TY - JOUR
T1 - Above and below ground development of Acacia saligna shrubs grown under different irrigation frequencies in an arid environment
AU - Zegada-Lizarazu, Walter
AU - Garcia-Apaza, Emilo
AU - Ephrath, Jhonathan
AU - Berliner, Pedro
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgements We thank Mr. Jossi Goldstein, for technical assistance with the field preparation and Mr. Claudio Wexler for assistance with field preparation and during the sampling period. This study was supported by AID/CDR grant C18-076 (Coordinated use of marginal water resources in arid and desert areas, Stage II).
PY - 2007/8/1
Y1 - 2007/8/1
N2 - Many arid and semiarid areas of the world remain barren due to the lack of water even though the use of ephemeral local water sources, such as runoff water, could change the biomass production patterns. The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of levels of water application and modes of application on the biomass below and above ground development of mature Acacia saligna (Labill.) H.L. Wendl. shrubs. The application treatments were: flooded once a year, low and high frequency irrigation with and without an additional annual flooding, and well-watered. An analysis of the standing biomass data after 5 years of growth indicated that the yearly runoff floods contributed significantly to increase the total above ground biomass. The data collected during the 1999 season, indicated however that during this season flooding had no significant effect on any of the measured growth parameters, while application frequency had a significant effect on the growth rates, water use efficiency and leaf and stem production of shrubs. Below ground, two periods of root growth were observed for the higher irrigation frequency treatments: an initial moderate increase followed by a rapid reduction. The period of rapid reduction in root biomass matched well with the period of rapid increments in above ground biomass production. Furthermore, increased irrigation frequencies resulted in bigger root systems but for lower irrigation frequencies rooting depth increased.
AB - Many arid and semiarid areas of the world remain barren due to the lack of water even though the use of ephemeral local water sources, such as runoff water, could change the biomass production patterns. The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of levels of water application and modes of application on the biomass below and above ground development of mature Acacia saligna (Labill.) H.L. Wendl. shrubs. The application treatments were: flooded once a year, low and high frequency irrigation with and without an additional annual flooding, and well-watered. An analysis of the standing biomass data after 5 years of growth indicated that the yearly runoff floods contributed significantly to increase the total above ground biomass. The data collected during the 1999 season, indicated however that during this season flooding had no significant effect on any of the measured growth parameters, while application frequency had a significant effect on the growth rates, water use efficiency and leaf and stem production of shrubs. Below ground, two periods of root growth were observed for the higher irrigation frequency treatments: an initial moderate increase followed by a rapid reduction. The period of rapid reduction in root biomass matched well with the period of rapid increments in above ground biomass production. Furthermore, increased irrigation frequencies resulted in bigger root systems but for lower irrigation frequencies rooting depth increased.
KW - Biometric relations
KW - Carbohydrate partitioning
KW - Relative growth rate
KW - Root water uptake efficiency
KW - Runoff irrigation
KW - Water use efficiency
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34548057011&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11104-007-9329-y
DO - 10.1007/s11104-007-9329-y
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:34548057011
SN - 0032-079X
VL - 297
SP - 157
EP - 169
JO - Plant and Soil
JF - Plant and Soil
IS - 1-2
ER -