Bidinger, F R

Jayachandran, R

Soman, P

ICRISAT Open Access Repository

ASSESSMENT OF SOIL SURFACE SEALING AND CRUSTING Proceedings of the Symposium held in Ghent , Belgium, 1985 FLANDERS RESEARCH CENTRE FOR SOIL EROSION A N D  SOIL CONSER VA TION Editors: F. Callebaut, 0. Gabriels, and M. De Boodt. Department of Soil Physics. State Univmity of Ghent. Ghent. Bddum. INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM 011 THE A S S i S S M h T  OF SO1 L Sk'RFACC SEALING AND CRUST1 NG - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * - - - - - - - - - -  EVALUATION OF GENOTYPIC DIFFERENCE IN SEEDLING EUERGEKE MRWCH SOIL CRUSTS UNDER FIELD CONDITlONS P . S W .  F.R.BID1NGER and R.JAYACHANDRAN I n t e r n a t i o n a l  Crops  Resea rch  l n s t  r t u t  r f o r  t h e  Semr-Ar rd Tropics (ICRISAT) P a t a n c h e r u  P 0 .  502324 I n d i a  Submi t t ed  a s  ICRISAT Confe rence  Pape r  Number 220 \EST RACT A f i e l d  t e c h n i q u e  In v h i c h  s o ~ l  c r u s l s  a r e  formed by s p r r n k l v r  irrigating a  povdered and smoothened 8011 s u r f a c e  v a s  u s r d  t o  e v a l u a t r  g e n c t l c  v a r l a t l o n  among sorghum and p e a r l  m l l l e t  11nes  t o r  w c r g c n c c .  The s t r e n g t h  of t h e  c r u s t  formed v a r i e d  from 1.1 t o  1 . 6  kglcm2.  The c l u  r a t l o .  t h e  r e l a t r v e  emergence of s e e d l i n g s  th rough  c r u s t e d  s u r f a c e  compared t o  t h a t  t h rough  non c r u s t e d  a u r f a c e .  v a r l e d  from o n e  t o  z r r o  s h o v i n g  a v a i l a b l i t y  of s i g n i f i c a n t  g e n e t i c  v a r i a t i o n  f o r  emergence th rough  a  r o l l  c r u s t .  D ~ f f e r e n c e s  among e n t r i e s  v e r e  found t o  be r e p e a t a b l e  o v e r  d r f f e r e n t  t r i a l s  and o v e r  d i f f e r e n t  s eed  l o t s .  INTRODUCTION Sorghum and p e a r l  m i l l e t  a r e  w i d e l y  grovn rn 8 o l l s  of pot r p h y r r c a l  s t r u c t u r e ,  such  a s  a l f i r o l a .  v h r c h  a r e  p rone  t o  crusting. The r e a s o n s  f o r  c r u s t  f o r m a t i o n  in  Vest  A f r i c a n  savanna  s o i l s  where  sorghum and p e a r l  miller a r e  ~ 3 j o r  c r o p s  have b e e r  r e v l w r d  by J o n e s  and Wild ( 1 9 7 5 ' .  The c f f c c t s  of 8011 c r u s t  on  c r o p  e s t a b l i r h m e n t  have  been r ev iewed  In g e n e r a l  by Loyal  ( 1 9 8 2 )  and f o r  sorghum and m ~ l l e t  In p a r . ~ c u l a r  b) Soman e l  d ( 1 9 8 4 ) .  For  t h e s e  t v u  c r o p s  i t  1 s  t h e l r  s m a l l  s e e d  s l z e  ( 5  t o  40 o g i s e e d )  and t h r  c o n s e q u e n t  low penetration s t r e n g t h  o r  poor  l l f t ~ n g  c a p a c ~ t !  cf t h e  cmt-rglng seedlings v h l c h  a r e  r e c l p o n s ~ b l e  f o r  t h e  poor emergence when s o l 1  l a  c r u s t e d  ( s e e  T a y l o r  1 9 6 2 ) .  I t  1 s  o u r  l o n g  t e r m  i n t e r e a t  t o  s e l e c t  o r  b r e e d  g e n o t y p e s  of t h e s e  t t c r o p s  v ~ t h  l a p r o v e d  a b i l l t y  t o  emerge t h r o u g h  c r u s t e d  s o i l s .  