifluralin and DCPA 18 and 11%, respectively. Weed control with norea was increased 7%, but metal tines did not appreciably affect weed control obtained with prometryne, diuron, or fluometuron. Compared to surface applications, incorporation increased cotton injury with diuron, norea, prometryne, and fluometuron on sandy loam soil.

Ammonia volatilization from surface-applied livestock slurry as affected by slurry composition and slurry infiltration depth

2006 ◽  
Vol 144 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. G. SOMMER ◽  
L. S. JENSEN ◽  
S. B. CLAUSEN ◽  
H. T. SØGAARD
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Soil Water Potential ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Pig Slurry ◽  
Fertilizer Value ◽  
Loam Soil ◽  
Water Values ◽  
Slurry Composition

Volatilization of ammonia (NH3) from slurry applied in the field is considered a risk to the environment and reduces the fertilizer value of the slurry. To reduce volatilization a better understanding of the slurry–soil interaction is needed. Therefore, the present study focuses on measuring NH3 volatilization as affected by differences in infiltration. Livestock slurries with different dry matter (DM) composition and viscosity were included in the experiments by using untreated cattle and pig slurry, pig slurry anaerobically digested in a biogas plant and pig slurry anaerobically digested and physically separated. NH3 volatilization was measured using dynamic chambers and related to infiltration of the livestock slurries in the soil by measuring chloride (Cl−) and Total Ammoniacal Nitrogen (TAN=ammonium (NH4+)+NH3) concentrations in soil at different depths from 0·5 to 6·0 cm from the soil surface. The slurries were applied to sandy and sandy-loam soils packed in boxes within the chambers. There were no significant differences in relative volatilization of NH3 from untreated cattle and pig slurries, but anaerobic digestion of pig slurry increased volatilization due to increases in pH. However, physical separation of the digested slurry reduced the volatilization compared with untreated slurry, due to increased infiltration. In general, the volatilization decreased significantly with increased infiltration. The present study shows that NH3 volatilization from applied slurry can be related to infiltration and that infiltration is related to slurry composition (i.e. DM content and particle size distribution) and soil water content. The infiltration of liquid (measured by Cl− infiltration) was affected by soil water potential, therefore, Cl− infiltrated deeper into the sandy loam soil than the sandy soil at similar gravimetric soil water values. Dry matter (DM) and large particles (>1 mm) of the slurry reduced infiltration of liquid. A high proportion of small particles (<0·025 mm) facilitated infiltration of TAN.

Effects of some soil conditions on sugar-beet seedling emergence

1972 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 543-545 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Longden
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Sugar Beet ◽  
Clay Soil ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Clay Soils ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Soil Conditioners ◽  
Water Holding

SUMMARYSeven soil conditioners added to a sandy clay soil at Saxmundham did not benefit sugar-beet seedling emergence in four experiments in 3 years. In microplots at Broom's Barn free draining peat and sandy loam gave consistently more seedlings than limestone loam or flinty loam. In the laboratory, for each of three soil types, emergence was maximal only for a small soil moisture range and decreased rapidly when soils became drier or wetter. This suggests that conditioners which increase water-holding capacity should be tested on sandy loams rather than clay soils and that seed-bed preparation on heavier soils should seek to aerate the soil.

Reliability of canola production in different rainfall zones of Western Australia

2007 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imma Farré ◽  
Michael Robertson ◽  
Senthold Asseng
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Soil Type ◽  
Oil Content ◽  
Sowing Date ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Minor Effect ◽  
High Rainfall ◽  
History Of

