Abstract
Experiments were conducted at Tucson, Arizona during a 3-year period to determine the effect of water management on several characteristics in 'Mesa-Sirsa' alfalfa (Medicaqo sativa L.) grown under field conditions. Three water management treatments were imposed: (a) irrigating to field capacity when 50% of available soil moisture had been utilized to a depth of 1.2 m (high), (b) irrigating to field capacity when 100% of the available soil moisture had been utilized to the same depth (medium), and (o) irrigating similar to the high treatment on first and last harvests of the growing season, but withholding irrigation water during the balance of the growing season (low). Plants receiving medium and high water treatments were harvested at 25% bloom through the entire growing season while those receiving the low water treatment were harvested twice--at the first and last harvest for plants receiving medium and high water treatments. In plants grown under both the high and medium water treatments it was found that dry matter production, plant height at harvest, efficiency of water use, and total water utilization per growth period decreased during the summer months while the daily rate of water utilization increased. Treatments did not have an effect on any of these variables. When irrigation water was returned to plants grown under the low water treatments, dry matter production and plant height at the subsequent harvest were not significantly different from plants grown under the medium and high water treatments. Plant population per unit land area declined steadily during the three years of production. Neither stand decline nor root distribution was significantly influenced by water management over the 3-year period. Variation in root morphology among genotypes was observed. The majority of the variability was attributed to genetic expression. Water stress resulted in significant increased proline and decreased arginine content of root tissue. Sucrose content increased significantly in roots of plants subjected to water stress while fructose and glucose levels were not affected. Water insoluble N and water soluble protein levels were lower at midsummer when compared with the beginning and completion of the growing season. Total available carbohydrates (TAC) and water soluble protein levels decreased following forage harvest, while levels of water insoluble N, water soluble NI amino acid composition of proteins, and free sugar levels did not change during regrowth. TAC levels under the medium and high water treatments decreased during midsummer each of the 3 years of the study. The trend was not as evident during the initial production year as in subsequent years. Net carbohydrate utilization during the 2 weeks following harvest varied among years and harvests. Differences among harvests were attributed to climatic conditions as no treatment effect was observed. Variation among years may have resulted from root maturation and genotypic changes in the plant population. TAC levels of nonharvested summer-stressed plants in the low water treatment remained relatively constant unless rainfall occurred in sufficient magnitude to stimulate top growth, in which case a decrease in TAC levels was observed.
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Claims 20
Claim · model-written summary
dry matter production decreased in summer under high and medium irrigation.
- Taxon
- alfalfa
Medicago sativat0 - Treatment
- high and medium water treatmentse0
- Outcome
- dry matter productione0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Qualifier
- during the summer monthse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In plants grown under both the high and medium water treatments it was found that dry matter production, plant height at harvest, efficiency of water use, and total water utilization per growth period decreased during the summer months while the daily rate of water utilization increased.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
plant height at harvest decreased in summer under high and medium irrigation.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- high and medium water treatmentse0
- Outcome
- plant height at harveste0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Qualifier
- during the summer monthse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In plants grown under both the high and medium water treatments it was found that dry matter production, plant height at harvest, efficiency of water use, and total water utilization per growth period decreased during the summer months while the daily rate of water utilization increased.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
efficiency of water use decreased in summer under high and medium irrigation.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- high and medium water treatmentse0
- Outcome
- efficiency of water usee0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Qualifier
- during the summer monthse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In plants grown under both the high and medium water treatments it was found that dry matter production, plant height at harvest, efficiency of water use, and total water utilization per growth period decreased during the summer months while the daily rate of water utilization increased.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
total water utilization per growth period decreased in summer under high and medium irrigation.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- high and medium water treatmentse0
- Outcome
- total water utilization per growth periode0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Qualifier
- during the summer monthse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In plants grown under both the high and medium water treatments it was found that dry matter production, plant height at harvest, efficiency of water use, and total water utilization per growth period decreased during the summer months while the daily rate of water utilization increased.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Daily water use increased in summer under high and medium irrigation.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- high and medium water treatmentse0
- Outcome
- daily rate of water utilizatione0
- Direction
- increasede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In plants grown under both the high and medium water treatments it was found that dry matter production, plant height at harvest, efficiency of water use, and total water utilization per growth period decreased during the summer months while the daily rate of water utilization increased.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
After irrigation resumed, dry matter production under low water was not significantly different from medium and high water.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- irrigation water was returnede0
- Outcome
- dry matter productione0
- Direction
- not significantly differente0
- Comparator
- medium and high water treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“When irrigation water was returned to plants grown under the low water treatments, dry matter production and plant height at the subsequent harvest were not significantly different from plants grown under the medium and high water treatments.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
