Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2017
The growth of wild oat (Avena fatua L. ♯3 AVEFA) under different moisture regimes was investigated under field conditions and in a growth chamber. In the field, growth of wild oat under low moisture conditions (0.6 cm water per week – Regime 1) was significantly reduced compared to growth under high moisture conditions (2.5 cm water per week – Regime 2). Maximum reductions of 49, 33, and 38% were recorded in the leaf area, dry weight, and number of viable tillers, respectively. The growth of wild oat in soil watered daily to a soil moisture content (SMC) of 10% (water potential −6.5 bars) in the growth chamber was less than for plants in soil watered daily to 20% SMC (-0.3 bars). Maximum reductions of 55, 57, and 38% were recorded in the leaf area, dry weight, and number of viable tillers, respectively. Wild oat growth was more adversely affected by reducing the SMC from 20 to 10% after, rather than before, the four-leaf stage. By the last sampling date, stomatal diffusion resistance of the most severely water-stressed plants was 25 s·cm-1 compared to between 5 and 10 s·cm-1 for the plants receiving more water.