The Horhizotron™: A New Instrument for Measuring Root Growth

Wright, Amy N.; Wright, Robert D.

doi:10.21273/horttech.14.4.0560

Cited by 25 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Root growth and architecture are important factors that influence plant performance and survival yet are frequently overlooked in horticultural research (Wright and Wright, 2004). Our results in part support the hypothesis, first suggested by Koshimizu and Nishida (1949) and reiterated by Pardales and Yamauchi (2003), that postulates a relationship between root system architecture and SR yield potential in sweetpotato.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Characterization of Lateral Root Development at the Onset of Storage Root Initiation in ‘Beauregard’ Sweetpotato Adventitious Roots

Villordon¹,

LaBonte

Solis

et al. 2012

horts

108

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This study characterized lateral root (LR) development attributes during the onset of storage root (SR) initiation stage in ‘Beauregard’ sweetpotato. SR initiation has been defined as the appearance of cambia around the protoxylem and secondary xylem elements. Our results showed that 20-day-old adventitious roots (ARs) classified as SRs had 53% and 85% greater mean LR count than pencil roots (PRs) and lignified roots (LGs), respectively. SRs had 53% and 78% greater mean LR density relative to PRs and LGs, respectively. SRs had 66% and 130% greater mean total LR length than PRs and LGs, respectively. SRs had lower mean main root (MR)/LR length ratio compared with PRs (–38%) and LGs (–60%). SRs had 70% and 134% greater mean surface area than PRs and LGs, respectively. SRs had lower mean MR/LR surface area ratio compared with PRs (–42%) and LGs (–62%). The plot of the first and second principal components revealed the presence of a gradient between extreme LG and SR clusters, suggesting a developmental transition between LGs and SRs with PRs representing an intermediate developmental stage. Although AR architecture is not the sole determinant of SR formation, our data help provide a basis for integrating AR architecture attributes with other factors that are known to influence SR initiation. Growth substrate moisture variability influenced LR development during the critical SR initiation period. Relative to the control treatments, water deprivation 10 to 20 days after transplanting (DAT) reduced mean LR count, length, and surface area by 49%, 103%, and 94%, respectively. Saturated conditions 10 to 20 DAT reduced mean LR count, length, and surface area by 75%, 81%, and 77%, respectively. These results represent the first evidence for the association between anatomical cues of SR initiation and root architecture and provide corroborating data that soil moisture variability 10 to 20 DAT directly influences SR yield potential through AR architecture modifications that are associated with diminished SR formation. This information can be used to further optimize SR yield by identifying agroclimatic and management variables that are associated with desirable LR development during the critical SR initiation stage.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Characterization of Lateral Root Development at the Onset of Storage Root Initiation in ‘Beauregard’ Sweetpotato Adventitious Roots

Villordon¹,

LaBonte

Solis

et al. 2012

horts

108

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“…Experimental setups vary from glass walls installed in front of exposed soils (Rogers 1969;Taylor et al 1990), to external rhizotrons filled with soil (Wenzel et al 2001;Wright and Wright 2004;Devienne-Barret et al 2006), and to tubes inserted into the top soil (Bates 1937;Gregory 1979;Smit et al 2000). Many different methods, such as sketching, microscoping, photographing, and videotaping have been applied for the documentation of the development of the root-zone (Böhm 1979;Rutherford and Curran 1981;Rasse et al 2000;Wenzel et al 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring of root growth and redox conditions in paddy soil rhizotrons by redox electrodes and image analysis

2010

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The root-zone of wetland rice was monitored in a paddy soil throughout a vegetation period with the aid of a rhizotron experiment. For this purpose (a) digital images of the root-zone were taken daily, and (b) the redox potential was measured in situ every day. The images were processed by image analysis in order to display areas of oxidation and reduction in the soil. Therefore, thresholds were set to simplify the localization and quantification of discrete areas which were colourized due to the redox potential. Both, images and measured redox potentials, provide the basis for the visualization of the root and redox dynamics in the root-zone. The anaerobic root-zone of flooded paddy soils is significantly influenced by the aerenchymal transport of oxygen to rice roots. The release of oxygen into the rhizosphere, which causes different patterns of oxidized and reduced areas in the course of the vegetation period, also affects microbial communities such as methane producing archaea or methane oxidizing bacteria. The visualization of redox dynamics may, therefore, be useful to localize potential hotspots for the microorganisms in the root-zone of paddy soils. The reduced and oxidized conditions changed spatiotemporally. Oxidized areas were mostly found in the surrounding of active roots and in a distinct layer next to the soil surface. Reduced areas shifted from beneath the oxidized surface layer into sparsely-rooted soil. The ratio of the analyzed oxidized and reduced areas was oscillating with increasing intensity throughout the monitored vegetation period.

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“…The Mini-Horhizotron (MHT) is a smaller version of a device (Horhizotron) developed to measure root growth in urban soils (Wright and Wright, 2004). The MHT was designed to have three arms and six flat surfaces to observe and measure root growth while maintaining the water holding and drainage characteristics of a 16-cm container ( Figure 1).…”

Section: Mini-horhizotronmentioning

confidence: 99%

An overview of new and revised methodologies and technologies in substrate analysis and characterization

Jackson¹,

Fonteno²

2017

Acta Hortic.

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Substrate research, analysis, development, and characterization remain critically important in the 21 st century as horticulture and plant production continues to evolve and meet new challenges in today's ever-changing world. Three areas of substrate research in the Horticultural Substrates Lab at North Carolina State University have seen recent new methodologies and technologies introduced: root development and assessment, enhanced physical properties, and engineering and substrate construction. The mini-Horhizotron is a three-chambered device with clear sides (and detachable shade panels) that can be utilized to measure (manually or digitally) root growth and development, root branching and architecture, root hairs, root disease and overall health. The rhizometer is a clear cylinder apparatus that can be utilized to measure the influence of plant roots (undisturbed) on substrate physical properties over time. The clear cylinder design also offers the ability to observe and measure multiple root parameters over time without disturbance. Techniques to determine the wettability of substrates include the hydration efficiency and water capture method and contact angle measurements. The use of dewpoint potentiametry to directly measure substrate water potentials is providing new data on substrate unavailable water and permanent wilt ranges for horticultural crops. Advancements in organic matter processing and engineering (specifically bark and wood) have led to a better understanding of how various factors including moisture content, species, particle size, and machine type influence the consistency and reproducibility of these substrate components. New substrate fractioning and reconstruction techniques have been recently identified and studied to decrease weight/density and allow manufacturers to better be able to "design and build" substrates for specific purposes. The study of substrate particles is evolving to be able to measure surface area (external and internal) and identify specific particle shapes. Specific surface area and particle shape analysis can contribute to a greater understanding of how those parameters influence air and water relations, nitrogen drawdown potential, and shrinkage/decomposition in substrates. Advances in thermal imaging and near-infrared spectroscopy are also explored. These recent methods and techniques have the potential to further substrate science in the future and aid in our ability to design and construct substrates for maximum efficiency and productivity.

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The Horhizotron™: A New Instrument for Measuring Root Growth

Cited by 25 publications

References 6 publications

Characterization of Lateral Root Development at the Onset of Storage Root Initiation in ‘Beauregard’ Sweetpotato Adventitious Roots

Characterization of Lateral Root Development at the Onset of Storage Root Initiation in ‘Beauregard’ Sweetpotato Adventitious Roots

Monitoring of root growth and redox conditions in paddy soil rhizotrons by redox electrodes and image analysis

An overview of new and revised methodologies and technologies in substrate analysis and characterization

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