scholarly journals Fine root growth and water use efficiency in alfalfa (Medicago sativaL. cv. Gongong No. 1) planted along a salinity gradient in coastal area of Dalian, Northeast China

2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Guo ◽  
Hua Jin ◽  
Hongxu Wei ◽  
Linlin Li ◽  
Yajing Bao
Keyword(s):  
Root Growth ◽  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Coastal Area ◽  
Northeast China ◽  
Fine Root ◽  
Salinity Gradient ◽  
Fine Root Growth ◽  
Use Efficiency

scholarly journals Effects of Soil Tillage and Canopy Optimization on Grain Yield, Root Growth, and Water Use Efficiency of Rainfed Maize in Northeast China

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Piao ◽  
Ming Li ◽  
Jialei Xiao ◽  
Wanrong Gu ◽  
Ming Zhan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Root Growth ◽  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Planting Density ◽  
Soil Tillage ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Root Area ◽  
Use Efficiency

Elucidating the mechanisms underlying the relationships between root growth and water use efficiency is important for achieving full yield potential. We conducted a field experiment with maize under high planting density (105,000 plants ha−1) in 2013 and 2014. Four treatments were implemented: traditional cultivation, root optimization cultivation, canopy optimization cultivation, and shoot–root optimization cultivation. Compared to the treatments involving rotary tillage, subsoil tillage significantly improved the soil structure and promoted soil water storage. Moreover, the distribution of roots was significantly deeper under shoot–root optimization cultivation than traditional cultivation treatment. Shoot dry matter and leaf area were slightly higher under the plant growth-regulator treatments than that under the other treatments. Thus, relative to the shoot–root optimization cultivation treatment, the root optimization cultivation and canopy optimization cultivation treatments reduced the shoot–root area ratio by 8% and 4%, respectively, and these reductions were significantly lower than the reduction under the traditional cultivation treatment (16%). Rainfall storage can be enhanced by improving tillage practices, promoting root growth (particularly at depths >20 cm), promoting access to water, and regulating plant growth by the foliar spraying of ECK (ethylene-chlormequat-potassium). This approach has the potential to achieve highly efficient resource utilization without additional inputs, thereby increasing yield.

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