TY - JOUR

T1 - Root-length densities of various annual crops following crops with contrasting root systems

AU - Perkons, Ute

AU - Kautz, Timo

AU - Uteau, Daniel

AU - Peth, Stephan

AU - Geier, Vanessa

AU - Thomas, Katharina

AU - Lütke Holz, Katharina

AU - Athmann, Miriam

AU - Pude, Ralf

AU - Köpke, Ulrich

N1 - Funding Information: The authors highly appreciate the comments and suggestions of the anonymous reviewers, which significantly contributed to improve the manuscript. This study was supported by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft—DFG) within the framework of the research unit DFG FOR 1320.

PY - 2014/4

Y1 - 2014/4

N2 - The aim of this study was to evaluate how soil structure and root-length densities of annual crops can be influenced by preceding crops. Three different annual field crops (spring wheat, Triticum aestivum L., winter barley, Hordeum vulgare L. and winter oilseed rape, Brassica napus L.) were cultivated either after two continuous years of chicory, Cichorium intybus L., a perennial taprooted fodder crop or after annual crops with fibrous root systems (oats, Avena sativa L. and tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea Schreb). Biopores of two diameter classes (2-5. mm and >5. mm) were quantified per unit surface area by visual classification in 45-145. cm soil depth. Root-length density was estimated by using the profile wall method or by image analysis of roots washed from monolith samples. After chicory, the number of large sized biopores per unit surface area in the subsoil was greater than after annual crops with fibrous root systems. When grown after chicory, the root-length densities of annual winter crops below 115. cm soil depth were greater than after fibrous precrops. It is concluded that cultivation of taprooted crops with the ability to create larger sized biopores allows subsequent crops to establish more roots in deep soil layers, with potentially greater access to nutrients and water from the subsoil.

AB - The aim of this study was to evaluate how soil structure and root-length densities of annual crops can be influenced by preceding crops. Three different annual field crops (spring wheat, Triticum aestivum L., winter barley, Hordeum vulgare L. and winter oilseed rape, Brassica napus L.) were cultivated either after two continuous years of chicory, Cichorium intybus L., a perennial taprooted fodder crop or after annual crops with fibrous root systems (oats, Avena sativa L. and tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea Schreb). Biopores of two diameter classes (2-5. mm and >5. mm) were quantified per unit surface area by visual classification in 45-145. cm soil depth. Root-length density was estimated by using the profile wall method or by image analysis of roots washed from monolith samples. After chicory, the number of large sized biopores per unit surface area in the subsoil was greater than after annual crops with fibrous root systems. When grown after chicory, the root-length densities of annual winter crops below 115. cm soil depth were greater than after fibrous precrops. It is concluded that cultivation of taprooted crops with the ability to create larger sized biopores allows subsequent crops to establish more roots in deep soil layers, with potentially greater access to nutrients and water from the subsoil.

KW - Biopores

KW - Crop rotation

KW - Root-length density

KW - Subsoil

KW - Taproot architecture

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84890965182&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.still.2013.11.005

DO - 10.1016/j.still.2013.11.005

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84890965182

VL - 137

SP - 50

EP - 57

JO - Soil and Tillage Research

JF - Soil and Tillage Research

SN - 0167-1987

ER -