Influence of cultivation site on sesquiterpene lactone composition of forage chicory (Cichorium intybus L.)

The forage potential of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) has not been realized in southern West Virginia (WV) because ruminants are reluctant to consume the herbage. Chicory contains bitter sesquiterpene lactones that can adversely impact palatability. This study was undertaken to determine whether sesquiterpene lactone concentrations in chicory grown in southern WV differ from those in chicory grown in central Pennsylvania (PA) where chicory is grazed readily. Herbage was collected in 1997 and 1998 from cultivars Grasslands Puna (Puna), INIA le Lacerta (Lacerta), and Forage Feast established at research sites near State College, PA, and Beckley, WV. The total concentration of sesquiterpene lactones in WV-grown cultivars was 0.58% (dry matter basis) in Puna, 0.59% in Lacerta, and 0.79% in Forage Feast in 1997 and ranged from 1.03 (Lacerta) to 1.52% (Forage Feast) in 1998. In PA-grown cultivars, sesquiterpene lactones represented 0.16 (Puna), 0.18 (Lacerta), and 0.27% (Forage Feast) of the forage dry matter in 1997 and ranged from 0.32 (Lacerta) to 0.55% (Forage Feast) in 1998. Concentrations of lactucin, lactucopicrin, and total sesquiterpene lactones in Forage Feast exceeded those in the other cultivars grown at the same site. The lowest concentrations of lactucopicrin and total sesquiterpene lactones observed among WV-grown cultivars were higher (2-fold or more) than the highest concentrations present in cultivars grown the same year in PA. Mineral analyses of soils from the two cultivation sites indicate that P availability may influence sesquiterpene lactone composition of chicory herbage. Results provide a foundation for future studies of environmental effects on sesquiterpene lactone composition and palatability of chicory herbage.     

Effects of phosphorus and water stress levels on growth and phosphorus uptake of bean and sorghum cultivars

Primary determinants of crop production in arid/semiarid regions are lack of moisture and infertility, especially phosphorus (P) deficiency or unavailability. The effects of P and water stress (WS) levels on shoot and root dry matter (DM), leaf area, root volume, total root length, and shoot and root P concentrations and contents were determined in two bean [Phaseolus acutifolius Gray, cv ‘Tepary #21’ ("drought‐resistant") and P. vulgaris L., cv “Emerson’ ("drought‐sensitive")] and two sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, cv SA7078 ("drought‐resistant") and ‘Redlan’ ("drought‐sensitive")] cultivars grown in nutrient solution. Plants were grown with different levels of P (20 and 100 μM for bean and 20, 80, and 160 μM for sorghum) when seedlings were transferred to nutrient solution, and WS levels of 0, 13.8, and 1 6.4% polyethylene glycol (PEG‐8000) introduced after plants had grown in solution 23 days (bean) and 31 days (sorghum). All growth traits were lower when bean and sorghum plants were grown with WS and low P. Growth traits were higher in cultivars grown with high compared to low P regardless of WS. Root P concentration and content and shoot content, but not shoot P concentration, were lower when bean plants were grown with WS compared to without WS. Tepary #21 bean had higher shoot DM, leaf area, total root length, and shoot P concentration than Emerson when plants were grown with WS at each level of P. Sorghum shoot and root P concentrations were higher as P level increased regardless of WS, and WS had little effect on shoot P concentration, but root P concentration was higher. Contents of P were similar for SA7078 and Redlan regardless of P or WS treatment, but SA7078 had greater P contents than Redlan over all P and WS treatments. “Drought‐resistant”; cultivars generally had better growth traits, especially total and specific root lengths, than “drought‐sensitive”; cultivars.     

