Forage Production and Water Use Efficiency of Three Lucerne Varieties at Different Soil Water Availabilities
Forage production and water use efficiency (WUE) of Lucerne were investigated in three varieties at different water availabilities. Forage production decreased with the severity of soil water availability. At 50% field water capacity (FWC), forage production dropped but in two varieties, Algonquin and Longdong, was still high and from 75% FWC to 50%FWC, forage production in Longdong decreased at the least rate. The greatest leaf WUE was observed in Longdong at all soil water availabilities. From 75%FWC to 50%FWC, it increased in Longdong and Xinjiangdaye, but decreased in Algonquin. With the severity of water deficit, δ13C value increased in all three varieties. At the same water availability, the greatest value was observed in Longdong. It suggested that moderate water stress can improve WUE in Lucerne. Longdong is to some extent more efficient in water use and may be more drought-tolerant with more steady production at moderate water deficit.
Forage production Medicago sativa L. Soil water deficit Water use efficiency (WUE)
Huimin Yang Guoli Liu Shubin He Yuying Shen Xiaoyan Zhang
Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems of Ministry of Agriculture, School of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
国际会议
首尔
英文
8-9
2009-08-10（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）