TY - JOUR

T1 - Biopore-Induced Deep Root Traits of Two Winter Crops

AU - Huang, Ning

AU - Athmann, Miriam

AU - Han, Eusun

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Deeper root growth can be induced by increased biopore density. In this study, we aimed to compare deep root traits of two winter crops in field conditions in response to altered biopore density as affected by crop sequence. Two fodder crop species-chicory and tall fescue-were grown for two consecutive years as preceding crops (pre-crops). Root traits of two winter crops-barley and canola, which were grown as subsequent crops (post-crops)-were measured using the profile wall and soil monolith method. While barley and canola differed greatly in deep root traits, they both significantly increased rooting density inside biopores by two-fold at soil depths shallower than 100 cm. A similar increase in rooting density in the bulk soil was observed below 100 cm soil depth. As a result, rooting depth significantly increased (>5 cm) under biopore-rich conditions throughout the season of the winter crops. Morphological root traits revealed species-wise variation in response to altered biopore density, in which only barley increased root size under biopore-rich conditions. We concluded that large-sized biopores induce deeper rooting of winter crops that can increase soil resource acquisition potential, which is considered to be important for agricultural systems with less outsourced farm resources, e.g., Organic Agriculture. Crops with contrasting root systems can respond differently to varying biopore density, especially root morphology, which should be taken into account upon exploiting biopore-rich conditions in arable fields. Our results also indicate the need for further detailed research with a greater number of species, varieties and genotypes for functional classification of root plasticity against the altered subsoil structure.

AB - Deeper root growth can be induced by increased biopore density. In this study, we aimed to compare deep root traits of two winter crops in field conditions in response to altered biopore density as affected by crop sequence. Two fodder crop species-chicory and tall fescue-were grown for two consecutive years as preceding crops (pre-crops). Root traits of two winter crops-barley and canola, which were grown as subsequent crops (post-crops)-were measured using the profile wall and soil monolith method. While barley and canola differed greatly in deep root traits, they both significantly increased rooting density inside biopores by two-fold at soil depths shallower than 100 cm. A similar increase in rooting density in the bulk soil was observed below 100 cm soil depth. As a result, rooting depth significantly increased (>5 cm) under biopore-rich conditions throughout the season of the winter crops. Morphological root traits revealed species-wise variation in response to altered biopore density, in which only barley increased root size under biopore-rich conditions. We concluded that large-sized biopores induce deeper rooting of winter crops that can increase soil resource acquisition potential, which is considered to be important for agricultural systems with less outsourced farm resources, e.g., Organic Agriculture. Crops with contrasting root systems can respond differently to varying biopore density, especially root morphology, which should be taken into account upon exploiting biopore-rich conditions in arable fields. Our results also indicate the need for further detailed research with a greater number of species, varieties and genotypes for functional classification of root plasticity against the altered subsoil structure.

KW - biopores

KW - root traits

KW - pre-crops

KW - winter crops

KW - deep roots

KW - PCA

KW - root plasticity

KW - PLANT-ROOT

KW - SOIL-CONDITIONS

KW - GROWTH

KW - WHEAT

KW - NITROGEN

KW - DYNAMICS

KW - DENSITY

KW - LENGTH

KW - QUANTIFICATION

KW - PROLIFERATION

U2 - 10.3390/agriculture10120634

DO - 10.3390/agriculture10120634

M3 - Journal article

VL - 10

JO - Agriculture

JF - Agriculture

SN - 2077-0472

IS - 12

M1 - 634

ER -