Water uptake of maize roots under conditions of non-limiting soil water content

Abstract

The relation between the root density distribution of a horizontally homogeneous maize root system and the vertical root extraction patterns was studied. A field data set of root density distribution during the vegetation period were used together with the root extraction patterns calculated from soil water content distributions. Only those time intervals during which crop transpiration was potential were considered. Therefore, the shape of vertical root extraction patterns depends only on the relevant root morphological parameters. The maximum depth-dependent root extraction rate of maize was assumed to be proportional to the root density ddstribution. The root density distribution can then be used as a parameter of the root system for the evaluation of the ‘sink term’ in water uptake models.