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Soil water uptake and root distribution of different perennial and annual bioenergy crops

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Abstract

Background and aims

Bioenergy crops are expected to provide biomass as a replacement for fossil resources, but their impact on the water cycle is still under question. This study aimed at both quantifying the ability of bioenergy crops to use soil water and analysing the relationship between their root systems and soil water uptake.

Methods

Water content was monitored continuously for 7 years (2007–2013) under perennial (Miscanthus × giganteus and Panicum virgatum), semi-perennial (Festuca arundinacea and Medicago sativa) and annual (Sorghum bicolor and × Triticosecale) bioenergy crops. Root distribution was characterized in 2010 down to 3 m depth. Soil water deficit (SWD) was calculated as the difference between field capacity and actual water content.

Results

Maximal SWD (0–210 cm) during the growing season was higher for semi-perennials, despite a lower biomass production than perennials. Water capture in deep soil layers was greater under perennials and semi-perennials than under annual crops. A curvilinear asymptotic relationship was found between water capture and root density and described by a model the parameters of which varied between crops, indicating a variable soil water capture for a given root density.

Conclusions

This study provides quantitative information required to simulate the impact of bioenergy crops on drainage and aquifer loading.

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Abbreviations

I:

Irrigation

P:

Precipitation

PET:

Potential evapotranspiration

PWC:

Proportional water capture

RID:

Root intersection density

RLD:

Root length density

RMSE:

Root mean square error

SWC:

Soil water content

SWD:

Soil water deficit

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to F. Mahu for the maintenance of the soil moisture and temperature probes, J. Duval for the database development, T. Laemmel for his help in data processing and L. Le Guen, E. Mignot, C. Demay and F. Millon for their technical assistance. This work was supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR) under the project “Regix” and by BPI-France under the project “Futurol”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRA, UPR1158 AgroImpact, Site de Laon, Pôle du Griffon, 180 rue Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, 02000, Barenton-Bugny, France

    Fabien Ferchaud, Guillaume Vitte, Frédéric Bornet, Loïc Strullu & Bruno Mary

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  1. Fabien Ferchaud
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  2. Guillaume Vitte
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  3. Frédéric Bornet
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  4. Loïc Strullu
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Correspondence to Fabien Ferchaud.

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Responsible Editor: Peter J. Gregory .

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Ferchaud, F., Vitte, G., Bornet, F. et al. Soil water uptake and root distribution of different perennial and annual bioenergy crops. Plant Soil 388, 307–322 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2335-y

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