Field evaluation of mixed-seedlings with rice to alleviate flood stress for semi-arid cereals

• DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2016.07.003
• Publication Date: 2016-07-29T15:18:36Z
• Authors: Simon K. Awala; Koji Yamane; Yasuhiro Izumi; Yuichiro Fujioka; Yoshinori Watanabe; Kaede C. Wada; Yoshimasa Kawato; Osmund D. Mwandemele; Morio Iijima
• Keywords: Pennisetum

Flash floods, erratically striking semi-arid regions, often cause field flooding and soil anoxia, resulting in crop losses on food staples, typically pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). Recent glasshouse studies have indicated that rice (Oryza spp.) can enhance flood stress tolerance of co-growing dryland cereals by modifying their rhizosphere microenvironments via the oxygen released from its roots into aqueous rhizosphere. We tested whether this phenomenon would be expressed under conditions. The effects mix-planting with survival, growth grain yields were evaluated controlled Namibia during 2014/2015–2015/2016. Single-stand mixed plant treatments subjected to 11–22 day at vegetative stage. Mixed planting increased survival rates both sorghum. Grain reduced flooding, single-stand treatments, relative non-flooded upland yields, but reduction was lower treatments. In contrast, yields. Both millet–rice sorghum–rice mixtures demonstrated higher land equivalent ratios, indicating a advantage These results indicate could alleviate cereals. also suggest cropping technique, compensate for cereal yield due flooding.