Root renewal of sugar beet as a mechanism of P uptake efficiency

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) was grown in two different long‐term P fertilization experiments on a sandy and a loamy soil. The P supply levels of the soils were ”︁low”, ”︁sufficient”, and ”︁high”, according to the German recommendation scheme. The low P level decreased shoot and storage root yield only on the loam soil, where the recovery of the P‐deficient plants after a drought period was slower than at a sufficient P supply. The size of the living root system, as determined by a conventional auger sampling method, peaked at early July and decreased until harvest on the sandy soil without any influence of the P level. On loam, the living root systems were more constant and larger at P shortage. Total root production, as determined by the ingrowth core method, was about 120 km m^—2 in the well P supplied loam treatments and 200 km m^—2 at P deficiency, which was 3—4 times and 5 times higher than the average size of the living root systems, respectively. Hence, a rapid root renewal took place. On sand, where no P deficiency occurred, total root production was not different between the P supply levels but higher than in the well‐supplied loam treatments. Modelling P uptake revealed that this root turnover and the concomitant better exploitation of the soil facilitates P uptake at a low P level in soil, but is of no advantage at a sufficient P supply. The increase of root production at P shortage increased calculated P uptake by 25% compared to a calculation with the ”︁usual” root production at a sufficient supply.     

Phosphorus Stress-Induced Differential Growth,and Phosphorus Acquisition and Use Efficiency by Spring Wheat Cultivars

ABSTRACT

Phosphorus (P) is a finite, non-renewable, and natural resource and a vital major nutrient for plant metabolic and developmental processes. However, adverse soil biogeochemical characteristics of alkaline-calcareous soils (especially Aridisols) and highly weathered acid soils (i.e., Ultisols and Oxisols) render orthophosphate (Pi) as the least available major nutrient due to P complexation, sorption, and/or fixation. In such soil environments, plant bioavailable P is only a small fraction of total soil P, seriously limiting crop growth and production. Different plant species, and even cultivars of the same species, may display a suite of growth responses that enable them to solubilize and scavenge soil P either by enhancing external Pi acquisition or reprioritizing internal Pi use under P-stress soil environments. This paper reports relative growth responses, P acquisition and P-use efficiency characteristics by 14 cultivars of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown in solution culture with high/low P supply induced by applying soluble NH₄H₂PO₄, sparingly soluble rock phosphate, and Ca₃(PO₄)₂. The wheat cultivars exhibited considerable genetic diversity in biomass accumulation, P concentrations, P contents, factor (PSF) and P efficiency characteristics [i.e., P utilization efficiency (PUE), P efficiency (PE), and PE ratio (PER)]. Plant growth and PE parameters were significantly correlated, while P uptake was linearly related with biomass increase and solution pH decrease. The wheat cultivars with high PUE, PER and P uptake, and low PSF, and plant P concentration were more efficient in utilizing P and, hence, more tolerant under P-stress environment. Biomass and P contents of “P efficient/low-P tolerant” wheat cultivars were superior to “P inefficient/low-P sensitive” cultivars at all P-stress levels. Hence, “P efficient/low-P tolerant” cultivars are the most desirable wheat genotypes for P-stress environments because they are able to scavenge more P from sparingly soluble P sources or soil-bound P forms.     

Root architectural responses of wheat cultivars to localised phosphorus application are phenotypically similar

Differences in nutrient recovery from fertiliser bands may improve cereal variety selection. The objective of this study was to identify the variation in root plasticity across commonly grown Australian wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars in response to a phosphorus (P)‐enriched band. Ten wheat cultivars were screened for root proliferation within a 150 mg P kg⁻¹ band in P‐responsive soil. Plants were destructively harvested at the four‐leaf phenological stage and various growth parameters, including root length density (RLD), were measured on banded and uniformly adequate P treatments. All wheat cultivars increased RLD between three and nine times in the P band. However, there was no significant difference in root plasticity among the cultivars tested. Although all cultivars produced longer, though ≈ 9% thinner roots when responding to the P band, the phenotypic response was unable to compensate fully for the lower P status encountered in the soil. Despite 23% longer root lengths in the P‐band treatments, P uptake per unit root length was 78% lower than in uniformly adequate P treatments. Our results indicate that root plasticity of wheat cultivars in a P‐enriched band was phenotypically similar. Further research is necessary before selecting for wheat cultivars that respond to localised nutrient patches with increased RLD.     

