Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, J.N. Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh
Soil moisture flux profiles and direct moisture extraction by roots in the transient soil water flow equition were estimated to provide accurate description of field water uptake by rainfed wheat grown in Vertisols. The maximum upward flux across the root zone was 0.05 cm/day which was about one-sixth of the total extraction of water by the wheat crop per day. A bulge appeared in the flux profile exhibiting a progressive shift downward as time passed. The results showed that water extraction pattern of rainfed wheat under progressively dry profile can be explained by combined importance of time dependence of moisture content and depth dependence of flux.
Soil moisture flux profile, water uptake, sink term
