Rates of photosynthesis and transpiration of spring wheat and barley as influenced by fodder precrops and their cropping period

Summary

Perennial fodder cropping as compared to rotations including annual ploughing can increase the number of medium and large sized biopores in the subsoil. This can result in potentially facilitated root growth followed by increased accessibility of water in the subsoil. Additional plant-available water can enable stands to cope with dry periods in early summer, which will take place more often in future due to climate change. In this context we investigated whether crop species or cropping period of forage cropping influenced rates of photosynthesis and transpiration as indicators for water availability of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.).