Effect of waterlogging on the growth, grain and straw yield of wheat, barley and oats

Abstract

Wheat, barley and oats were grown in undrained plastic buckets containing soil collected from upper, mid and lower slopes of a valley that was subject to winter waterlogging. Two weeks after planting, the water content for each soil was either maintained at 80 per cent of full water holding capacity or subjected to intermittent or continuous waterlogging for six weeks. In a second experiment, using lowerslope soil only, the same three cereals were subjected to similar waterlogging treatments commencing at two or six weeks after planting or at ear emergence. In this experiment the plants received either no nitrogen fertilizer or 100 kg nitrogen ha-1. Both soil composition and waterlogging had a significant effect on plant yield but the effect of waterlogging was much greater. Waterlogging reduced root growth and penetration, the production of tillers and fertile heads, and delayed ear emergence and plant maturation. Reduction in plant growth rate was measurable within three days from the onset of waterlogging. In the first experiment intermittent and continuous waterlogging reduced vegetative growth yield (mean of three cereals in three soils) by 37 per cent and 55 per cent respectively; and wheat grain yields by 40 per cent and 53 per cent respectively. However, there was no differential effect of the two waterlogging treatments on the grain yield of barley and oats, the mean reduction being 39 per cent for barley and 48 per cent for oats. In the second experiment waterlogging at the earliest growth stage resulted in the greatest reduction in root, herbage and grain yield. Waterlogging at ear emergence killed some tillers and roots and reduced the plants stability at maturity. Grain size was reduced in some treatments. Application of nitrogen fertilizer compensated, either partially or fully, for reduction in grain yield due to waterlogging treatments on all three cereals. Some reasons for yield reduction in the three species and the practical implications of the results are discussed.

Effect of nitrogen fertiliser management on soil mineral nitrogen, nitrous oxide losses, yield and nitrogen uptake of wheat growing in waterlogging-prone soils of south-eastern Australia

“…Thereafter, no biomass or grain yield response to this added N was found. This finding contradicts the conclusions reached by Watson et al (1976), Drew et al (1979) and Huang et al (1994), who reported that additional N at sowing, or increased supply of N to waterlogged crops, could increase yield and mitigate the harmful effects of waterlogging. Bell et al (2013) reported a critical soil test value at the beginning of the growing season for wheat in Victoria of 62 kg NO 3 --N/ha to 60 cm depth; below Nitrogen management in high rainfall wheat crops Soil Researchthis concentration, wheat was likely to respond to additional synthetic N supply.…”

Crescimento de espécies de Brachiaria sob déficit hídrico e alagamento a campo

“…Estas menores taxas de crescimento sob alagamento são atribuíveis à menor concentração de nutrientes, principalmente nitrogênio, nas lâminas Tabela 1 -Taxas de aparecimento, alongamento e senescência de lâminas foliares de espécies de Brachiaria, em função da condição de estresse hídrico foliares (Baruch, 1994a). De fato, segundo Watson et al (1976), a aplicação de altas doses de nitrogênio ameniza os danos causados pelo alagamento em espé-cies de cereais, decorrentes da denitrificação e dos impedimentos na absorção de nutrientes. É provável que a aplicação de 277 kg/ha de sulfato de amônio em cobertura, logo após o corte de uniformização tenha contribuído para amenizar possível deficiência de nitrogênio nas plantas de Brachiaria sob alagamento.…”

“…Acredita-se que a ocorrência da chuva de 34 mm durante o período de déficit hídrico pouco contribuiu para amenizar o efeito desse estresse sobre as espé-cies de Brachiaria, uma vez que a evapotranspiração em pastagens da região Sudeste, durante o período de seca, é de aproximadamente 4 mm/dia (Weigand et al, 1998). Assim, admitindo-se este valor para a evapotranspiração observada neste estudo, isso representaria demanda evapotranspiratória de cerca de 112 mm para o período de 28 dias de estresse, que implicaria em "balanço hídrico" negativo de 78 mm.…”

Physiological Basis of Water Logging Tolerance in Wheat at Vegetative Stage Under Sodic Soil

“…Variable results have been reported for yield loss versus stage of water logging. Watson et al, (1976) reported larger reduction in grain yield of wheat, barley and oat when 6 weeks of continuous water logging started at 2 weeks after sowing in comparison to water logging started at 6 weeks or 10-14 weeks (ear emergence) after sowing. However, Gardner and Flood (1993) suggested that early reproductive stage are more adversely affected by water logging than tillering stage due to reduction in grains ear -1 .…”