Dynamics of root water uptake and water use efficiency under alternate partial root-zone irrigation

Abstract

The distribution of root length density of maize in ridge culture under alternate partial root-zone furrow irrigation (APFI) and conventional furrow irrigation (CFI) was investigated, and two-dimensional models of root length density and root uptake were developed to investigate the water use efficiencies under different furrow irrigation modes. Results indicated that APFI increased root depth and horizontal extended distance of maize, as well as water use efficiency (WUE). Values of the mean absolute error (MAE), the root mean square error (RMSE), and the index of agreement (di) between measured and simulated values of root length density of maize under APFI ranged from 0.26 to 0.68, 0.03 to 1.51, and 0.64 to 0.85 cm m−3, respectively; and the coefficient of determination (R2) was greater than 0.80. Values of MAE, RMSE, and di between measured and simulated values of root length density of maize under CFI ranged from 0.01 to 0.26, 0.01 to 0.60, and 0.61 to 0.96 cm m−3, respectively; and R2 was higher than 0.86. Dynamics of root uptake at different sites were simulated using the model of root water uptake. Root growth of maize under furrow irrigation was modeled using the 2D model of root length density with reasonable accuracy. Compared with CFI, water consumption rate of the maize in APFI was lower in key water requirement period, root uptake rate was higher in the end period, and WUE in APFI was higher by 5% than that in CFI.