Root growth dynamics inside and outside of soil biopores as affected by crop sequence determined with the profile wall method

Eusun Han*, Timo Kautz, Ute Perkons, Daniel Uteau, Stephan Peth, Ning Huang, Rainer Horn, Ulrich Köpke

*Corresponding author af dette arbejde

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avisTidsskriftartikelForskningpeer review

83 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

Taprooting crop species are capable of creating soil biopores (>2 mm in diameter) in the subsoil due to their large root size and deep-rooting habit. The aim of this study was to quantify root growth dynamics of wheat in the subsoil during its complete growth season as affected by crop sequence. Temporal observation on root length (km m−2) of wheat inside and outside of biopores at four growth stages (tillering, booting, anthesis, and milk) was conducted by using the profile wall method under the two crop sequence treatments involving two precrops, viz., chicory and tall fescue. Frequency of biopore presence measured on vertical profile walls depended on the choice of precrops in which chicory precrop resulted in higher frequency (2.3 %) compared with tall fescue (1.5 %). Root length of wheat measured inside biopores was significantly higher when grown after chicory (0.024 km m−2) in comparison to tall fescue (0.006 km m−2). On average, root length outside biopores after growing chicory was 45.9 % higher than tall fescue until the stage of anthesis. We conclude that at the site under study biopores as pathways for rapid root growth into deeper soil layers allow roots to re-enter and explore the subsoil. Thus, cereals cultivated in rotation with taprooted crops can draw benefit from enhanced uptake of water and nutrients from deeper soil layers during early growth stages. Model simulations with various abiotic and biotic factors will be helpful to reveal the direct evidence of biopore-root-shoot relationship in the future.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftBiology and Fertility of Soils
Vol/bind51
Nummer7
Sider (fra-til)847-856
Antal sider10
ISSN0178-2762
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 22 okt. 2015

Fingeraftryk

Dyk ned i forskningsemnerne om 'Root growth dynamics inside and outside of soil biopores as affected by crop sequence determined with the profile wall method'. Sammen danner de et unikt fingeraftryk.

Citationsformater