Is there an optimal root architecture for nitrate capture in leaching environments?

Dunbabin, Vanessa M.; Diggle, Art; Rengel, Zed

doi:10.1046/j.1365-3040.2003.01015.x

Cited by 192 publications

(129 citation statements)

References 50 publications

(70 reference statements)

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“…This situation will be exacerbated if forage grasses with higher root length frequencies than are found in existing cultivars are introduced to alleviate nitrate leaching losses (Dunbabin et al 2003;Crush et al 2005a). Clovers with much higher root frequencies than those currently available will be required to offset the additional root competition, let alone allow a reduction in fertiliser P inputs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phosphate uptake by white clover (Trifolium repensL.) genotypes with contrasting root morphology

Crush¹,

Boulesteix-Coutelier²,

Ouyang³

2008

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research

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Phosphorus (P) response curves were established for white clover genotypes with either relatively long, fine roots (LFR), or relatively short, thick roots (STR) in a glasshouse experiment. The LFR genotype had smaller average root diameter, greater specific root length (SLR, cm mg -1 root dry weight), longer roots and more branched roots than the STR genotype. Root dry weight of the genotypes was identical across all P levels. P uptake per unit root mass was higher in the LFR genotype, resulting in greater P acquisition and higher shoot dry weight yields than for the STR genotype. We concluded that development of white clovers with high SRL and frequent root branching could contibute to an improvement in the efficiency of phosphate use in pastoral farming.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phosphate uptake by white clover (Trifolium repensL.) genotypes with contrasting root morphology

Crush¹,

Boulesteix-Coutelier²,

Ouyang³

2008

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research

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“…The presence of biochar would thus 374 improve the ability of the plant to resist environmental stress factors such as drought 375 (Malamy, 2005). Biochar has also been cited as a major asset in order to avoid nitrate 376 leaching and a higher nitrate assimilation efficiency (Dunbabin et al, 2003) or phosphorus 377 uptake (Lynch, 1995). This is extremely important in the easily leached, low-CEC soils such 378 as the ones studied here.…”

Section: ) 342mentioning

confidence: 99%

Biochar amendment increases maize root surface areas and branching: a shovelomics study in Zambia

et al. 2015

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Background and Aims Positive crop yield effects from biochar are likely explained by chemical, physical and/or biological factors. However, studies describing plant allometric changes are scarcer, but may be crucial to understand the biochar effect. The main aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of biochar on root architecture under field conditions in a tropical setting. Methods The presented work describes a shovelomics (i.e. description of root traits in the field) study on the effect of biochar on maize root architecture. Four field experiments we carried out at two different locations in Zambia, exhibiting non-fertile to relatively fertile soils. Roots of maize crop (Zea mays L.) were sampled from treatments with fertilizer (control) and with a combination of fertilizer and 4 t.ha-1 maize biochar application incorporated in the soil. Results For the four sites, the average grain yield increase upon biochar addition was 45±14% relative to the fertilized control (from 2.1-6.0 to 3.1-9.1 ton ha-1). The root biomass was approximately twice as large for biochar-amended plots. More extensive root systems (especially characterized by a larger root opening angle (+14±11%) and wider root systems (+20±15%)) were observed at all biochar-amended sites. Root systems exhibited significantly higher specific surface areas (+54±14%), branching and fine roots: +70±56%) in the presence of biochar. Conclusions Biochar amendment resulted in more developed root systems and larger yields. The more extensive root systems may have contributed to the observed yield increases, e.g. by improving immobile nutrients uptake in soils that are unfertile or in areas with prolonged dry spells.

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“…The increase in rooting density in the upper layer of the P-C soil could be a plant strategy to improve the uptake of nitrate, which, as a very mobile ion, may easily escape a lower density root system by leaching deeply in soil (Dunbabin et al, 2003). The higher amount of humic substances in the upper layer of the P-C soil may also have favoured the major root density observed.…”

Section: Plant Root Development and Growthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of contrasting crop rotation systems on soil chemical, biochemical properties and plant root growth in organic farming: first results

et al. 2017

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Organic farming is claimed to improve soil fertility. Nonetheless, among organic practices, net C-inputs may largely vary in amount and composition and produce different soil conditions for microbial activity and plant-root system adaptation and development. In this study, we hypothesised that, in the regime of organic agriculture, soil chemical and biochemical properties can substantially differ under contrasting crop rotation systems and produce conditions of soil fertility to which the plant responds through diverse growth and production. The impact of 13 years of Alfalfa-Crop rotation (P-C) and Annual Crop rotation (A-C) was evaluated on the build up of soil organic carbon (SOC), active (light fraction organic matter, LFOM; water soluble organic carbon, WSOC) and humic fraction (fulvic acids carbon, FAC; humic acids carbon, HAC), soil biochemical properties (microbial biomass carbon, MBC; basal respiration, dBR; alkaline phosphatase AmP; arylsulfatase ArS; orto-diphenoloxidase, o-DPO) and the amount of available macro-nutrients (N, P, and S) at two different soil depths (0-10 cm and 10-30 cm) before and after cultivation of wheat. We also studied the response of root morphology, physiology and yield of the plant-root system of wheat. Results showed that the level of soil fertility and plant-root system behaviour substantially differed under the two crop rotation systems investigated here. We observed high efficiency of the P-C soil in the build up of soil organic carbon, as it was 2.9 times higher than that measured in the A-C soil. With the exception of o-DPO, P-C soil always showed a higher level of AmP and ArS activity and an initial lower amount of available P and S. The P-C soil showed higher rootability and promoted thinner roots and higher root density. In the P-C soil conditions, the photosynthesis and yield of durum wheat were also favoured. Finally, cultivation of wheat caused an overall depletion of the accrued fertility of soil, mainly evident in the P-C soil, which maintained a residual higher level of all the chemical and biochemical properties tested.

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Is there an optimal root architecture for nitrate capture in leaching environments?

Cited by 192 publications

References 50 publications

Phosphate uptake by white clover (Trifolium repensL.) genotypes with contrasting root morphology

Phosphate uptake by white clover (Trifolium repensL.) genotypes with contrasting root morphology

Biochar amendment increases maize root surface areas and branching: a shovelomics study in Zambia

Effect of contrasting crop rotation systems on soil chemical, biochemical properties and plant root growth in organic farming: first results

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