The growth and yield changes of foxtail millet ( L.), proso millet ( L.), sorghum ( L.), adzuki bean ( L.), and sesame ( L.) as affected by excessive soil-water

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of excessive soil-water on crop growth and to predict decrease of yields caused by excessive soil-water. The following five crops were selected for investigation: foxtail millet, proso millet, sorghum, adzuki bean, and sesame. These were planted in pots and a soil-water table was set to 10cm for 10 days. Crop susceptibility (CS) factors and stress-day indexes (SDI) were calculated for each crop to estimate effects of excessive soil-water. SDI models were calculated using CS and SDI data for each crop and predicted the yields of crops cultivated in paddy fields. All crops were cultivated in paddy fields with different soil water contents to evaluate the yield-SDI models. Results showed that yields decreased most when crops were affected by excessive soil-water at the early development stage. Decrease of yields was the greatest when the excessive soil-water treatment was applied at early growth stage. In the field experiment, crops from soils with the greatest soil-water content had the smallest yield, while ones from soils with the smallest soil water contents showed the greatest yields. Observed yields from the field and predicted yields from SDI models showed the least correlation for proso millet, foxtail millet, and adzuki bean and the greatest correlation for sesame . In conclusion, proso millet, foxtail millet, and adzuki bean were more susceptible to soil water than other crops, while sorghum and sesame were more suitable to cultivation in paddy fields.