Rooting Pattern of Wheat and Gram in Relation to Soil-moisture Regimes and their Implications on Irrigation Scheduling

Rooting depth of wheat and gram was 60 cm in 7.5 cm moisture level and it was 90 cm in wheat and 120 cm in gram at 25 cm moisture level. Lateral, as well as, vertical root distribution differences between 20 and 25 cm moisture levels were non-significant in both the crops, thus indicating that irrigation beyond ear-emergence/pod formation had no effect on root distribution of these two crops, and therefore irrigation scheduling should be synchronised with root development of the crops. Root weight of both wheat and gram increased with the increase in moisture levels up to 20 cm only. The percentage of total root weight in upper 15 cm of soil profile increased in case of wheat while it decreased in case of gram with the increase in soil-moisture levels. Grain yield was having a positive relationship with moisture levels and root distribution.