After irrigation resumed, harvest plant height under low water was not significantly different from medium and high water.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- irrigation water was returnede0
- Outcome
- plant heighte0
- Direction
- not significantly differente0
- Comparator
- medium and high water treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“When irrigation water was returned to plants grown under the low water treatments, dry matter production and plant height at the subsequent harvest were not significantly different from plants grown under the medium and high water treatments.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Alfalfa stand density declined across three production years.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Outcome
- Plant population per unit land areae0
- Direction
- declinede0
- Qualifier
- during the three years of productione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Plant population per unit land area declined steadily during the three years of production.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Water management did not significantly influence stand decline or root distribution.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- water managemente0
- Outcome
- stand decline nor root distributione0
- Direction
- Neithere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Neither stand decline nor root distribution was significantly influenced by water management over the 3-year period.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Root morphology varied among genotypes, largely attributed to genetic expression.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Material
- genotypese0
- Outcome
- root morphologye0
- Qualifier
- genetic expressione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Variation in root morphology among genotypes was observed. The majority of the variability was attributed to genetic expression.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Water stress significantly increased root proline content.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Organ / stage
- root tissuee0
- Treatment
- Water stresse0
- Outcome
- prolinee0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Water stress resulted in significant increased proline and decreased arginine content of root tissue.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Water stress significantly decreased root arginine content.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Organ / stage
- root tissuee0
- Treatment
- Water stresse0
- Outcome
- arginine contente0
- Direction
- decreasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Water stress resulted in significant increased proline and decreased arginine content of root tissue.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Water stress significantly increased root sucrose content.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Treatment
- water stresse0
- Outcome
- Sucrose contente0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Sucrose content increased significantly in roots of plants subjected to water stress while fructose and glucose levels were not affected.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Water stress did not affect root fructose and glucose levels.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- water stresse0
- Outcome
- fructose and glucose levelse0
- Direction
- not affectede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Sucrose content increased significantly in roots of plants subjected to water stress while fructose and glucose levels were not affected.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Water-insoluble N was lower at midsummer than at the start and end of the season.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Outcome
- Water insoluble Ne0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Comparator
- beginning and completion of the growing seasone0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Water insoluble N and water soluble protein levels were lower at midsummer when compared with the beginning and completion of the growing season.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Water-soluble protein was lower at midsummer than at the start and end of the season.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Outcome
- water soluble protein levelse0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Comparator
- beginning and completion of the growing seasone0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Water insoluble N and water soluble protein levels were lower at midsummer when compared with the beginning and completion of the growing season.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Total available carbohydrates and water-soluble protein decreased after harvest.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- forage harveste0
- Outcome
- Total available carbohydrates (TAC) and water soluble protein levelse0
- Direction
- decreasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Total available carbohydrates (TAC) and water soluble protein levels decreased following forage harvest, while levels of water insoluble N, water soluble NI amino acid composition of proteins, and free sugar levels did not change during regrowth.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Water-insoluble N, soluble N, protein amino acid composition and free sugar did not change during regrowth.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Outcome
- water insoluble N, water soluble NI amino acid composition of proteins, and free sugar levelse0
- Direction
- did not changee0
- Qualifier
- during regrowthe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Total available carbohydrates (TAC) and water soluble protein levels decreased following forage harvest, while levels of water insoluble N, water soluble NI amino acid composition of proteins, and free sugar levels did not change during regrowth.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
TAC decreased in midsummer under medium and high irrigation each year.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- medium and high water treatmentse0
- Outcome
- TAC levelse0
- Direction
- decreasede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“TAC levels under the medium and high water treatments decreased during midsummer each of the 3 years of the study.”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
TAC remained relatively constant in unharvested summer-stressed low-water plants unless rainfall stimulated growth.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- low water treatmente0
- Outcome
- TAC levelse0
- Direction
- remained relatively constante0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“TAC levels of nonharvested summer-stressed plants in the low water treatment remained relatively constant unless rainfall occurred in sufficient magnitude to stimulate top growth, in which case a decrease in TAC levels was observed.”
t0“alfalfa”
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