Stand establishment, root development and yield of winter wheat as affected by tillage and straw mulch in the water deficit hilly region of southwestern China

SummaryIn each of the years from September 1977 to July 1982 winter wheat was grown on one or more of three clay soil sites (clay content 35–55%) in Oxfordshire where the climate is close to the average for the area of England growing winter cereals.The effects on crop water use of different soil management practices, including ploughing, direct drilling and subsoil drainage, are compared. Cultivation treatment had little effect on the maximum depth of water extraction, which on average in these clay soils was 1·54 m below the soil surface. Maximum soil water deficit was also little affected by cultivation; the maximum recorded value was 186±7·6 mm. Subsoil drainage increased the maximum depth of water extraction by approximately 15 cm and the maximum soil water deficit by about 17 mm.Generally soil management had little effect on either total water use by the crop which was found to be close to the potential evaporation estimated by the method of Penman, or water use efficiency which for these crops was about 52 kg/ha par mm water used.Results are discussed in relation to limitations to potential yield.

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Effects of Wheat streak mosaic virus on Root Development and Water-Use Efficiency of Hard Red Winter Wheat

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-94-6-0766 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 94 (6) ◽

pp. 766-770 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

J. A. Price ◽

F. Workneh ◽

S. R. Evett ◽

D. C. Jones ◽

J. Arthur ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Winter Wheat ◽

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Mosaic Virus ◽

Water Use ◽

Root Development ◽

Field Studies ◽

Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus ◽

Hard Red Winter Wheat ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Red Winter Wheat

Greenhouse and field studies were conducted to determine the effects of Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV), a member of the family Potyviridae, on root development and water-use efficiency (WUE) of two hard red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars, one susceptible and one resistant to WSMV. In the greenhouse studies, wheat cultivars were grown under three water regimes of 30, 60, and 80% soil saturation capacity. After inoculation with WSMV, plants were grown for approximately 4 weeks and then harvested. Root and shoot weights were measured to determine the effect of the disease on biomass. In all water treatments, root biomass and WUE of inoculated susceptible plants were significantly less (P < 0.05) than those of the noninoculated control plants. However, in the resistant cultivar, significance was only found in the 30 and 60% treatments for root weight and WUE, respectively. Field studies were also conducted under three water regimes based on reference evapotranspiration rates. Significant reductions in forage, grain yield, and crop WUE were observed in the inoculated susceptible plots compared with the noninoculated plots. Both studies demonstrated that wheat streak mosaic reduces WUE, which is a major concern in the Texas Panhandle because of limited availability of water.

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