Response of Forage Chicory Seedlings to Available Soil Phosphorus in Two Soils in a Controlled Environment

Poor phosphorus (P) fertility is a problem limiting productivity on unimproved Appalachian soils and has been implicated in poor palatability of forage chicory (Cichorium intybus L.). Three cultivars were grown in a greenhouse at varying soil P levels in Gilpin and Hagerstown silt loam soils and harvested 48 and 77 days after planting. In Gilpin soil, available soil P (ASP) was positively associated with dry shoot mass, leaf mass, leaf area, and leaves per plant and negatively associated with specific leaf area. In Hagerstown soil, ASP was positively associated only with only dry shoot and leaf mass. At equivalent ASP levels, dry shoot and leaf mass, leaf area, and shoot concentrations of P, potassium, calcium, and magnesium were always greater in Hagerstown than Gilpin soil, whereas specific leaf area was less. Equalization of ASP concentration and environmental conditions did not eliminate growth-limiting differences between Gilpin and Hagerstown soils for chicory.     

Carbon distribution and variations in nitrogen-uptake between catch crop species in pot experiments

Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) are seen as suitable catch crops species in Sweden. Pot experiments were conducted to study C distribution and variations in nitrogen uptake between several varieties of chicory and perennial ryegrass for comparison.A soil amended with Ca(¹⁵NO₃) (109 and 145 mg N kg⁻¹ soil) and glucose (2.5 g C kg⁻¹ soil) was incubated for 10 days to promote the immobilization of added ¹⁵N; therefore, N was supplied to plants through the remineralization of the immobilized ¹⁵N. In experiment 1 four varieties of chicory and one variety of perennial ryegrass were grown for 60 days in greenhouse conditions. In experiment 2, only two varieties of chicory and one ryegrass were grown in soil with high-N rate of fertilization. In the later experiment, pots were moved from greenhouse to a growth chamber with ¹⁴CO₂ atmosphere for a pulse labelling of the plants 7–10 days before harvest.At both levels of N supply, dry weights of taproots were higher in the chicory cultivars Cassel and Fredonia than in cultivars Puna and Salsa. The opposite was found for dry weights of small roots. There were significant differences in N uptake between chicory varieties. Cassel and Fredonia together with the ryegrass were significantly more effective in securing nitrate than the other two varieties. Significantly higher amounts of labelled-N were found in taproots of Cassel than in Puna. The opposite trend was found for small roots. Similar results were measured for amounts of radioactivity (kBq pot⁻¹) of newly fixed C transferred to roots. Amounts of labelled-N measured in soil residues for both crop species were significantly higher at the low level of N supply than at the high level of N. There was no significant increase in plant uptake of soil-N (native-N) either between chicory varieties or between chicory and ryegrass, when the high level of N was supplied.The importance of these results is discussed in relation to the suitability of chicory species as catch crop and as plant material for breeding.     

VARIATION IN PHOSPHORUS EFFICIENCY AMONG BRASSICA CULTIVARS II: CHANGES IN ROOT MORPHOLOGY AND CARBOXYLATE EXUDATION

Increased phosphorus (P) efficiency is needed to sustain agriculture productivity on soils with low available P. Significant differences were found among Brassica cultivars for growth, P utilization, and remobilization under P deficiency (see our companion paper, Aziz et al., 2011a). To identify the possible mechanisms of P acquisition from low soluble P compounds, four cultivars (‘Rainbow’, ‘CON-1’, ‘Dunkeld’, and ‘Peela Raya’) were selected to ascertain the relationship of their differential P acquisition and growth with their root length in soil and with organic acid release pattern in solution culture experiments. For this purpose their growth and P acquisition from phosphate rock (PR) was compared with calcium di-hydrogen phosphate (Ca-P) when adding uniform dose of 100 mg P kg^?1 soil separately from the two sources. Biomass accumulation, root length, root fineness, plant P uptake and ash alkalinity was significantly (P < 0.01) different in plants of all the four cultivars when supplied with PR or Ca-P in soil. Minimum biomass produced by ‘Peela Raya’ grown with either P source was followed by ‘CON-1’, ‘Dunkeld’, and ‘Rainbow’ in ascending order. Shoot dry matter production had a significant positive correlation with root dry matter production (r = 0.85, P < 0.01), root length (r = 0.59, P < 0.05) and root P uptake (r = 0.95, P < 0.01). Cultivars varied significantly for organic acid secretion in solution culture experiment. Higher quantities of secreted citric acid, malic acid and tartaric acid in solution culture experiment were measured for ‘Rainbow’ and ‘Dunkeld’ cultivars. Efficient performance of these two cultivars for growth and P uptake was associated with their longer roots and more secretion of organic acids especially citric acid.     