The area of canola in the wheat-based farming systems of the wheatbelt of Western Australia (WA) expanded rapidly during the 1990s and has subsequently decreased. Due to the short history of canola production in WA, there is little information on yield and oil content expectations in relation to rainfall, location, and soil type. In this paper we: (1) present the recent history of canola production in the context of the long-term climate record; (2) assess the effect of location, rainfall, soil type, and soil water at sowing on yield and oil content; and (3) determine cut-off sowing dates for profitable canola production. Simulations were run using the APSIM-Canola model with long-term climate records for 3 selected locations from the low-, medium-, and high-rainfall zones and different soil types. Analysis of recent trends in canola area showed that poor seasons and price volatility in the last few years have contributed to farmers’ perception of risk and hence the decline in area sown. Long-term simulations showed the importance of location, sowing date, soil type, and stored soil water at sowing on grain yield. Yield was negatively related to sowing date. Light-textured soils had lower yields and larger yield penalties with delayed sowing than heavy-textured soils. Soil water at sowing gave a yield advantage in most years in all locations studied, but especially in low- and medium-rainfall locations. Variation in oil content was most strongly affected by sowing date and location, while soil type and soil water at sowing had a minor effect. Long-term simulation analysis can be used as a tool to establish the latest possible sowing date to achieve profitable canola for different locations and soil types, given different canola prices and growing costs. Given the vulnerability of profitability to seasonal conditions, in the low- and medium-rainfall zone, the decision to grow canola should be tactical depending on stored soil water, sowing opportunities, seasonal climate outlook, prices, and costs. In contrast, in the high-rainfall zone, canola production is relatively low risk, and could become a reliable component of rotations.

The tree - crop interface: the effects of root pruning in south-western Australia

2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 763 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Sudmeyer ◽  
D. J. M. Hall ◽  
J. Eastham ◽  
M. A. Adams
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Root Pruning ◽  
Tree Roots

This paper examines the effect severing lateral tree roots (root pruning) has on crop and tree growth and soil water content at 2 sites in the south-west of Western Australia. Crop and tree growth and soil water content were assessed in a Pinus pinaster windbreak system growing on 0.45–1.00 m of sand over clay, and crop growth was assessed adjacent to Eucalyptus globulus windbreaks growing on 4–5 m of sand. Crop yield was depressed by 23–52% within 2.5 times the tree height (H) of unpruned pines and by 44% within 2.5 H of pruned eucalypts. Depressed yields made cropping uneconomical within 1.5 H of the eucalypts and 1 H of the pines. Root pruning most improved crop yields where lateral tree roots were confined close to the soil surface and decreased in effectiveness as the depth to confining layer (clay) increased. Crop losses within 2.5 H of the pines were reduced from 39 to 14% in the year the trees were root pruned and were 25% 1 year after root pruning. Subsequent root pruning of the eucalypts did not improve crop yield. While root pruning severed lateral pine roots, tree growth was not significantly reduced. The principal cause of reduced crop yield near the trees appeared to be reduced soil moisture in the area occupied by tree roots. Competition for nutrients and light appeared to have little effect on crop yield. Root pruning can spatially separate tree and crop roots where the tree roots are confined close to the surface, and significantly improve crop yields without reducing tree growth.

Seed production by skeleton weed (Chondrilla juncea L.) in Western Australia in relation to summer drought

1987 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 689 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Dodd ◽  
FD Panetta
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Seed Production ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
First Year ◽  
Root Penetration ◽  
Summer Drought ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Viable Seeds

Seed production in Forms A and C of C. juncea was measured at 11 wheatbelt sites in Western Australia and under glasshouse conditions. Most field-grown plants produced abundant viable seeds, even without substantial summer rainfall. Up to 27.6 x l03 seeds per plant were recorded, and their viability was frequently between 80 and 90%. Even in their first year, some plants produced more than 10000 seeds each. Through the summer, seed production often followed either a positively skewed, or a bimodal curve. Falls of rain in summer did not increase seed output or affect its quality in established plants. Exceptionally high air temperatures appeared to depress seed numbers and/or viability at several, but not all, sites. At the end of summer, when young plants were 9-12 months old, soil water extraction had occurred to 310 cm, indicating root penetration to this depth. Conservative water use by C. juncea during summer was indicated by low values of soil water depletion. In glasshouse-grown plants, simulated drought reduced seed numbers, viability, primary dormancy and seed weight, although the two forms responded differently. Given adequate winter rainfall to recharge soil water storage, C. juncea appears capable of producing large quantities of viable seeds throughout the Western Australian wheatbelt.

scholarly journals Water transmission properties of a sandy-loam soil estimated with Beerkan runs differing by the infiltration time criterion

2021 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-160
Author(s):  
Vincenzo Bagarello ◽  
Gaetano Caltabellotta ◽  
Massimo Iovino
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Sandy Loam Soil ◽  
Water Volume ◽  
Transmission Properties ◽  
Time Criterion ◽  
Loam Soil ◽  
Water Transmission

