Login | Request Account (DAF staff only)

The effect of row configuration on yield reliability in grain sorghum: I. Yield, water use efficiency and soil water extraction

Share this record

Add to FacebookAdd to LinkedinAdd to XAdd to WechatAdd to Microsoft_teamsAdd to WhatsappAdd to Any

Export this record

Routley, R., Broad, I. J., McLean, G., Whish, J. and Hammer, G. (2003) The effect of row configuration on yield reliability in grain sorghum: I. Yield, water use efficiency and soil water extraction. In: Solutions for a better environment: Proceedings of the 11th Australian Agronomy Conference, 2-6 February 2003, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

[img]
Preview
PDF
141kB

Publisher URL: http://www.regional.org.au

Abstract

Four detailed field experiments were conducted in the Goondiwindi district (Queensland, Australia) over the summers of 2000-01 and 2001-02 to examine the effects of row configuration (single skip row, double skip and solid planted) on yield, yield components, biomass production, canopy architecture and light interception, water use and patterns of soil water extraction in grain sorghum hybrid MR Buster. Grain yield in skip row treatments was equal to or greater than that of solid plant treatments at yield levels below about 2.5 t/ha. Soil water measurements confirmed that this effect was due to the conservation of soil water in the centre of the skip areas for use by the crop after anthesis. A root front velocity of 2 cm/day was observed in all directions from the base of the sorghum plant. Light interception in skip row configurations was shown to be the same as in solid plant configurations between pairs of rows and up to 50 cm into the skip area. Further into the skip area, light interception was effectively nil. These results provide the basis to refine the APSIM Sorghum model to allow simulation of the effect of various row configurations over a range of climatic and soil conditions.

Item Type:Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Business groups:Crop and Food Science
Additional Information:Reproduced with permission © Australian Society of Agronomy Inc.
Keywords:Skip row; APSIM; field crops; plant water relations; plant production; soil physics; biomass production; canopy; crop yield; light penetration.
Subjects:Plant culture > Field crops > Grain. Cereals
Agriculture > Agriculture (General) > Methods and systems of culture. Cropping systems
Agriculture > Agriculture (General) > Soils. Soil science
Live Archive:08 Jun 2004
Last Modified:22 Dec 2021 05:27

Repository Staff Only: item control page

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics