Dunin, F. X.; Smith, C. J.; Zegelin, S. J.; Leuning, R.
Abstract:
In a detailed study of soil water storage and transport in a sequence of 1 year wheat and 4 years of lucerne, we evaluated drainage under the crop and lucerne as well as additional soil water uptake achieved by the subsequent lucerne phase. The study was performed at Wagga Wagga on a gradational clay soil between 1993 and 1998, during which there was both drought and high amounts of drainage (>10% of annual rainfall) from the rotation. Lucerne removed an additional 125 mm from soil water storage compared with wheat (root-zone of ~1 m), leading to an estimated reduction in drainage to 30