Root and shoot growth, and water and light use efficiency of barley and wheat crops grown on a shallow duplex soil in a mediterranean-type environment

1992 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 555 ◽  
Author(s):  
PJ Gregory ◽  
D Tennant ◽  
RK Belford

Growth, interception of radiation and water use of three genotypes of barley (Beecher, O'Connor and Syrian) and one of wheat (Gutha) were measured on a duplex soil at East Beverley, W.A. All crops received 11 kg P ha-1 with the seed but no nitrogen fertilizer. Growth was initially slow until 69 days after sowing (das) with only small and inconsistent differences between crops. Thereafter, Beecher and O'Connor grew faster than Syrian and Gutha, maintained growth for longer, and at harvest weighed about 7.5 t ha-1 shoot dry matter, while Syrian and Gutha were about 5.0 t ha-1. Total root weight and length of Gutha increased until anthesis but reached their maxima at 83 das in all barley crops. Root weight as a percentage of total plant weight was about 40% during the winter decreasing to about 15% by anthesis. Root distributions of Beecher and O'Connor were similar but different from those of Syrian and Gutha; the former had up to 25% of the total root length at anthesis below 40 cm, but the latter had only about 5%. Dry matter production was linearly related to the amount of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) intercepted, although the relations showed a break at about the time of flag leaf emergence, and efficiencies of conversion of PAR to dry matter were higher prior to this than after. Efficiencies for the barley crops were similar (about 2 g total dry weight MJ-1 before flag leaf emergence) and about 20% greater than for Gutha. Despite the large differences in dry matter production between crops, evapotranspiration (ET) was similar. For Beecher and O'Connor, evaporation E was about 40% of seasonal ET but for Syrian and Gutha it was about 50%. Values of water use efficiency (about 30 kg shoot ha-1 mm-1 for Beecher and OIConnor and 20 kg ha-1 mm-1 for Syrian and Gutha) were similar to other cereal crops and the amount of shoot dry matter per unit of water transpired for barley crops grown in W.A., U.K. and Syria was nearly constant; the value of the 'crop specific constant' was 3.0 Pa.

1988 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 815 ◽  
Author(s):  
GC Wright ◽  
KT Hubick ◽  
GD Farquhar

Variation in water-use efficiency (W, g of total dry matter produced/kg water used), and its correlation with cultivar isotope discrimination in leaves (Δ) was assessed in peanut plants grown in small canopies in the field. Plants were grown in separate minilysimeters that were both embedded in the ground and positioned above the crop. Differences among cultivars were found in W and � and the relationship between W and Δ was compared for plants grown in open and closed canopies. Genetic variability in W in plants grown in the field under non-limiting water conditions was demonstrated, with Tifton-8, of Virginia habit, having the highest W (3.71 g/kg) and Rangkasbitung, an Indonesian cultivar of Spanish habit, the lowest (2.46 g/ kg). Variability in W was due to variation in total dry matter production more than that of water use. A strong negative correlation was found between Δ and W, and also between Δ and total dry matter. The relationship between whole plant W, including roots, and Δ was stronger than that between shoot W, without roots and Δ. The improvement occurred because of variation among cultivars in the root to shoot ratio. This highlights the importance of taking account of root dry matter in studies concerning W. There were significant differences in W and Δ between plants in pots above-ground compared to pots in the ground, with above-ground plants having significantly lower values of both W and Δ. The ranking of W and Δ among cultivars was not affected by the contrast in environment, which suggests these parameters are under strong genetic control. Total above-ground dry matter yield at maturity was negatively correlated with Δ, while pod yield was not. It appears a negative association between harvest index and Δ may exist; however not all cultivars used in this and other studies follow this response. Both water-use efficiency, Wand total dry matter production are negatively correlated with Δ in leaves of peanut plants grown in small canopies in the field. Measurement of Δ may prove a useful trait for selecting cultivars with improved W and total dry matter yield under field conditions.


2013 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 2260-2271 ◽  
Author(s):  
郑成岩 ZHENG Chengyan ◽  
于振文 YU Zhenwen ◽  
张永丽 ZHANG Yongli ◽  
王东 WANG Dong ◽  
石玉 SHI Yu ◽  
...  

1992 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 987 ◽  
Author(s):  
RE Holloway ◽  
AM Alston

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Warigal) was grown in a glasshouse in deep pots (0.125 x 0.125 x 1.2 m) containing sieved solonized brown soil (calcixerollic xerochrept) comprising 0.2 m sandy loam topsoil above 0.6 m treated calcareous sandy loam subsoil and a base layer of light clay 0.26 m thick. The subsoil was treated with a mixture of salts (0, 13, 39, 75 mmolc kg-1) and with boric acid (0, 20, 38 and 73 mg B kg-1) in factorial combination. The soil was initially watered to field capacity and water use was determined by regularly weighing the pots. The soil was allowed to dry gradually during the season, but the weights of the pots were not permitted to fall below that corresponding to 17% of the available water holding capacity of the soil. Tillering, dry weight of shoots and grain, and root length density were determined. Water-use efficiency was calculated with respect to total dry weight and grain production. Salt decreased tillering, dry matter production, grain yield, root length and water-use efficiency (total dry weight): it increased sodium and decreased boron concentrations in the plants. Boron decreased dry matter production (but not tillering), grain yield, root length and water-use efficiency (total dry weight and grain yield): it increased the concentrations of boron and decreased the concentration of sodium in the plants. At the concentrations of salt and boron used (which cover the range normally encountered in subsoils in much of Upper Eyre Peninsula), boron had more deleterious effects on wheat than did salt. Yield was depressed by salt at concentrations of sodium in the tissue commonly found in field-grown plants.