Genotypic differences in growth,yield and nutrient accumulation of spring wheat cultivars in response to long-term soil fertility regimes

Determining genotypic responses to soil fertility may assist selection of cultivars that can be adapted to varied soil fertility regimes, and such selection under field conditions is still limited. A two-year field experiment was conducted in long-term field trials to investigate wheat genotype effects on early growth, yield and nutrient accumulation as affected by varied long-term soil fertility managements and nitrogen (N) fertilization. Results show that the early growth, grain yield and nutrient accumulation of spring wheat plants were strongly affected by soil fertility managements and genotypes. Early shoot and root biomass of singly grown plants and leaf canopy growth under standard growth density was associated with subsequent grain yield of plants under standard growth density across the gradient in soil fertility levels. Taifun and Thasos had stable higher yield and N and phosphorus (P) uptake across varied soil fertility regimes compared with other genotypes. Økilde, however, increased yield by 8–34% and N and P accumulation by 1–22% only when grown in the high organic manure treatment compared with other genotypes, indicating that it is more adapted to high organic fertility regimes. Therefore, the different responses and adaptations of genotypes to soil fertility regimes should be included during selection of cultivars.     

Modern wheat cultivars have greater root nitrogen uptake efficiency than old cultivars

The availability of nitrogen (N) contained in crop residues for a following crop may vary with cultivar, depending on root traits and the interaction between roots and soil. We used a pot experiment to investigate the effects of six spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars (three old varieties introduced before mid last century and three modern varieties) and N fertilization on the ability of wheat to acquire N from maize (Zea mays L.) straw added to soil. Wheat was grown in a soil where ¹⁵N‐labeled maize straw had been incorporated with or without N fertilization. Higher grain yield in three modern and one old cultivar was ascribed to preferred allocation of photosynthate to aboveground plant parts and from vegetative organs to grains. Root biomass, root length density and root surface area were all smaller in modern than in old cultivars at both anthesis and maturity. Root mean diameter was generally similar between modern and old cultivars at anthesis but was greater in modern than in old cultivars at maturity. There were cultivar differences in N uptake from incorporated maize straw and the other N sources (soil and fertilizer). However, these differences were not related to variation in the measured root parameters among the six cultivars. At anthesis, total N uptake efficiencies by roots (total N uptake per root weight or root length) were greater in modern than in old cultivars within each fertilization level. At maturity, averaged over fertilization levels, the total N uptake efficiencies by roots were 292?336 mg N g^?1 roots or 3.2?4.0 mg N m^?1 roots for three modern cultivars, in contrast to 132?213 mg N g^?1 roots or 0.93?1.6 mg N m^?1 roots for three old cultivars. Fertilization enhanced the utilization of N from maize straw by all cultivars, but root N uptake efficiencies were less affected. We concluded that modern spring wheat cultivars had higher root N uptake efficiency than old cultivars.     

Response of a wild-type and modern cowpea cultivars to arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation in sterilized and non-sterilized soil