I n  o r d e r  t o  do  t h i s  i t  i n  n e c e s s a r y  t o  have  ( i )  v e r i a t l o n  i n  c r o p  r e s p o n s e  and ( i ~ ;  a  r e 1  i a b l e  s c r e e n i n g  t e c h n i q u e  f o r  i d e n t i f y i n g  t h i s  v a r l e t i o n .  I n  t h i s  p r e s e n t a t i o n  v e  d e s c r i b e  t h e  u s e  o f  s u c h  a  s c r e e n i n g  t e c h n i q u e  (Soman fi & 1984)  t o  i d e n t i f y  v a r i a b i l r t y  f o r  a b i l ~ t y  t o  emerge t h r o u g h  a  c r u s t e d  s o i l  s u r f a c e .  MATERIALS AND METHODS Exver  i m e n t a l  ~ e c h n i q u e  The s c r e e n i n g  t e c h n i q u e  f o r  emergence  t h r o u g h  a  s o i l  c r u s t  v a s  d e s c r i b e d  i n  d e t a i l  by Soman - e l  & ( 1 9 8 4 ) .  I t  was d e v e l o p e d  a t  ICRISAT r e s e a r c h  c e n t e r  i n  a n  A l f i s o l  f i e l d  ( U d i c  R h o d u s t a l f .  P a t a n c h e r u  series!. The s o i l  s u r f a c e  l a y e r  ( 0  t o  1 0 0  am) i s  composed m a i n l y  o f  c o a r s e  sari? (54%) and f i n e  s a n d  ( 2 3 X ) ,  v i t h  o n l y  8% c l a y .  I t  forms a  c r u s t  n a t u r a l l y  vhen  r a i n f a l l  i s  f o l l o w e d  by d r y i n g  c o n d i t i o n s  f o r  2 t o  3  d a y s .  The t r i a l s  w e r e  conduc ted  i n  t h e  d r y  s e a s o n  ( F e b r u a r y  t o  A p r i l )  b e c a u s e  of t h e  u n p r e d i c t a b i l i t y  of t h e  r a i n f a l l  and d r y i n g  c o n d i t i o n s  d u r i n g  t h e  r a i n y  s e a s o n .  The p r o c e d u r e  c o n s i s t s  of p r e p a r i n g  a  f u r e l y  powdered seedbed ,  r o v l n f .  b r w o t h ~ n g  t h e  r o l l  s u r f a c e .  and t h e n  i r r t g a t r n g  by cverhcad s p r i n k l e r .  Thc c r u s t  16 broken in t h e  c o n t r o l  p l o t s  on t h e  day b e f o r c  m e r g e n c e  i b  e x p e c t e d ;  emergence from t h e  c r u s t e d  p l o t s  i r  then  exprvs red  a r  a  I r a c t ~ u n  of t h e  emergence from t h e  c o n t r o l  p l o t .  The f o l l o w i n g  measurements  were made r o u t i n e l y  from 1 1 1 ~  day l r ~ l l o v i n g  ~ r r i g a t i o n  t o  t h e  day emergence began: ( 1 )  c r u s t  a t r e n g t h  ( S o i l  T e s t  model L-700 p e n e t r o m e t e r ) ,  ( 2 )  g r a v i l P e t r i c  ~ o l l  m o i s t u r e  rorrtetlt  f r m  0-100 ma in 25 nun inc rements  (Uhland so11 sample r )  and ( 3 )  s o i l  t e m p e r a t u r e  a t  20 om ut 1400hrs  ( thennocouple  p r o b e ) .  Ten t o  f i f t e e n  i n d l v i d u e l  m e o s u r m u n l r  ol  each  parameter  were mode per  r e p l i c a t e  and mean v a l u e s  c a l c u l a t e d .  In a d d i t i o n ,  s o l 1  s u r f a c e  bu lk  d e n s l t y  end r o i l  c r u l t  t h i c k n e a r  were a l s o  meerured.  WIRLmuL I n  1984 a  s e l e c t i o n  of 139 rorghum g e m p l a r m  l i n e s  from a r e a l  w i t h  s mean annual  r a i n f a l l  r ang ing  from 250 t o  2500 mn (Trial I )  and a  s e l e c t i o n  of 171 sorghum g e m p l a s m  l i n e r  from a r e a a  w i t h  a l t i t u d e s  rang ing  from 7 5  t o  2500 m ( T r i a l  11) were e v a l u a t e d  f o r  emergence. In 1985 a  r a t  of 287 p e a r l  m i l l e t  germplasm l l n e s  frcm West A f r i c a  and North and West I n d i a  ( T r l a l  111) were e v a l u a t e d .  