Effect of Soil Air Capacity on Water Relations and Vegetative Growth of 'Thompson Seedless' Grafted on Different Rootstocks: Preliminary Results

Effects of transient soil waterlogging and its importance for rootstock selection

“…Studies on the responses of plants to excess water indicate a threshold rate of oxygen diffusion rate of 0.2 µg cm -2 min -1 . Below this value there is growth retardation and considerable damage to the roots of most cultivated plants (Valoras et al, 1964;Stolzy et al, 1967;Jacobs et al, 1997;Ferreyra et al, 2011). Given the same porosity, oxygen diffusion is less in humid soils compared to dry soils, which have a larger percentage of their pores filled with air (Moldrup et al, 2000;Feng et al, 2002).…”

“…In some soils maintained at field capacity, the aeration is a limiting parameter for plant growth, and this can be a common problem in irrigation management. Some orchards can be flooded for 24 or 48 h, by excess water, poor irrigation or absence of a proper drainage system, even in soils near field capacity (Ferreyra et al, 2011).…”

Human-Induced Soil Degradation in Chile

“…On the other hand, the crop rotation favours a continuous pore system at depth, maintaining the air flow capacity to renew oxygen to the roots. In fine-textured soils in particular, excessive traffic and poor irrigation practices affect the oxygen diffusion rate in the soil (waterlogging) resulting in low productivity (Ferreyra et al 2011). The Chilean government and the private sector, coordinated by the National Commission for Irrigation (CNR), have made significant investment efforts for improving water management and irrigation infrastructure and resolve poor soil drainage.…”