Author(s):

Jeetendra Kumar and AKP Singh

Abstract: A field experiment was conducted to find out profile wise soil moisture extraction pattern from effective root zone depth of wheat and maize for which soil moisture uptake from each soil layer was determined as difference of moisture content between two successive moisture measurement dates or within one irrigation cycle. The results of this study indicated that maximum 56.1 percent moisture has been extracted from the top (0-30 cm) soil layer for both the crops and the moisture uptake decreased abruptly from the lower soil profiles. Moisture extraction from 30-60 cm soil depth amounted to 25.4 and 24.8 percent, respectively for wheat and maize whereas depletion was 18.5 percent from 60-90 cm soil depth for both the crops. Moisture extraction pattern was almost similar for both the crops and they showed a declining pattern of moisture uptake from upper to lower soil profiles of crop root zone. Total water uptake for the respective crops were calculated to be 143.5 and 235.5 mm with crop water use efficiency as 22.64 and 14.89 kg.ha.mm-1.On the basis of moisture extraction patterns, estimation of crop water requirement and thereby better irrigation scheduling of wheat and maize crops can be planned for the agro-climates having similar soil-moisture characteristics in different layers of the root zone

Pages: 773-780  |  1874 Views  672 Downloads

Download (688KB)