In  a d d r t l o n  2 7  e n t r i e s  a e l e c t e d  f r m  t r i a l  1 t o  r e p r e s e n t  t h e  whole range  of c / u  r a t i o s  ( %  of p l a n t 8  emerged i n  t h e  c r u s t e d  t r e a t m e n t  a s  e  f r a c t i o n  of t h e  1. m e r g e d  i n  t h e  c o n t r o l )  were r r t e r t e d  u e i n g  t h e  rame seed  l o t  used i n  1984 and e  f r e a h  seed l o t  produced i n  t h a t  y e a r  ( T r i a l  IV).  F i f t y  r c r d s  w e r e  aovn p e r  2 m r o v  ( ~ n d l v l d u a l  p l o t s ) ,  and r e p l ~ c  ed t h r e e  t ime8  i n  r andomized  b l o c k  d e s l g n .  The c r u s t e d  and c o n t r o l  p l o t s  were  novn on a d j a c e n t  beds  and c / u  r a t l o s  w e r e  c a l c u l a t e d  from t h e s e  a d j a c e n t  p l o t 8  f o r  e a c h  r e p l l c a t r .  Seeds  o f  a l l  e n t r i e s  In each  t e s t  w e r e  produced In t h ~  same s e e d  m u l t ~ p l l c a t i o n  ( e x c e p t  a s  s t a t e d  f o r  t r l a l  I V )  and s t c r e d  n l  4 oC u n t ~ l  u s e d .  RESULTS ANb DISCUSSION The env i ronmen t  Seedbed c o n d i t i o n s  v a r i e d  be tween  t r i a l s .  b e c a u s e  of d i f f e r e n c e s  In t h e  e n v r r o n m e n t a l  conditions and i n  t h e  amounts  of i r r i g a t i o n  w a t e r  a p p l l e d  a t  eowing.  Da ta  f o r  T r l a l s  1 and IV ( w h i c h  c o n t a m e d  some common e n t r i e s )  ~ l l u a t r a t e  t h e s e  d i f f e r e n c e s  ( T a b l e  1 ) .  A i r  t e m p e r a t u r e s  and e v a p o r a t k o n  r a t e s  w e r e  g r e a t e r  i n  T r i a l  IV t h a n  T r i a l  I  and a  l e s s e r  amount of w a t e r  120 v b  35 m)  was a p p l i e d  a t  sowlng i n  t h ~ s  t r l a l .  The combrna r lon  of f a c t o r s  r e s u l t e d  i n  l o w e r  s o i l  m o i s t u r e  c o n t e n t  i n  t h e  s u r f a c e  and somewhat s t r o n g e r  c r u s t  i n  T r i a l  I V .  M o i s t u r e  i n  t h e  s e e d  zone  (25 -75  w)  was 8-102 i n  b o t h  t r i a l s  wh ich  was a d e q u a t e  f o r  germination and emergence .  Mean emergence  f o r  common e n t r i e s  i n  b o t h  t r i a l s  ( T r i a l  IV e n t r i e s ) ,  h o v e v e r ,  waa s i m i l a r  ( s e e  b e l o w ) ,  i n d i c a t i n g  t h a t  d i f f e r e n c e s  i n  c r u s t  s t r e n g t h  on  t h e  day  of emergence  w e r e  n o t  sufficiently l a r g e  t o  a f f e c t  g e n o t )  C r e s p o n s e .  The b u l k  d e n s i t y  of t h e  s u r f a c e  l a y e r  (0-25 ma) r anged  from 1.24-1.36 g / a l .  a ~ d  i d  n o t  d l f f e r  b e t v e e n  t r i a l s .  The mean t h i c k n e s s  of t h e  c r u s t  was 8 .3  mm. Table 1.  The c r u s t  s t r e n g t h .  2  m o i s t u r e  of t h e  top s o i l  l a y e r .  and so11  t m p e r a t u r e  a t  I c e .  a i r  t m p e r a t u r e .  pan E and s o l a r  r a d l a t ~ o n  mbasurrd i n  subsequent  d a y s  a f t e r  s w i n g  ( M S )  t  i l l  a e r g e n c e  ........................................................................ Crus t  s t r e n g t h  2  m i s t u r r  T m p e r a t u r e  ( k g /  ma)  (*c) DAS T r i a l  I  T r i a l  IV T r i a l  I  T r i a l  IV T r i a l  1 T r i a l  1V Mean SE Mean SE &an SE Uean S t  Uean SE Uesn SE 2 0 . 