Lucerne irrigation and soil water use during bloom and seed set on a red-brown earth in south-eastern Australia

1986 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 577 ◽  
Author(s):  
AJ Taylor ◽  
VL Marble
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Seed Yield ◽  
Water Extraction ◽  
Crop Failure ◽  
Available Water ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Soil Water Extraction ◽  
Medicago Sativa L ◽  
Number Of Stems ◽  
Seed Yields

Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) cv. WL45 1, grown on a shallow red-brown earth, was subjected to different irrigation frequencies during bloom to determine the effect on seed yield. The highest yield of 1105 kg ha-1 was produced when the crop was irrigated at an accumulated Epan of 75 mm between irrigations. Yields declined to 528 kg ha-1 as the interval between irrigations increased and the total amount of water applied during bloom was reduced as a consequence. Seed yield was positively correlated with total top growth, number of stems, number of racemes with pods and number of seeds per pod. Neither individual seed weight nor number of pods per raceme was influenced by the irrigation treatments. Soil water extraction by the crop was confined mainly to the 0-1.2 m depth. However, highest seed yields were produced when soil water extraction was confined to the 0-0.6 m depth by regular irrigation. About 16% of the available water in the 0.6-1.2 m depth and 89% of the available water in the 1.2-1.8 m depth could not be extracted by the crop. Failure to extract water from the lower subsoil was attributed to soil physical restrictions and lack of adequate root density.

Soil water extraction by dryland crops, annual pastures, and lucerne in south-eastern Australia

2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 183 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Angus ◽  
R. R. Gault ◽  
M. B. Peoples ◽  
M. Stapper ◽  
A. F. van Herwaarden
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Crop Management ◽  
Water Extraction ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Soil Water Extraction ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Dryland Crops ◽  
South Eastern Australia

The extraction of soil water by dryland crops and pastures in south-eastern Australia was examined in 3 studies. The first was a review of 13 published measurements of soil water-use under wheat at several locations in southern New South Wales. Of these, 8 showed significantly more water extracted by crops managed with increased nitrogen supply or growing after a break crop. The mean additional soil water extraction in response to break crops was 31 mm and to additional N was 11 mm. The second study used the SIMTAG model to simulate growth and water-use by wheat in relation to crop management at Wagga Wagga. The model was set up to simulate crops that produced either average district yields or the potential yields achievable with good management. When simulated over 50 years of weather data, the combined water loss as drainage and runoff was predicted to be 67 mm/year for poorly managed crops and 37 mm for well-managed crops. Water outflow was concentrated in 70% of years for the poorly managed crops and 56% for the well-managed crops. In those years the mean losses were estimated to be 95 mm and 66 mm, respectively. The third study reports soil water measured twice each year during a phased pasture–crop sequence over 6.5 years at Junee. Mean water content of the top 2.0 m of soil under a lucerne pasture averaged 211 mm less than under a subterranean clover-based annual pasture and 101 mm less than under well-managed crops. Collectively, these results suggest that lucerne pastures and improved crop management can result in greater use of rainfall than the previous farming systems based on annual pastures, fallows, and poorly managed crops. The tactical use of lucerne-based pastures in sequence with well-managed crops can help the dewatering of the soil andreduce or eliminate the risk of groundwater recharge.

scholarly journals Soil water extraction by roots and Kc for the coffee crop

2009 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana L. da Silva ◽  
Isabeli P. Bruno ◽  
Klaus Reichardt ◽  
Osny O. S. Bacchi ◽  
Durval Dourado-Neto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Root System ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Water Extraction ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Direct Measurements ◽  
Top Soil ◽  
Soil Water Extraction ◽  
Crop Coefficients

Basic information for a rational soil-water management of the coffee crop is still insufficient, particularly under irrigated conditions. Of great importance for the estimation of water requirements of coffee crops are their root distribuition and evapotranspiration crop coefficients. This study compares soil water extraction by roots of coffee plants of the variety "Catuaí Vermelho" (IAC-44), grown in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil, 3 to 5 years old, with direct measurements of root dry matter, showing a good agreement between both approaches, and confirming that most of the root system is distributed in the top soil layer (0-0.3 m) and that less than 10% of the root system reaches depths greater than 1.0 m. Calculated evapotranspiration crop coefficients are in agreement with those found in the literature, with an average of 1.1, independent of shoot dry matter, plant height and leaf area index.

