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Water relations of winter wheat: 2. Soil water relations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

P. J. Gregory ,
M. McGowan  and
P. V. Biscoe
P. J. Gregory
Affiliation:
Nottingham University School of Agriculture, Sutton Roningon, Loughborough, Leies.
M. McGowan
Affiliation:
Nottingham University School of Agriculture, Sutton Roningon, Loughborough, Leies.
P. V. Biscoe
Affiliation:
Nottingham University School of Agriculture, Sutton Roningon, Loughborough, Leies.
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Summary

Volumetric soil water content and soil water potential were measured beneath a winter wheat crop during the 1975 growing season. Almost no rain fell between mid-May and mid-July and the soil dried continuously until the potential was less than – 20 bars to a depth of 80 cm. Evaporation was separated from drainage by denning an ‘effective rooting depth’ at which the hydraulic gradient was zero.

Rates of water uptake per unit length of root (inflow) were calculated for the whole soil profile and for individual soil layers. Generally, inflow decreased throughout the period of measurement from a maximum of 2·5 × 10–3 to a minimum of 0·66 × 10–3 ml water/cm root/day. Values in individual layers were frequently higher than the mean inflow and the importance of a few deep roots in taking up water during a dry season is emphasized. A similar correlation between inflow and soil water potential was found to apply for the 0–30 cm and 30–60 cm layers during the period of continual soil drying. This relationship represents the maximum inflow measured at a given soil water potential; actual inflow at any particular time depends upon the interrelationship of atmospheric demand, soil water potential and the distribution of root length in the soil.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 91 , Issue 1 , August 1978 , pp. 103 - 116
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1978

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