4 9 0 . 0 2  0 . 6 9 0 . 0 3  8 . 8 1 . 6  3 . 9 0 . 6  3 1 . 7 0 . 3  4 0 . 8 0 . 1  3 0.51 0.04 1.46 0.04 4.8 0.3 4.4 0 .6  39.2 0.2 39.3 0.2 4 1.10 0.05 1.62 0 .05  3.5 0.2 2.7 0.2 39.5 0.2 40.8 0 . 3  ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Max. A i r  T m p .  Pan E  S o l a r  r d r a t l o a  ( O C )  (-/day) ( X  1 0 * ~  I-'day-1) DAS T r i a l  1  T r i a l  IV T r i a l  I T r i a l  IV T r i a l  1 T r r s l  IV ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1  26.5 34.2 5.6 7.5 1600 1931 2 27.5 34.5 5.8 7.9 1915 1898 3  30.0 35.2 7.1 8.2 1869 1777 4 31.0 34.2 6.8 8.9 1785 1873 The p e r c e n t a g e  of emergence in  t h e  c r u s t e d  c r e a m e a t s  ( 0  t o  73x1 for t h e  four t r i a l s  was always l e s s  t h a n  t h a t  in  t h e  c o n t r o l  t r e a t m e n t  where t h e  c r u s t  was broken ( 4 8  t o  962) .  t h e  c / u  r a t i o  f o r  i n d i v i d u a l  genotyves ranged f r m  0.0 t o  1 .O. A s m a l l  percentage  of l i n e s  i n  each t r i a l  had s  high c/u r a t i o  (>0.8)  bu t  f o r  t h e  m a j o r i t y  of t h e  l i n e r  t h e  r a t i o  was l e e s  than 0.5 ( F i g s .  l a ,  b and c ) .  There were c o n s i d e r a b l e  d i f f e r e n c e s  between t h e  t h r e e  groups  of n a t e r i a l s .  E n t r i e s  from t h e  a l t i t u d e  g r a d i e n t  c o l l e c t i o n  ( T r i a l  11) g e n e r a l l y  performed p o o r l y ;  w r e  t h a n  902 of t h e  e n t r i e s  had s c l u  r a t i o  (0.6 (F ig .  l b ) .  The situation was s i m i l a r  in  t h e  c a s e  of t h e  m i l l e t s  ( T r i a l  I11 Fig.  l c ) .  E n t r i e s  in t h e  r a i n f a l l  g r a d i e n t  t r i a l  ( 1 )  however g e n e r a l l y  d i d  m c h  b e t t e r  a s  44X achieved a  c l u  r a t i o  of 0.6 o r  g r e a t e r  ( F i g  l a ) .  The d i f f e r e n c e  between T r i a l s  I and I11 were e x p e c t 4  a s  t h e  c / u  ratlo C/U ratio Fig. I T  Distribution of c/u ratio for entries in trials I (a)- 119 entries; I1 (b)-171 entries and 111 (c)-287 entraes. The c / u  ratios of 0.1 to 0 . 9  represent classes of 0-0.20, 0.21-0.50, O.il-0.60. 0.61-0.80 and 0.81-1.0 respectivel) s m a l l e r  s eed  o f  p e a r l  ~ c ~ l l e t  (5-12 ~ 1 s e c . o )  r e s u l t  i n  n sn.t! l c :  s t . t d : i n l  v h i c h  1s n o r e  v u l n e r a b l e  t o  a  s o l  1 c r u s t  t h a n  i s  bor&hum ( . ' C - L ( ~ ~ .  s t  r r l ! .  , Why t h e  m a t e r ~ ~ l s  t r m  t h e  a l t i t u d e  g r a d r r n t  t :  l a l s  ( 1 1 )  p t a11c . r c~d  p ~ ) ~ r t r  t h a n  t h a t  f rom T r l a l  1 i s  n o t  knovn.  The f i n d i n g  o f  g e n e t l c  v a r i a b i l  l t y  f o r  rmerccnce t h t c ~ u ~ t ~  : 1 r t a > r  f o r  b o t h  s p e c i e s  i s  v e r y  encouraging and s u g g e s t s  t h a t  g e n o t ) p e  s e l e c t  I O I I  f o r  improvement i n  t h l s  t r a i t  may be p o s s i b i t ~ .  Th i s  C ~ ~ I I C  l t ~ s i r l n  v u s  r e i n f o r c e d  by t h e  r e s u l t b  from t r i a l  1V v h i c h  t r s t r . d  f o r  r r p t . u t a b : l i t y  0 1  d ~ f f e r e n c e  i n  emergence.  b o t h  o v e r  e x p e r i m e n t s  and o v e r  6er.d l v t r .  