Preharvest glyphosate in alfalfa for seed production: Effect on alfalfa seed yield and quality

2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 189-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. E. May ◽  
H. A. Loeppky ◽  
D. C. Murrell ◽  
C. D. Myhre ◽  
J. J. Soroka
Keyword(s):  
Seed Production ◽  
Seed Yield ◽  
Seed Quality ◽  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Canada Thistle ◽  
Seedling Vigour ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Alfalfa Seed ◽  
Medicago Sativa L ◽  
Seed Yields

Preharvest applications of glyphosate have been shown to be effective in controlling Canada thistle in annual crops, but may reduce alfalfa seed yield depending on time and rate of application. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of preharvest applications of glyphosate on subsequent alfalfa seed yield and quality. The effects of timing, 1, 26, 51 and 76% alfalfa seed pod maturity, and rate, 0, 440, 880, 1320, and 1760 g a.i. ha-1, of a preharvest application of glyphosate on alfalfa seed yield and quality in the year of application, and regrowth and seed yield in the following year were determined. The rate of glyphosate applied did not affect seed yield in the application year; however, in the following year, growth and seed yield were reduced as rates increased. Delaying the application of glyphosate increased seed yields in the application year, but decreased alfalfa regrowth and flowering the following year. Germination and seedling emergence were not affected by the rate or timing of the glyphosate. A preharvest application of glyphosate at 1760 g a.i. ha-1 at 76% pod maturity is a viable option in the last year of seed production. Key words: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), glyphosate, abnormal seeds, seed quality, and seedling vigour

Lime-slotting technique to ameliorate subsoil acidity in a clay soil II. Effects on medic root-growth, water extraction and yield

Soil Research ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 443 ◽  
Author(s):  
NS Jayawardane ◽  
HD Barrs ◽  
WA Muirhead ◽  
J Blackwell ◽  
E Murray ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Root Growth ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Acid Soil ◽  
Water Extraction ◽  
Undisturbed Soil ◽  
Subsoil Acidity ◽  
Soil Water Extraction ◽  
Limed Soil

Subsoil acidity causes low crop production, which is often associated with shallow root development and restricted soil water extraction. In part I of this series, lime-slotting of an acid soil was shown to improve the soil physical and chemical characteristics for root growth. In a lysimeter study on an acid soil, the effects of several soil ameliorative treatments on root growth, water extraction and yields of a medic crop were evaluated. Large lysimeter cores of 0.75 m diameter and 1.35 m deep were used. The soil treatments included a non-ameliorated acid soil, lime-slotting with a 0.15 m wide and 0.8 m deep slot containing 20 t ha-1 of lime, lime-slotting combined with surface phospho-gypsum application at 10 t ha-1, and complete amelioration of the entire soil volume by mixing lime at 133 t ha-1 and repacking to a low bulk density of 1.1 t m-3. In the non-ameliorated acid soil, medic roots were confined to the surface (0.1 m) layer, resulting in limited water extraction of 32 mm during a prolonged drying cycle, and a low dry matter yield of 70 g m-2. In the lime slotted soil, roots grew within the slot to its full depth, although penetration into the undisturbed soil was restricted to the soil immediately adjacent to the slot. Consequently, the root length per unit surface area (La) at depths below 0.1 m depth was increased to 9.9 km m-2. During a drying cycle, water extraction increased to 58 mm. The increased water extraction came from both the slotted soil and the undisturbed soil between slots. This led to an increase in dry matter yields to 270 g m2. In lime-slotted soils with surface gypsum applications, the root growth and crop water extraction patterns were similar to the lime-slotted soil. Repacking limed soil resulted in similar root lengths (L(a) 10.0 km m-2) as lime-slotted soil. However, owing to more uniform distribution of roots in the repacked soil, water extraction was increased to 100 mm and yields increased to 590 g m-2. Yields of non-ameliorated soil were only 12% of the repacked, limed soil. However, lime-slotting which involves loosening only 25% of the soil surface area and addition of only one-sixth of the amount of lime required for complete soil amelioration, led to marked increases in yield (46% of the yield of repacked soil). Future field studies are required to evaluate the optimum limed-slot configurations required for different soils, crops and climatic regimes.