Cowpea is an important crop that serves as a legume and vegetable source to many smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Soil fertility is a significant limitation to its production thus; inoculation with beneficial soil biota such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) could improve its performance. However, plant–AMF interaction could vary based on crop cultivar hence affecting overall crop production. The present study aimed at determining the effect of AMF inoculation and soil sterilization on root colonization and growth of a wild-type and three modern cowpea cultivars grown by smallholder farmers in Kenya. Potted cowpea plants were inoculated with a commercial AMF inoculum comprising of Rhizophagus irregularis, Funneliformis mosseae, Glomus aggregatum and Glomus etunicatum and maintained in a greenhouse for 40 days. After harvesting, mycorrhizal colonization, nodule number and dry weight, root and shoot dry weights, nitrogen (N,) phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) content were determined. Interestingly, the modern cultivars showed significantly (p < 0.001) higher root colonization, nodulation, shoot P and N compared to the wild-type cultivar. Moreover, a strong positive correlation between AMF root colonization and shoot P (r² = 0.73, 0.90, p < 0.001), AMF root colonization and shoot N (r² = 0.78; 0.89, p < 0.001) was observed in both sterilized and non-sterilized soil, respectively. Soil sterilization affected root colonization and growth parameters with plants grown in non-sterilized soil performing better than those grown in sterilized soil. This study provides major evidence that modern cowpea cultivars are still responsive to mycorrhizal inoculation suggesting that modern breeding programs are not deleterious AMF symbiosis.     

What root traits determine grass resistance to phosphorus deficiency in production grassland?

Grasslands are a major form of agricultural land use worldwide. Current and future declines of phosphorus (P) inputs into production grasslands necessitate a shift towards selecting grass species based on high efficiency under suboptimal, rather than optimal P conditions. It is therefore imperative to identify key root traits that determine P acquisition of grasses in soils with a low P status. In a 9‐month greenhouse experiment, we grew eight common grass species and cultivars on a soil with a low P status and related root morphological traits to their performance under P‐limiting conditions. We applied (P1) or withheld (P0) P fertilization while providing adequate amounts of all other nutrients. Omitting P fertilization greatly reduced yield and nutrient acquisition for the various grass species. Biomass production differed significantly (P < 0.1%) among species and P fertilization treatments, varying from 17.1 to 72.1 g pot^?1 in the P0 treatment and from 33.4 to 85.8 g pot^?1 in the P1 treatment. Root traits were species‐specific and unresponsive to P fertilization, but overall we observed a trade‐off between root biomass and specific root length. Structural equation modeling identified total root length as key factor with respect to resistance to P deficiency, especially when roots explored the subsoil. Optimizing root length and subsoil exploration could be the key to maintaining high productivity of production grasslands with decreasing P availability. This is relevant for both plant breeding programs and for composing seed mixtures.     

Assessing the Effect of Phosphorus Fertilizer Levels on Soil Phosphorus Fractionation in Rhizosphere and Non-Rhizosphere Soils of Wheat

This study evaluated the effects of phosphorus (P) fertilizer levels on inorganic P fractions. Wheat cultivars (Azadi and Marvdasht) were grown in the soils amended with the four rates of P fertilizer levels (no fertilizer, 10, 15, and 25 mg available P kg^?1 soil). Soils were sampled from rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere areas after 6 weeks. The mean of all P fractions was significantly different in various P fertilizer levels. The smallest and the largest amounts of all P fractions were observed in the soil with no P and in 25 mg kg^?1 soil P level, respectively. The Azadi cultivar, as P-efficient, showed the smallest increase in soil P fractions with increasing soil P levels. The means of all P fractions except Al-phosphates (Al-P) were significantly higher in non-rhizosphere soil. There were differences between these cultivars associated with the more inaccessible fractions at the 15 mg P kg^?1 soil level.     

Soil fertility requirements of root chicory (Cichorium intybus var. sativum): a review

Abstract

Root chicory is mainly grown in Belgium and the Netherlands with production also elsewhere in Europe, India, and South Africa. The world’s crop is worth an estimated US$56.04 million. India and South Africa focus on supplying root chicory to the blend coffee industry. Only limited and variable information is available on the fertilizer requirements of root chicory. Most studies on nitrogen (N) report that chicory in cooler, temperate regions requires 40–75?kg?N/ha compared to 200?kg?N/ha in warmer areas. Recommended rates for phosphorus (P) range from 0 to 69?kg?P/ha. Poor responses to potassium (K) are reported with recommended rates from 0 to 190?kg?K/ha. Application rates for sulfur (S) of 10–30?kg?S/ha have been suggested. Suitable micronutrient requirements and soil acid saturation and pH values for root chicory have not been published. To establish crop norms a concerted effort is needed to quantify the fertilizer use of root chicory.     

