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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Canal Point, Florida » Sugarcane Field Station » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #162909
Title: WATER TABLE EFFECTS ON SUGARCANE ROOT AND SHOOT DEVELOPMENT

Author
item Morris, Dolen
item Tai, Peter

Submitted to: American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/25/2004
Publication Date: 6/25/2004
Citation: Morris, D.R., Tai, P.Y. 2004. Water table effects on sugarcane root and shoot development. American Society Of Sugar Cane Technologists. Vol. 24, pges. 41-59.

Interpretive Summary: Microbial oxidation of organic soils in the Everglades Agricultural Area is resulting in a decrease in soil depth. Raising water tables reduces soil losses, but often reduces sugarcane yields. An experiment was conducted to determine the interrelationships between shoot yield and root morphology due to water table depths. Twelve sugarcane genotypes were grown outside in 38 L plastic pails with water tables of 0, 15, and 30 (drain) cm. At harvest (10 months), sugarcane shoots and roots in the upper (0 to 15 cm) and lower (15 to 30 cm) horizons were harvested. Our data indicated that sugarcane shoots were less tolerant than roots to high water tables. Sugarcane tolerance of water tables less than 30 cm include characteristics of increased root mass and length and reduced root diameter near the soil surface.

Technical Abstract: Microbial oxidation of organic soils in the Everglades Agricultural Area is resulting in a decrease in soil depth. Raising water tables reduces oxidation rates, but often reduces sugarcane yields. An experiment was conducted to determine the interrelationships between shoot yield and root morphology due to water table depths. Twelve sugarcane genotypes were grown outside in 38 L plastic pails with water tables of 0, 15, and 30 (drain) cm. At maturity, sugarcane shoots and roots in the upper (0 to 15 cm) and lower (15 to 30 cm) horizons were harvested. Shoot dry matter was reduced with high water table, but root dry matter within each soil layer was not affected by water-table depth. About 74% of the total root mass and length were confined to the upper soil horizon regardless of water table. Distribution of root lengths within root diameter classes was generally not affected by water-table depth. However, shoot dry wt was positively correlated to root dry wt and length and negatively correlated to root diameter in the upper soil horizon. The most important root characteristics for high sugarcane dry matter yields were increased root mass and length at any water table and reduced root diameter near the soil surface.