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African Crop Science Journal
African Crop Science Society
ISSN: 1021-9730
EISSN: 1021-9730
Vol. 6, No. 1, 1998, pp. 39-47
Bioline Code: cs98005
Full paper language: English
Document type: Research Article
Document available free of charge

African Crop Science Journal, Vol. 6, No. 1, 1998, pp. 39-47

 en Effects of different soil types and rainfall variability on water storage and maize yields in Zimbabwe
Mugabe, F. T.

Abstract

The amount of soil moisture available to crops after a rainfall event depends on the rainfall quantity, water redistribution and the water holding capacity of the soil. Often the variability in crop growth within short distances is related to the variability in soil type. Variability in soil moisture storage was determined on 14 plot which had a maize crop. Of the 14 plots tested, seven were on either side of the grey and red subcatchment which have sandy and clay soils respectively. Spearman's test was used to evaluate the time stability for water stored between zero and 100cm depth during the 1993/94 and 1994/95 seasons. The amount of soil moisture that was available to crops at Romwe catchment depended on the soil texture and the amount of rainfall in the 1993/4 and 1994/5 seasons. Water storage for both years was significantly correlated to silt + clay percent with coefficients of determinations of 0.385 and 0.8338 for the 1993/94 and 1994/95 seasons respectively and there was time stability in water storage between the two seasons considered. The differences in texture between the two areas and the year to year variation in rainfall explains the year to year variation in catchment maize yields.

Keywords
Moisture availability, time stability, Zea mays

 
 fr
Mugabe, F. T.

Résumé

La quantite d'humidite du sol disponible aux cultures apres les pluies depend de la quantite de celles-ci, de la repartition de l'eau et de la capacite de retention de l'eau du sol. Bien souvent la variabilite dans la croissance des cultures voisines est due a la variabilite du type de sol. La variation dans le stockage de l'humidite du sol a ete determinee dans 14 parcelles portent une culture de mais. De ces 14 parcelles testees, sept etaient du cote gris ou rouge du bassin hydrographique caracterise par des sols respectivement sableaux ou argileux. Le test de Spearman a ete utilise pour evaluer le temps de stabilite de l'eau stockee entre 0 et 100 cm de profondeur au cours des saisons 1993/94 et 1994/95. La quantite d'humidite du sol disponible aux cultures dans le bassin de Romwe dependrait de la texture et de la quantite d'eau de pluies tombees pendant les saisons 1993/94 et 1994/95. La retention d'eau pour les deux annees etait significativement corelee avec le pourcentage de sediment et d'argile dont les coefficients de determination etaient de 0,385 et 0,8338 respectivement pour les saisons 1993/94 et 1994/95. Il y avait donc une stabilite dans le temps de stockage d'eau entre les deux saisons considerees. Les differences dans la texture entre les deux surfaces et la variation des precipitations d'une annee a l'autre expliquent la variation interannuelle dans les rendements du mais du bassin.

Mots Clés
Humidite disponible, stabilite dans le temps, Zea mays

 
© Copyright 1998 - African Crop Science Society

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