1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 93 ◽  
Author(s):  
GJ Lewis ◽  
N Thurling

Representative lines of Brassica napus, B. campestris, and B. juncea were compared at East Beverley in the central wheatbelt of Western Australia on the basis of agronomic and physiological characters known to affect seed yield. Seed yield of B. juncea line 81794 was 32% higher than the locally adapted B. napus cv. Wesbrook (76 g/m2). Yields of B. napus cv. Eureka and the 2 B. campestris populations were not significantly different from Wesbrook and were lower than 81794. The higher yield of 81794 was due to higher dry matter production, particularly after first open flower. Yield superiority of 81794 was not associated with any single yield component. Under the water-stressed conditions of this experiment, seed yield had a strong positive correlation with dry matter production after first open flower. Differences in dry matter production during this period were due to variation in crop growth rates among the lines, not to variations in duration of the period. There was no relationship between flowering time and seed yield in this experiment, suggesting earlier reproductive development is not obligatory for high yield of oilseed Brassicas in low rainfall mediterranean environments. Total water use throughout the season differed little among populations, but there were differences in water use patterns over time. The greater rate of dry matter accumulation of 81794 is due to its ability to extract more water from the soil profile after anthesis; postanthesis water use of 81794 was 20% higher than that of Wesbrook. Water use efficiency of 81794 was also higher than that of Wesbrook, because soil evaporation comprised a smaller proportion of evapotranspiration. Further increases in seed yield of oilseed brassicas in this environment should be possible if higher postanthesis water use could be combined with lower soil evaporation and improved water use efficiency.


1998 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 613 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. H. M. Siddique ◽  
S. P. Loss ◽  
D. L. Pritchard ◽  
K. L. Regan ◽  
D. Tennant ◽  
...  

This study examined the adaptation of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik. cv. Digger) to dryland Mediterranean-type environments of southern Australia and determined the effect of time of sowing on growth, yield, and water use. Phenology, canopy development, radiation absorption, dry matter production and partitioning, seed yield, and water use were measured from a range of sowing times at a number of field locations in south-western Australia in 1994, 1995, and 1996. Contrary to previous results with poorly adapted cultivars, our study showed that lentil is well adapted to low to medium rainfall regions (300-500 mm/year) of south-western Australia and that seed yields greater than 1·0 t/ha and up to 2·5 t/ha can be achieved when sown early. Even in the dry season of 1994 when May-October rainfall was <200 mm, yields of approximately 1·0 t/ha were produced from early sowings. Seed yields were reduced with delayed sowing at rates of 4-29 kg/ha · day. Sowing in late April or early May allowed a longer period for vegetative and reproductive growth, rapid canopy development, greater absorption of photosynthetically active radiation, more water use, and, hence, greater dry matter production, seed yield, and water use efficiency than when sowing was delayed. Early-sown lentils began flowering and filling seeds earlier in the growing season, at a time when vapour pressure deficits and air temperatures were lower, and used more water in the post-flowering period when compared to those treatments where sowing was delayed. The values of water use efficiency for dry matter and grain production, and transpiration efficiency, for early-sown lentil (up to 30 kg/ha · mm, 11 kg/ha · mm, and 20 kg/ha · mm, respectively) were comparable to those reported for cereal and other grain legume crops in similar environments. The development of earlier flowering cultivars than Digger with greater dry matter production together with improved agronomic packages will increase and stabilise lentil yields in low rainfall environments of southern Australia.


1982 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 511 ◽  
Author(s):  
RJ Lawn

Dry matter production, yield and water use efficiency of soybean (Glycine max), black gram (Vigna mungo), green gram (V. radiata) and cowpea (V. unguiculata) under irrigated, rain-fed fallowed and rain-fed double-cropped culture were evaluated at Dalby in south-east Queensland. Differential species responses to cultural treatments were related to strategies of growth and water use in response to water stress. The major effect of differences between strategies related to differences in the short term rate of soil water use, which together with the seasonal pattern of water availability influenced both the total, and seasonal pattern of water use. Regardless of strategy adopted, dry matter production was primarily a function of water use. However, seed yield and water use efficiency for seed yield depended on the seasonal pattern of water use. The relative agronomic success of the various strategies therefore depended on the seasonal profiles of water availability. Some implications of the differences in stress response strategy for adaptation of these species to agricultural environments are discussed.


1983 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 747-749 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. G. GREEN ◽  
D. W. L. READ

Corn was superior to wheat in water use efficiency (WUE) calculated by using total dry matter production. Manitou wheat under adequate soil moisture was more efficient in water use than Pitic 62 or Wascana wheats. All wheat cultivars showed improved WUE with limited moisture. Sunflowers were the most adaptive species at changing WUE in response to available moisture.Key words: Water use efficiency


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