VegSpec Help   Return to Table of Contents

 

Drought tolerance

What is the tolerance of the plant species or cultivar to drought conditions relative to other species in the same plant type (growth habit) and same geographical region? Drought tolerance is defined in the following way. In say, one acre of land or in an MLRA there are low areas that have heavy soil and tend to accumulate more soil moisture. Also, there are higher areas that have course textured soil and tend to accumulate less soil moisture. Some plant species or cultivars are most frequently found growing in the higher areas with the course soil texture. These plant species are considered to be more drought tolerant than the species that are frequently found in the low areas with fine textured soil. Of course, the drought tolerant species, in the absence of competition from the less drought tolerant species, would probably growth in the low areas that have heavy soil and greater soil moisture. Tolerance may be None, Low, Medium, or High.


Back