New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
Suitability of lucerne cultivars, with respect to root development, to
semi-arid conditions in west China
Guo Zheng Gang1,2
Liu Hui Xia1
Wang Yan Rong1
Wang Suo Min1
Cheng Guo Dong2
1Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystem Ministry of Agriculture
College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology
Lanzhou University
P.O. Box 61
Lanzhou City, 730020, PR of China
email: zhenggangguo200@hotmail.com
2State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering
Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute
The Chinese Academy of Sciences
Lanzhou City, 730000, PR China
Abstract Lucerne root growth not only affects the ability
of lucerne cultivars to assist soil conservation, but is the primary pathway
for the plants to absorb water and nutrients. Therefore, the study of root
development is important for assessing the suitability of lucerne cultivars
to semi-arid environments. A field experiment was conducted during 2000-01
in the semi-arid and arid region of west China to study the suitability of
one local and seven introduced lucerne (Medicago sativa) cultivars
by comparing their root development. The total number of secondary roots and
taproot length were significantly different between lucerne cultivars after
only one dry season. Sixty-five percent of secondary roots were present during
vegetative growth, and 40% of secondary roots arose within the 10-20 cm depth.
Root biomass and fine root volume were also significantly different between
the eight cultivars, and the increase in the rate of development of fine
root volume and root biomass in the cultivars ‘Sandili’ and ‘Amerigraze401+Z’
was significantly faster than those of the other six cultivars, indicating
that ‘Sandili’ and ‘Amerigraze401+Z’ were better adapted to semi-arid conditions.
Fine root volume and root biomass of all cultivars decreased with depth, except
for those of ‘Sandili’ and ‘Amerigraze401+Z’ where fine root volume and root
biomass at 20-30 cm depth was greater than that at 10-20 cm. Using secondary
roots, taproot length, fine root volume, and root biomass as analysis factors,
cluster analysis results suggested that ‘Sandili’ and ‘Amerigraze401+Z’ are
suitable for sowing in the semi-arid and arid conditions of west China due
to their strong root development.
Keywords suitability; root development; lucerne cultivars;
semi-arid condition; cluster analysis
A03003; Received 7 January 2003; accepted 14 October 2003; online publication
date 26 February 2004
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 2004, Vol. 47: 51-59
0028-8233/04/4701-0051 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2004
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