Soil water under conventional and alternative cropping systems in cryoboreal subhumid central Alberta

1994 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. C. Izaurralde ◽  
D. S. Chanasyk ◽  
N. G. Juma
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Faba Bean ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Field Pea ◽  
Zero Tillage ◽  
Red Fescue ◽  
Annual Crops ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Tillage Methods

Soil water limits plant growth in the Canadian Prairie Provinces. Efficient use of soil water is, therefore, paramount in crop production. Two 2-yr field studies were conducted (i) to determine the effects of crop selection and cropping practice on the temporal and spatial distribution of soil water and (ii) to quantify water use and water-use efficiencies (WUE) of alternative crop/cropping systems for a subhumid region of Alberta. The first study was at the Ellerslie Research Station on an Orthic Black Chernozemic and the second at the University of Alberta Breton Plots on an Orthic Gray Luvisol. At each site three annual crops/cropping systems [barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), barley intercropped with field pea (Pisum sativum L.), and faba bean (Vicia faba L.)] and a perennial forage [creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra)] were grown in 1987 and in 1988. At Ellerslie, tillage methods to grow annual crops were conventional and zero tillage. At Breton, the two tillage methods used were: (i) conventional and (ii) deep tillage (to enrich the surface horizon with clay from the subsoil). The experimental design used was a split plot with four replications. Soil water was measured by neutron attenuation. Evapotranspiration was calculated as the change in soil water to 0.80-m depth plus precipitation. Soil water changes were more closely associated with the kind of crop grown than with the method of tillage used. The barley/field pea intercrop exhibited a pattern of water use similar to barley. Greater water-use efficiency measured in the intercrop system was attributed to differences in canopy structure and plant biomass production. Faba bean and red fescue had lower WUE than barley and the intercrop. The water requirement by faba bean was close to that of red fescue and related to leaf area development. Small tillage effects on soil water were observed during 1988. Soil water under zero tillage was greater than under conventional tillage. Faba bean and red fescue are likely to succeed more in agro-ecological regions such as Breton. Further studies are required to improve our understanding of the effects of these cropping systems on water resources when they are used in rotational-production systems. Key words: Barley, field pea, faba bean, creeping red fescue, conventiional tillage, zero tillage, deep tillage, water-use efficiency

Zero-tillage influence on canola, field pea and wheat in a dry subhumid region: Agronomic and physiological responses

1994 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvia Borstlap ◽  
Martin H. Entz
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Field Pea ◽  
Water Extraction ◽  
Water Evaporation ◽  
Zero Tillage ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
Tillage System ◽  
Soil Water Extraction

Field trials were conducted over 4 site-years in southern Manitoba to compare the response of Katepwa wheat, Westar canola and Victoria field pea to zero tillage (ZT). The experimental design was a split plot with tillage system as the mainplot (ZT vs. conventional tillage (CT)) and crop species as the subplot. All crops received protection from insect, weed and disease pests. Tillage system had only a limited impact on crop dry matter accumulation or grain quality. Where differences were observed, crop performance was enhanced under ZT. Seasonal evapotranspiration (ET) was either reduced or unaffected by ZT, while ET efficiency (ETE: kg ha−1 mm−1 ET) was either increased or unchanged by the shift from CT to ZT. Higher ETE under ZT was attributed to less soil water evaporation. Significant tillage system × crop species (T × S) interactions for growth parameters, ET and ETE indicated that field pea often benefitted more than wheat or canola from ZT. A significant T × S interaction at one of the four sites indicated that water extraction between 30 and 90 cm was higher for pea and canola in the ZT compared with CT treatment, while soil water extraction by wheat was reduced under ZT. At a second site, lower ET for all three crops under ZT was attributed to reduced water use between 90 and 130 cm. Despite some effects of ZT on crop growth and water use, no significant tillage, T × S, or site × tillage interactions were observed for grain yield. It was concluded that under the conditions of this study (i.e. precipitation and temperature conditions close to the long-term average), Westar canola, Victoria field pea and Katepwa wheat were, for the most part, equally suited to ZT production. Key words: Soil water extraction, evapotranspiration efficiency, crop quality, grain yield, canopy development

