The objective of this experiment was to quantify variations in maize canopy of plants submitted to two water managements (irrigated and terminal soil water deficit) in clayey, loamy and sandy soils. The experiment was conducted at the experimental area of the Rural Engineering Department of the Federal University of Santa Maria during the 1995/1996 growing season. A set of 12 drainage lysimeters was used. These were 156 cm long, 100 cm wide and 80 cm deep and were placed under a shelter to avoid rainfall. The treatments consisted of two soil water managements (irrigated and terminal soil water deficit applied during vegetative growth) of three soils with the distinct textures. A completely randomized statistical design with two replications was used. Results indicated that reduction in leaf area index of maize plants grown under soil water deficit was greater in clayey and loamy soils than in sandy soil. Plant height was reduced when the fraction of water available to the plant was lower than 0.57, 0.74 and 0.52 for clayey, loamy and sandy soils, respectively.
plant canopy; soil texture; plant leaf area