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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Water Management and Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #368773
Research Project: Improving the Sustainability of Irrigated Farming Systems in Semi-Arid Regions

Location: Water Management and Systems Research

Title: Root spatial distribution

Author
item MOMMER, LIESJE - WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY
item Comas, Louise
item WEIGELT, ALEXANDRA - LEIPZIG UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: New Phytologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/22/2021
Publication Date: 10/5/2021
Citation: Mommer, L., Comas, L.H., Weigelt, A. 2021. Root spatial distribution. New Phytologist. 232(3):1017-1021. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17572.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17572

Interpretive Summary: Root distribution is a function of species, plant development and soil characteristics, and is frequently examined to investigate the horizontal and vertical extent of soil from which plants can acquire resources. Root distribution is also used to determine the ‘zone of influence’ in belowground plant competition studies. Measurements need to carefully consider the developmental stage at which the root distributions of species are compared to reduce confounding influences of plant size and development on root allocation. Methods are developed and detailed here to quantify root distribution to meet the objectives for several types of research questions and facilitate the utilization of data across studies.

Technical Abstract: Root distribution is a function of species, plant development and soil characteristics, and is frequently examined to investigate the horizontal and vertical extent of soil from which plants can acquire resources. Root distribution is also used to determine the ‘zone of influence’ in belowground plant competition studies. Measurements need to carefully consider the developmental stage at which the root distributions of species are compared to reduce confounding influences of plant size and development on root allocation. Methods are developed and detailed here to quantify root distribution to meet the objectives for several types of research questions and facilitate the utilization of data across studies.