Yield, water use, and protein content of spring wheat grown after six years of alfalfa, crested wheatgrass, or spring wheat in semiarid southwestern Saskatchewan

2010 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 489-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
H W Cutforth ◽  
P G Jefferson ◽  
C A Campbell ◽  
R H Ljunggren
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Spring Wheat ◽  
Wheat Yield ◽  
Rooting Depth ◽  
Grain Protein ◽  
Crested Wheatgrass ◽  
Annual Crops ◽  
Use Efficiency

In the semiarid prairie of western Canada, there is renewed interest for including short durations (≤3 yr) of perennial forage in rotations with annual crops. However, there are producers who want to grow longer durations (≥4 yr) of perennial forages in rotational systems. Therefore, we assessed spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield, grain protein, and water use efficiency following 6 yr of either crested wheatgrass [Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn.], or alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), or wheat, and then 1 yr of fallow. Yield, water use, and water use efficiency were significantly lower in the first year of spring wheat production (2000) when the prior crop was crested wheatgrass or alfalfa than when it was wheat. In the second year (2001), which was a near record drought year, wheat yield and water use were significantly lower when the prior crop was alfalfa than when it was grass or wheat. From 2002 to 2005, there were no consistent differences in water use, water use efficiency, or yield of wheat due to the prior perennial crop. Wheat grain protein concentration was significantly higher following alfalfa compared with following crested wheatgrass or continuous spring wheat from 2000 to 2005. This effect was attributed to the higher N-supplying power of the soil following alfalfa. Soil water content below the rooting depth of most annual crops (≥120 cm depth) was reduced by the prior alfalfa crop, and there was no evidence from 2000 to 2005 that soil water recharge was occurring below the 150-cm depth. Key words: Semiarid prairie, alfalfa, grass, spring wheat, yield, protein, water use

Short Communication: Comparative soil water use by annual crops at a semiarid site in Montana

2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 803-807 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. R. Miller ◽  
J. A. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Spring Wheat ◽  
Short Communication ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Triticum Aestivum L ◽  
Rooting Depth ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Annual Crops

Miller, P. R. and Holmes, J. A. 2012. Short Communication: Comparative soil water use by annual crops at a semiarid site in Montana. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 803–807. Results for soil water use in the semiarid northern Great Plains are presented in detailed tabular format for 15 crops in an ideal environment for comparative water use assessment. The effective rooting depth of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varied relative to spring wheat; it was often similar and never less. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) averaged 43 mm greater soil water use below 0.9 m compared with spring wheat. Conversely, lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) and pea (Pisum sativum L.) averaged 27 mm and 48 mm less soil water than spring wheat to a 1.2-m soil depth, respectively. Observed differences in effective rooting depth for alternative crops carry important implications for wheat-based cropping systems.

scholarly journals Yield, water use efficiency, and yield response factor in carrot crop under different irrigation depths

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 1145-1150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Fonseca de Carvalho ◽  
Dionizio Honório de Oliveira Neto ◽  
Luiz Fernando Felix ◽  
José Guilherme Marinho Guerra ◽  
Conan Ayade Salvador
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Time Domain Reflectometry ◽  
Yield Response ◽  
Response Factor ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Yield Response Factor

ABSTRACT: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of different irrigation depths on the yield, water use efficiency (WUE), and yield response factor (Ky) of carrot (cv. 'Brasília') in the edaphoclimatic conditions of Baixada Fluminense, RJ, Brazil. Field trials were conducted in a Red-Yellow Argisol in the 2010-2011period. A randomized block design was used, with 5 treatments (depths) and 4 replicates. Depths were applied by drippers with different flow rates, and the irrigation was managed by time domain reflectometry (TDR) technique. The reference (ETo) and crop (ETc) evapotranspiration depths reached 286.3 and 264.1mm in 2010, and 336.0 and 329.9mm in 2011, respectively. The root yield varied from 30.4 to 68.9t ha-1 as a response to treatments without irrigation and 100% replacement of the soil water depth, respectively. Values for WUE in the carrot crop varied from 15 to 31kg m-3 and the mean Ky value was 0.82. The mean values for Kc were obtained in the initial (0.76), intermediate (1.02), and final (0.96) stages. Carrot crop was influenced by different water depths (treatments) applied, and the highest value for WUE was obtained for 63.4% of soil water replacement.

