Effect of different irrigation systems on root growth of maize and cowpea plants in sandy soil

Year 2017, Volume: 6 Issue: 4, 374 - 379, 01.10.2017

Noha A. Mahgoub Ahmed M. Ibrahim Ozories M. Ali

https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.319952

Cited By: 4

Abstract

A
field experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm, Faculty of
Agriculture, Suez Canal University to study the influence of different
irrigation systems on root length density and specific root length of maize and
cowpea plants cultivated in sandy soil. Three irrigation systems (Surface, drip
and sprinkler irrigation) were used in this study. The NPK fertilizers were
applied as recommended doses for maize and cowpea. Root
samples were collected from the soil profile below one plant (maize and cowpea)
which was irrigated by the three irrigation systems by using an iron box (30 cm×  20
cm) which is divided into 24 small boxes each box is (5×  5 × 5 cm). At
surface irrigation, root length density of cowpea reached to soil depth 30-40cm
with lateral distances 5-10 cm and 15-20 cm. Vertical distribution of root
length density of maize was increased with soil depth till 20-25 cm, and then
it decreased till soil depth 35-40cm. Under drip irrigation, root length
density of cowpea increased horizontally from 0-5cm to 10-15cm then it
decreased till soil depth 25-30 cm and below this depth root length density
disappeared. For the root length density and specific root length of maize
under drip irrigation, the data showed that root length density and specific
root length decreased with increasing in soil depth. The root length density of
cowpea under sprinkler irrigation at 0-5cm disappeared from horizontal distance
at 25-30 cm. The data showed that root length density of maize under sprinkler
irrigation was higher at the soil top layers 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm than other
layers from 10-40 cm. 

Keywords

Root length density, specific root length, irrigation systems, maize, cowpea

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