| Sustainable rotations through
recharge control by enhanced lucerne water uptake.
Research Supervisors:
Dr Phillip Eberbach; Dr Jim Virgona; Mr Frank
Dunin; Dr Chris Smith
Research Staff:
Jeff Hoffman
Funding:
GRDC
Duration:
1998-2001
Project Summary:
Incomplete water use by annual crop and pasture species in high rainfall areas has led to rises
in groundwater, leading to waterlogging and
salinization. Farmers have adopted lucerne pastures to mop
up excess subsoil moisture and ameliorate this
situation. But what factors are important in influencing
the potential of lucerne roots to use subsoil moisture
and dryout the soil profile? Recent evidence suggests
that the effectiveness of subsoil moisture use by
perennial species be stimulated by increased incidence
of summer rains. This project will quantify how
summer / seasonal rainfall and other factors influence
lucerne root turnover patterns and determine
lucernes effectiveness at drying the soil profile. Outcomes
of this work will assist farmers in managing
lucerne pastures for production and to effectively utilize
the resource.
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