scholarly journals Water Deficit Modulates the CO2 Fertilization Effect on Plant Gas Exchange and Leaf-Level Water Use Efficiency: A Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Li ◽  
Dagang Guo ◽  
Xiaodong Gao ◽  
Xining Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Gas Exchange ◽  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Deficit ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Leaf Level ◽  
Fertilization Effect ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Stimulation Of

Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations ([eCO2]) and soil water deficits significantly influence gas exchange in plant leaves, affecting the carbon-water cycle in terrestrial ecosystems. However, it remains unclear how the soil water deficit modulates the plant CO2 fertilization effect, especially for gas exchange and leaf-level water use efficiency (WUE). Here, we synthesized a comprehensive dataset including 554 observations from 54 individual studies and quantified the responses for leaf gas exchange induced by e[CO2] under water deficit. Moreover, we investigated the contribution of plant net photosynthesis rate (Pn) and transpiration rates (Tr) toward WUE in water deficit conditions and e[CO2] using graphical vector analysis (GVA). In summary, e[CO2] significantly increased Pn and WUE by 11.9 and 29.3% under well-watered conditions, respectively, whereas the interaction of water deficit and e[CO2] slightly decreased Pn by 8.3%. Plants grown under light in an open environment were stimulated to a greater degree compared with plants grown under a lamp in a closed environment. Meanwhile, water deficit reduced Pn by 40.5 and 37.8%, while increasing WUE by 24.5 and 21.5% under ambient CO2 concentration (a[CO2]) and e[CO2], respectively. The e[CO2]-induced stimulation of WUE was attributed to the common effect of Pn and Tr, whereas a water deficit induced increase in WUE was linked to the decrease in Tr. These results suggested that water deficit lowered the stimulation of e[CO2] induced in plants. Therefore, fumigation conditions that closely mimic field conditions and multi-factorial experiments such as water availability are needed to predict the response of plants to future climate change.

RELATIVE PRODUCTIVITY, PROFITABILITY AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY OF CROPPING SYSTEMS IN HOT ARID INDIA

2014 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 549-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. S. RATHORE ◽  
N. S. NATHAWAT ◽  
B. MEEL ◽  
B. M. YADAV ◽  
J. P. SINGH
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Mung Bean ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
Cluster Bean ◽  
Use Efficiency

SUMMARYThe choice of an appropriate cropping system is critical to maintaining or enhancing agricultural sustainability. Yield, profitability and water use efficiency are important factors for determining suitability of cropping systems in hot arid region. In a two-year field experiment (2009/10–2010/11) on loam sandy soils of Bikaner, India, the production potential, profitability and water use efficiency (WUE) of five cropping systems (groundnut–wheat, groundnut–isabgol, groundnut–chickpea, cluster bean–wheat and mung bean–wheat) each at six nutrient application rate (NAR) i.e. 0, 25, 50, 75, 100% recommended dose of N and P (NP) and 100% NP + S were evaluated. The cropping systems varied significantly in terms of productivity, profitability and WUEs. Averaged across nutrient application regimes, groundnut–wheat rotation gave 300–1620 kg ha−1 and 957–3365 kg ha−1 higher grain and biomass yields, respectively, than other cropping systems. The mean annual net returns were highest for the mung bean–wheat system, which returned 32–57% higher net return than other cropping systems. The mung bean–wheat and cluster bean–wheat systems had higher WUE in terms of yields than other cropping systems. The mung bean–wheat system recorded 35–63% higher WUE in monetary terms compared with other systems. Nutrients application improved yields, profit and WUEs of cropping systems. Averaged across years and cropping systems, the application of 100% NP improved grain yields, returns and WUE by 1.7, 3.9 and 1.6 times than no application of nutrients. The results suggest that the profitability and WUEs of crop production in this hot arid environment can be improved, compared with groundnut–wheat cropping, by substituting groundnut by mung bean and nutrients application.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document