Relation of fallow to restoration of subsoil moisture in an old alfalfa field and subsequent depletion after reseeding
1936
Grandfield, C.O. | Metzger, W.H.
In experiments conducted at Manhattan, Kansas, it was found that alfalfa cropping had depleted the soil of available moisture to a depth of nearly 25 feet. Clean fallow restored the available subsoil moisture to a depth of 25 feet in approximately 2 years and a subsequent seeding of alfalfa again depleted this moisture in about the same length of time. The conclusion is drawn, therefore, that 2 years of fallow were necessary to restore subsoil moisture on old alfalfa ground to a point where the roots of a newly seeded crop could penetrate through moist soil to a depth of 25 feet or more. Two years after seeding alfalfa the subsoil was depleted of moisture to a point near the wilting coefficient, making it necessary for the crop to depend on current rainfall, unless the root penetration had been deep enough to reach moisture at lower depths.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by National Agricultural Library