Especially during early developmental stages, competition with weeds can reduce crop growth and have a serious effect on productivity. Here, the effects of interactions between soil water content (SWC), nutrient availability, and competition from weeds on early stage crop growth were investigated, to better understand this problem. Field experiments were conducted in 2013 and 2014 using long-term study plots on loam soil in Hungary. Plots of maize (Zea mays L.) and a weed-maize combination were exposed to five fertilization treatments. SWC was observed along the 0–80 cm depth soil profile and harvested aboveground biomass (HAB) was measured.
Significant differences were found between SWC in maize and maize-weed plots. In all treatments, measured SWC was most variable in soil depths of up to 50 cm, and at the 8–10 leaves (BBCH19) growth stage of the crop.
Two-year volumetric SWC (%) changes at the 10–20 cm soil depth layer for the 2−4 leaf (BBCH 13) (a, b and c) and 8−10 leaf (BBCH 19) (d, e and f) maize growth stages at Nagyhӧrcsӧk (Hungary) under maize and maize-weed vegetation and 5 fertilization treatments (Control, NK, NP, PK, NPK). a., d. Boxes are delimiting the 25th and 75th percentiles with the median inside. Whiskers are 10th and 90th percentiles. SWC under maize appears with yellow shaded background whilst the maize-weed combination with green. Hollow circles indicate outliers. b., e. Distribution of SWC (%) between fertilization and vegetation types related to all replications; c., f. and with the plot average values.
The great
est depletion of SWC was detected within PK treatments across the entire soil profile and under both vegetation types, with depletion also considerable under NPK and NP treatments. Biomass growth was significantly influenced by weeds in treated plots between the BBCH 13 and 19 phenological stages, but water availability did not hamper growth rates in non-fertilized conditions. These findings suggest that, at early stages of crop growth, SWC model simulations need to include better characterisation of depth- and structure-dependent soil water uptake by vegetation.
est depletion of SWC was detected within PK treatments across the entire soil profile and under both vegetation types, with depletion also considerable under NPK and NP treatments. Biomass growth was significantly influenced by weeds in treated plots between the BBCH 13 and 19 phenological stages, but water availability did not hamper growth rates in non-fertilized conditions. These findings suggest that, at early stages of crop growth, SWC model simulations need to include better characterisation of depth- and structure-dependent soil water uptake by vegetation.
Read more details in:Lehoczky É., Kamuti, M., Mazsu, N., Sándor, R*. : Changes to soil water content and yield biomass under combined maize and maize-weed vegetation with different fertilization treatments in loam soil. Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics,64.
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