HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hanks, R. J. Articles by Thorp, F. C. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Hanks, R. J. Articles by Thorp, F. C. Agricola Articles by Hanks, R. J. Articles by Thorp, F. C.

Seedling Emergence of Wheat, Grain Sorghum, and Soybeans as Influenced by Soil Crust Strength and Moisture Content¹

ABSTRACT

A technique was devised for studying plant seedling emergence through soil crusts where soil crust strength, soil moisture content, and soil type could be varied independently. Wheat, grain sorghum, and soybeans were studied with crust strengths from 0 to 1,400 millibars (as measured by the modulus of rupture) and soil moisture content from field capacity to available ( of the available water remaining in the soil). Preliminary tests were made to determine the reliability of the modulus of rupture as a measure of crust strength with respect to seedling emergence.

Wheat seedling emergence was not influenced by seed spacing or crust thickness for a wide range of crust strength as measured by the modulus of rupture. It was concluded from this study that the modulus of rupture is a good measure of crust strength as related to seedling emergence of wheat and similar plants.

Soil crust strength limiting seedling emergence for the plants studied was dependent on the soil moisture content. At a given crust strength, seedling emergence was lowest where the soil moisture content was lowest. At constant moisture content, seedling emergence decreased with increasing crust strength for the plants and soils studied. However, partial seedling emergence occurred on all treatments even where crust strength was as high as 1,400 millibars.

¹ Contribution from the U.S.D.A., A.R.S., and Kansas Agr. Exp. Sta., Manhattan, cooperating. Contribution No. 560, Department of Agronomy. Presented before Div. I, Soil Science Society of America, Nov. 14, 1956, at Cincinnati, Ohio.

² Soil Scientists, Western Soil and Water Management Section, Soil and Water Conservation Research Branch, A.R.S., U.S.D.A.

Received for publication October 1, 1956. Accepted for publication April 16, 1957.