Temporal and spatial patterns of soil water extraction and drought resistance among genotypes of a perennial C4 grass

2013 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Zhou ◽  
Christopher J. Lambrides ◽  
Matthew B. Roche ◽  
Alan Duff ◽  
Shu Fukai
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Drought Resistance ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Root Length Density ◽  
Water Extraction ◽  
Root Characteristics ◽  
Green Cover ◽  
C4 Grass ◽  
Soil Water Extraction

The objective of this study was to investigate patterns of soil water extraction and drought resistance among genotypes of bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) a perennial C4 grass. Four wild Australian ecotypes (1–1, 25a1, 40–1, and 81–1) and four cultivars (CT2, Grand Prix, Legend, and Wintergreen) were examined in field experiments with rainfall excluded to monitor soil water extraction at 30–190 cm depths. In the study we defined drought resistance as the ability to maintain green canopy cover under drought. The most drought resistant genotypes (40–1 and 25a1) maintained more green cover (55–85% vs 5–10%) during water deficit and extracted more soil water (120–160 mm vs 77–107 mm) than drought sensitive genotypes, especially at depths from 50 to 110 cm, though all genotypes extracted water to 190 cm. The maintenance of green cover and higher soil water extraction were associated with higher stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate and relative water content. For all genotypes, the pattern of water use as a percentage of total water use was similar across depth and time We propose the observed genetic variation was related to different root characteristics (root length density, hydraulic conductivity, root activity) although shoot sensitivity to drying soil cannot be ruled out.

Use of water extraction variability to screen for sunflower genotypes well adapted to soil water limitation

2012 ◽  
Vol 39 (12) ◽  
pp. 999
Author(s):  
Ando M. Radanielson ◽  
Jeremie Lecoeur ◽  
Angelique Christophe ◽  
Lydie Guilioni
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Phenotypic Variability ◽  
Water Extraction ◽  
Breeding Programs ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Relative Value ◽  
Water Uptake Capacity ◽  
Extraction Properties ◽  
Soil Water Extraction ◽  
The Mean

In conditions of water deficit, plant yield depends mostly on the ability of the plant to explore soil profile and its water uptake capacity per unit volume of soil. In this study, the value of soil water extraction properties for use in sunflower breeding was evaluated. Five experiments were carried out in pots, in greenhouses, from 2005 to 2009, in Montpellier, France. Elite sunflower cultivars and experimental hybrids obtained from a factorial cross between five female and five male inbred lines were grown. The soil water extraction performance of the plants was characterised by the soil water content at minimal stomatal conductance (SWCgs = 0) and the index of water extraction (IEgen), which was calculated as the relative value of SWCgs = 0 to the performance of the cultivar NKMelody. Heritability (H2) was estimated for the experimental hybrids. Phenotypic variability of the SWCgs = 0 was observed with a significant effect of the environment and the genotype. The latest released cultivars were observed as the best performing one in water extraction with an IEgen under 0.85. This trait was found to be suitable for use in comparisons of the soil water extraction performances of different genotypes. The high H2 value for SWCgs = 0 (0.77 and 0.81) and the significant correlation (r2 = 0.70, P < 0.001) between the values obtained for the experimental hybrids and the mean values of the general combining ability (GCA) for the parental lines showed that this trait is heritable and could be used in plant breeding programs. Phenotyping methods and the usefulness of this trait in crop modelling are discussed.

Preliminary investigation of clay soils' behaviour under furrow irrigated cotton

Soil Research ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 99 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Mcgarry ◽  
KY Chan
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Air Permeability ◽  
Water Extraction ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
First Year ◽  
Physical Status ◽  
Soil Water Extraction ◽  
Wheel Track

Six experimental sites were selected, in the Namoi Valley, N.S.W., all on self-mulching cracking clay soil, to provide a variety of both management practice and length of time under cotton. Within each of the sites randomly located plots were positioned to cover both wheel-track and non-wheel-track areas. The design allowed assessment of both during-season effects caused by tractor wheels and between-site effects. Neither soil physical status (as measured by soil water extraction, air permeability and recovery of air-filled pores) nor yield was influenced by during-season tractor passes. However, non-wheel areas had significantly taller plants and more green cotton bolls per plant than wheel-influenced areas. Pronounced differences between sites in both soil physical status and cotton growth and yield were measured. For those sites in their first year of cotton there was greater soil water extraction, greater air permeability and more rapid recovery of air-filled porosity. They also produced up to 30% more yield in comparison with sites growing cotton for 8-17 years. At no site did any evidence arise to show 'ploughpan' or 'hardpan' formation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document