Short-term watering-distance and symmetry effects on root and shoot growth of bell pepper plantlets

Drip lines were located at distances ranging from 0 to 60 cm from one or both sides of a row of pepper plantlets, and we monitored the effects on their shoot development during 76 days from transplanting to full-size first fruits, on the final root system, and on the areal water and salt distributions in the upper 15-cm soil layer. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with a sandy soil, and excess fresh water (1.9 L d−1 per plant) was applied via short daily irrigations. In addition, the effects of watering distance and symmetry on the potential water uptake rate were analyzed with a coupled-source–sink steady flow and uptake model. Initial faster shoot growth with the one-side system and short distances progressively changed to faster growth with the two-side system and longer watering distances, with the optimum at 30–40 cm. These temporal changes are attributed to temporal changes in the root uptake of irrigation water: small plants with small root systems benefit from the larger water supply to a smaller soil volume provided by the one-side system, whereas larger plants with greater water needs could extract more irrigation water when they developed larger, split root systems in the two-side irrigation. Balanced root systems and maximal shoot growth can be obtained by starting the irrigation with a line on each side, near the plants, and moving the lines after a short time.

► The effects of watering distance and symmetry on shoot and root development were studied.
► Initially faster shoot growth was observed with the one-side system at short distances.
► Later this changed to faster growth with the two-side system and longer, 30–40, cm watering distances.
► A steady water flow and uptake model predicts the observed trends.