Thc r t  v e r e  no d i f f e r e n c e s  on  c / u  r a t l o s  of t h e  2 7  s e l r c t f d  e ~ i t r i v a  v i t t ~ r r  brtvrrn y e a r s  v i t h  t h e  same s e e d  l o t  o r  b e t u e r n  d l l f e r c . n t  r e e d  l u t b  in  t l . r  samr y e a r .  The c o r r e l a t i o n  c o e f f l c l e n t s  f o r  t h e  e n t r y  means in two t r l a l s  v i t h  t h e  same s e e d  l o t  was 0.87 compared t o  0 . 7 3  t o r  t h e  t v o  d l f f e r r n t  u r r d  l o t 6  i n  t h e  same t r i a l  and t o  0.82 f o r  d i f f e r e n t  t r r a l s  v l t h  d i f f e r t a n t  s ccd  l o t s  ( a l l  c o e f f i c i e n t s  s i g n i f i c a n t  a t  P<0.001). T h i s  : e p e a l a b i l i t y  of n e n o t y p r  p e r f o m a n c e  o v e r ,  b o t h  y e a r s  (despite t h e  difference i n  c o n d l t i o n b  i n  t h c  two y e a r s )  and o v e r  s e e d  l o t 6  s t r o n g l y  s u g g e s t *  t h a t  d l f f e r e n c e b  among l i n e s  a r e  g e n e t i c  i n  o r i g i n .  A t e c h n i q u e  t o  s i m u l a t e  n a t u r a l  s o i l  c r u s t l n g  In t h r  f i e l d  v a s  deve loped  where  s e e d l i n g s  were  t o  w e r g e  th rough  c r u s t e d  r o l l  v h i l e  s o i l  m o i s t u r e  c o u l d  b e  m a i n t a i n e d  a d e q u a t e  f o r  g e r m i n a t l o n  and i n i t i a l  s e e d l i n g  g rowth .  D i f f e r e n c e s  f o r  m e r g e n c e  t h r o u g h  c r u s t e d  so11  v e r e  found among b o t h  sorghum and p e a r l  m i l l e t  e n t r i e s .  These  d l f f e r e n c e m  c o u l d  b e  r e p e a t e d  o v e r  t r i a l s  and  o v e r  r e e d  l o t s  f o r  t h e  same e n t r i e s ,  s u g g e s t i n g  t h a t  t h e s e  d i f f e r e n c e s  a r e  g e n e t i c  and t h e r e f o r e  of u s e  In o c r o p  improvemrnt programme. The u u t h o r b  w l s h  t o  t hank  Dr. J .U.Pracock.  Pr r n c l p a l  Sorghum P h y e ~ o l o g ~ s t  , ICRISAT f o r  h l r  encouragemen t  and Farm Operc l t l on r  D l v l e i o n  of I(.RISA'f f o r  t h e i r  co-operation w l t h  t h e  f l e l d  work. C o y a l .  M . H .  1982 .  S u i l  c r u s t s  v6 s r e d l ~ n g  emergence :  Rrv:ew. A y r i c u l t u r e l  U e c h a n i s e t i o n  In A s i a .  1 3 :  62-78. J o n e s ,  M.J. 6 Wl ld ,  A .  1975.  S o i l s  of WesL A f r l c a n  Savanna .  Tcchn : i a l  C o m m u n ~ c a t ~ o n s  No. 5 5 ,  Harpenden .  LK: Comwnwea l th  A p r l c u i t u r a t  Bureaux.  Soman, P . ,  Peacock ,  J.H. 6 B i d l n g e r .  F .R .  1984. A f l r l d  t e c h n i q u e  t o  s c r e e n  s e e d l i n g  emr.prnccb o f  p e a r l  m i l l e t  and cor&hum t h r o u g h  sc11  c r u s t s .  E x p e r i m e n t a l  A g r i c u l t u r e .  20: 3 2 7 - 3 3 4 .  T a y l o r .  H.U. 1962.  S e e d l i n g  emer&ence of w h e a t .  g r a i n  sorghum, and g u a r  an  a f f e c t e d  by r i g i d i t y  and t h i c k n c h s  of s u r f a c e  c r u s t s .  S o i l  S c i e n c r  S o c i e t y  of America  P r o c e e d i n g s .  26: 4 3 1 - 4 3 3 .  

Evaluation Of Genotypic Difference In Seedling Emergence Through Soil Crusts Under Field Conditlons

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