TY - JOUR

T1 - Evidence of improved water uptake from subsoil by spring wheat following lucerne in a temperate humid climate

AU - Gaiser, Thomas

AU - Perkons, Ute

AU - Küpper, Paul Martin

AU - Puschmann, Daniel Uteau

AU - Peth, Stephan

AU - Kautz, Timo

AU - Pfeifer, Johannes

AU - Ewert, Frank

AU - Horn, Rainer

AU - Köpke, Ulrich

N1 - Funding Information: We are grateful for the provision of soil chemical and physical data by Stefan Pätzold and the technical assistance by Johannes Pfeifer, Reiner Lock, Christoph Oberdörster und Maximilian Weigand for installing and maintaining the soil moisture monitoring system. Funding by German Research Foundation within the Research Unit 1320 is gratefully acknowledged.

PY - 2012/2/14

Y1 - 2012/2/14

N2 - Dry spells during the summer period affecting water uptake and plant growth in central Europe may occur more frequently in the future due to climate change. Improving the ability of crops to take up water from deeper soil layers is a potential strategy to secure water supply. The objective of this paper is to report on the effect of different preceding fodder crops on root growth and water uptake of spring wheat from the subsoil. Water extraction and root length density during grain filling of spring wheat were observed between anthesis and maturity in six different soil depths (0-15, 15-45, 45-60, 60-75, 75-90 and 90-105. cm) and with four different preceding crops: 1 year of fescue (Fes1Y), 2 years of chicory (Chi2Y), 2 years of lucerne (Luc2Y) and 3 years of chicory (Chi3Y). While there was no difference in total water extraction by wheat in the four crop sequences, water extraction from the deepest layer (90-105. cm) was significantly higher after 2 years of lucerne (Luc2Y). This was consistent with the root length densities measured in the 90-105 layer, which were 82, 89 and 112% higher in Luc2Y as compared to Fes1Y, Chi2Y and Chi3Y, respectively. Results suggest that lucerne as preceding crop supports deeper rooting and higher rooting density of following spring wheat enhancing access to water in deeper soil layers in response to prolonged dry spells. Effects facilitating root penetration like improved soil structure and higher nitrogen availability after lucerne are discussed. We conclude that suitable crop rotations with lucerne might be a cost-effective adaptation measure to overcome drought stress.

AB - Dry spells during the summer period affecting water uptake and plant growth in central Europe may occur more frequently in the future due to climate change. Improving the ability of crops to take up water from deeper soil layers is a potential strategy to secure water supply. The objective of this paper is to report on the effect of different preceding fodder crops on root growth and water uptake of spring wheat from the subsoil. Water extraction and root length density during grain filling of spring wheat were observed between anthesis and maturity in six different soil depths (0-15, 15-45, 45-60, 60-75, 75-90 and 90-105. cm) and with four different preceding crops: 1 year of fescue (Fes1Y), 2 years of chicory (Chi2Y), 2 years of lucerne (Luc2Y) and 3 years of chicory (Chi3Y). While there was no difference in total water extraction by wheat in the four crop sequences, water extraction from the deepest layer (90-105. cm) was significantly higher after 2 years of lucerne (Luc2Y). This was consistent with the root length densities measured in the 90-105 layer, which were 82, 89 and 112% higher in Luc2Y as compared to Fes1Y, Chi2Y and Chi3Y, respectively. Results suggest that lucerne as preceding crop supports deeper rooting and higher rooting density of following spring wheat enhancing access to water in deeper soil layers in response to prolonged dry spells. Effects facilitating root penetration like improved soil structure and higher nitrogen availability after lucerne are discussed. We conclude that suitable crop rotations with lucerne might be a cost-effective adaptation measure to overcome drought stress.

KW - Crop sequence

KW - Dry spells

KW - Rooting density

KW - Water uptake

KW - Wheat

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80054871449&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.fcr.2011.09.019

DO - 10.1016/j.fcr.2011.09.019

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:80054871449

VL - 126

SP - 56

EP - 62

JO - Field crops research

JF - Field crops research

SN - 0378-4290

ER -