Abstract The Beerkan method consists of a ponded infiltration experiment from a single ring inserted a small depth into the soil. Fixed, small volumes of water are repeatedly poured into the ring to maintain a quasi-zero head on the soil surface. According to the standard Beerkan infiltration run, a new water volume is poured on the infiltration surface when the previously applied volume has completely infiltrated and the soil surface is entirely exposed to air (ta criterion). However, water could also be applied when the soil exposition to air begins (to criterion) or half the soil surface is exposed to air (tm criterion). The effect of the infiltration time criterion on determination of the water transmission properties of a sandy-loam soil was tested. As compared with the standard ta criterion, the two alternative criteria (to , tm ) yielded higher and/or more variable estimates of soil water transmission properties. The saturated soil hydraulic conductivity, Ks , was the most sensitive property to the infiltration time criterion. However, statistically significant differences for Ks were not practically substantial since they did not exceed a factor of 1.7. Infiltration time effects likely occurred due to differences between ponding depth of water, soil water pressure head gradient, air entrapment and soil mechanical disturbance. The standard ta criterion was suggested for performing a Beerkan experiment in the field since it appears to yield the most reliable estimates of a mean value. However, the to criterion could be considered in dual permeability soils to maintain macropores active. Factors that could appear minor in the context of an experiment can have statistically relevant effects on water transmission properties.

A field comparison of three neutron moisture meters

1993 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 59 ◽  
Author(s):  
GJ O'Leary ◽  
M Incerti
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Separate Variable ◽  
Counting Time ◽  
Comparable Performance ◽  
Neutron Moisture ◽  
Use Studies

A study was undertaken to compare 3 neutron moisture meters (NMMs) over a range of counting times on 2 soil types in north-westem Victoria. The meters were a Pitman Wallingford 225 (WAL225), a Campbell Pacific Nuclear 503 (CPN503), and a Campbell Pacific Nuclear 501DR (CPN501). The soil types were a grey self-mulching clay and a solonised brown soil (sandy loam). The 3 NMMs exhibited different count rates in water, from 242 to 2645 counts per second. It was necessary to increase the counting time of CPN501 to 64 s to achieve a comparable performance to WAL225 at 16 s. Over the 15-month experiment, standard counts remained relatively constant for WAL225 and CPN501, but CPN503 showed pronounced variation. In field calibrations, the inclusion of depth (as a separate variable to account for neutron absorbing gradients in the soil profile) made significant improvement to the regression of all NMMs irrespective of counting time. No improvements in the calibration were achieved using density corrections from core samples for individual layers. On both soil types, WAL225 and CPN503 performed similarly to each other, with very similar residual mean squares and coefficients of determination. On the grey clay, WAL225 and CPN503 explained 77 and 88% of the variation in soil water content, respectively. CPN501 performed poorly, even with a 64 s counting time, and explained only 52% of the variation when depth was included. When depth was excluded this fell to 25%. On the sandy loam, WAL225 and CPN503 explained 76 and 74%, respectively, of the variation in soil water content. CPN501 again performed poorly with a 64 s counting time, accounting for 65% of the variation when depth was included and 33% with depth excluded. Examples of poor calibrations or none at all in water use studies are discussed and typical errors are demonstrated.

SOIL TEMPERATURE AND SOIL WATER UNDER ZERO TILLAGE IN MANITOBA

1982 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 311-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. GAUER ◽  
C. F. SHAYKEWICH ◽  
E. H. STOBBE
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Soil Temperature ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Zero Tillage ◽  
Crop Canopy ◽  
Burned Soil

The influences of zero and conventional tillage on soil temperature and soil moisture were investigated on three soil types in Manitoba. When the straw was spread on the soil surface, zero-tilled fields were usually cooler than conventionally tilled fields. When the straw was removed by raking, the opposite was true. No consistent soil temperature differences occurred between conventional and zero-tilled soils when the straw was burned. Soil moisture was higher on the zero- than on conventionally tilled plots both when straw was spread on the surface and when the straw was removed by raking. No moisture differences occurred between the tilled and zero-tilled plots when the straw was burned. As the season progressed, differences in moisture and temperature decreased as the crop canopy developed, and as the straw and stubble disintegrated.

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