Resumen

BONADEO, Elena et al. Relantionships between soil physical and chemical properties and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) roots in patched soils. Cienc. suelo [online]. 2006, vol.24, n.2, pp.101-107. ISSN 1850-2067.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the soil physical and physical-chemistries properties as related with the development of the alfalfa root system. Two situations were studied: "normal" (N) and "patched" (M) growth. Exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) and pH increase with the depth in N and M, being more noticeable in M. pH values of 9 occurred at 24 and 55 cm in M and N, respectively. The ESP shows a similar tendency. In the period between November 2001 and April 2002, the highest measured electrical conductivity in N was 1.83 dS m^-1 at 70 cm, and in M 3.92 dS m^-1 at 30 cm. In 2001, the lower total root number and the shallower depth reached in M, were due to differences in the saline content mainly. This is probably due to the tolerance of the alfalfa to the high ESP. In 2001, the roots length density until 30 cm, was significantly superior in N. In 2002 differences in the maximum depth were observed. It was concluded that there is a close relationship between the electrical conductivity of the soil and the evaluated root parameters.

Palabras clave : Salinity; Sodium; pH; Roots density.

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