Abstract
Abstract Root distribution of several crop plants is known to be affected by different patterns of soil moisture. In alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.), however, such results have not been consistently obtained under field conditions. Our objective was to determine the effect of different irrigation depths on alfalfa water use efficiency, water extraction patterns, and root distribution under greenhouse conditions where examination of the entire root systems was possible. ‘Cimmaron’ alfalfa was planted in polyvinylchloride (PVC) containers (120 ✕ 30 cm) filled uniformly with a Leeper fine (fine, montmorillonitic, nonacid, thermic Vertic Haplaquept) sandy loam top soil. Irrigation treatments included: watering to saturate the soil one‐third of the whole root depth, watering to saturate the soil two‐thirds of the whole root depth, and no irrigation. Irrigation was applied when available soil moisture content within the root zone reached 35 % (−2.5 bars soil matric potential). The parameters studied included root distribution pattern, total root growth, water extraction pattern, and water use efficiency. The efficiency of water use was higher in deeply irrigated treatments than in shallow irrigated treatments during June and July (a period of high evapotranspirational demand), but it was not different during September to November. Depth of irrigation did not affect total root production, but it did affect root distribution at the irrigation zone. Deeply irrigated plants produced slightly more roots in the lower depths than shallow irrigated plants. Root production of nonirrigated alfalfa was low under the high evaporational demand conditions which occurred during June and July, but was highest among all treatments during the September to November growing period. Root:shoot ratios of 0.28, 0.22, and 0.62 observed in shallow, deep, and non‐irrigated plants grown in the September to November period, respectively, indicate that the rate of root growth was increased in nonirrigated alfalfa as a result of limited water stress and under low evapotranspirational demand.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Deep irrigation increased water use efficiency versus shallow irrigation in June and July.
- Taxon
- alfalfa
Medicago sativat0 - Treatment
- deeply irrigated treatmentse0
- Outcome
- efficiency of water usee0
- Direction
- highere0
- Qualifier
- during June and Julye0
- Comparator
- shallow irrigated treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The efficiency of water use was higher in deeply irrigated treatments than in shallow irrigated treatments during June and July (a period of high evapotranspirational demand)”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Water use efficiency did not differ by irrigation depth in September to November.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- Depth of Irrigationt0
- Outcome
- Water Use Efficiencyt0
- Direction
- not differente0
- Qualifier
- September to Novembere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“but it was not different during September to November.”
t0“Water Use Efficiency of Alfalfa as Influenced by Depth of Irrigation”
Claim · model-written summary
Irrigation depth did not affect total root production.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- Depth of irrigatione0
- Outcome
- total root productione0
- Direction
- did not affecte0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Depth of irrigation did not affect total root production”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Irrigation depth affected root distribution at the irrigation zone.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- Depth of irrigatione1
- Outcome
- root distribution at the irrigation zonee0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“but it did affect root distribution at the irrigation zone.”
t0“Alfalfa”
e1“Depth of irrigation did not affect total root production”
Claim · model-written summary
Deep irrigation produced slightly more roots at lower depths than shallow irrigation.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- Deeply irrigatede0
- Outcome
- roots in the lower depthse0
- Direction
- slightly moree0
- Comparator
- shallow irrigated plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Deeply irrigated plants produced slightly more roots in the lower depths than shallow irrigated plants.”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Nonirrigated alfalfa had low root production in June and July.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- nonirrigatede0
- Outcome
- Root productione0
- Direction
- lowe0
- Qualifier
- during June and Julye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Root production of nonirrigated alfalfa was low under the high evaporational demand conditions which occurred during June and July”
Claim · model-written summary
Nonirrigated alfalfa had the highest root production in September to November.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- nonirrigated alfalfae1
- Outcome
- Root productione1
- Direction
- higheste0
- Qualifier
- September to Novembere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“but was highest among all treatments during the September to November growing period.”
t0“Alfalfa”
e1“Root production of nonirrigated alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Shallow, deep and nonirrigated plants had root:shoot ratios of 0.28, 0.22 and 0.62, respectively.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Outcome
- Root:shoot ratiose0
- Value
- 0.28, 0.22, and 0.62e0
- Qualifier
- September to November periode0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Root:shoot ratios of 0.28, 0.22, and 0.62 observed in shallow, deep, and non‐irrigated plants grown in the September to November period, respectively”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Limited water stress and low evaporative demand increased root growth in nonirrigated alfalfa.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- limited water stresse0
- Outcome
- rate of root growthe0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Qualifier
- low evapotranspirational demande0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“indicate that the rate of root growth was increased in nonirrigated alfalfa as a result of limited water stress and under low evapotranspirational demand.”
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