Crop species differ in root plasticity response to localised P supply

The effect of localised phosphorus (P) fertiliser placement and in particular, deep P fertiliser placement, on the comparative root growth and P uptake of fibrous vs tap‐rooted crops is not known. In this study, we examined the root growth and P uptake of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), canola (Brassica napus L.), and narrow‐leaf lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) in a split‐root system and in columns with deep (19 cm) or shallow (5 cm) P fertiliser sources in glasshouse conditions. In the split‐root system, plants of all three species grown under heterogeneous soil P conditions absorbed more P and produced greater root and shoot biomass than those under homogeneous P supply. Root plasticity differed between species under heterogeneous soil P supply: canola and wheat allocated relatively more root biomass and root length to the high P zone than narrow‐leaf lupin. In the column experiment, there was no difference in the amount of P accumulated in shoots of any crops grown in the deep vs shallow P fertiliser treatments. Root proliferation occurred within the shallow and deep‐P fertiliser bands in all three species; however, root distribution above or below the bands did not differ between deep or shallow P fertiliser treatments in any species. Whilst root plasticity responses to heterogeneous soil P supply differed among species, root architecture (fibrous vs taproot) did not confer any advantage or disadvantage to the acquisition of P from deep vs shallow P fertiliser bands. Moreover, whilst roots proliferate in the vicinity of P fertiliser bands, root distribution outside of the bands appears to remain unaltered in both fibrous and tap‐rooted crops during early growth.     

Root Exudates of Rice Cultivars Affect Rhizospheric Phosphorus Dynamics in Soils with Different Phosphorus Statuses

Exudation of organic acids by the roots of three rice cultivars grown in three soils of different phosphorus (P) statuses, and their impacts on the rhizospheric P dynamics and P uptake by the rice plants, were investigated. Quantum root exudates from all the rice cultivars were significantly greater at 21 days after transplantation than at panicle initiation or flowering stages. Malic acid was the most predominant organic acid present in the rice root exudates (10.3 to 89.5 μmol plant^?1 d^?1), followed by tartaric, citric, and acetic acids. Greater exudation of organic acids from rice grown in P-deficient soil by all the rice cultivars suggested response of rice plant to P stress. Results indicate that the release of organic acids in the root exudates of rice plants can extract P from strongly adsorbed soil P fraction, thereby increasing native soil P utilization efficiency and ensuring adequate P nutrition for the growing rice plants.     

Relationships between shoot and root characteristics of white clover cultivars differing in response to phosphorus

Root dry weight and the relationship between shoot and root characteristics for 119 white clover (Trifolium repens L.) cultivars and breeding lines were examined at five (40, 120, 200, 400, and 500 mg P/kg soil) phosphorus (P) levels. There were significant (P<0.01) differences among cultivars for root dry weight and root/shoot ratio. Instantaneous root/shoot ratio decreased with increasing P supply up to 200 mg P/kg, and then increased again from 400 to 500 mg P/kg soil. Allometric analysis indicated that root growth relative to shoot growth increased with increasing P supply. There was a significant (P<0.01) cultivar x P level interaction such that for the cultivars, the root/shoot ratio was either unaffected, increasing, or decreasing with increasing level of P supply. However, root/shoot ratio appeared to be unrelated to the functions used to describe the P response of the 119 cultivars studied. Shoot characters such as dry weight, leaf number, and stolon length were most closely correlated with root dry weight at the moderately low P levels of 120 and 200 mg added P/kg, where average P response was 9 and 24% of yields at 500 mg P/kg soil, respectively, rather than at the higher P levels. Root/shoot ratio was significantly correlated (r>0.6) with root dry weight over all P levels but not with any of the measured shoot characters (‐0.2> r <0.3).     

Aluminum effects on six wheat cultivars in Kenyan soils

Abstract

Six cultivars of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), Kenya Nyumbu, Kenya Zabadi, Alondra, Kenya Swara, Kenya Tumbili, and Kenya Fahari, were tested for their susceptibility to Al. They were grown in a glasshouse in four Kenyan soils, two of which had high Al, low pH and supported poor field crops, and two of which had higher pH, lower Al and supported healthy field crops. Shoot, root and seed weights, and concentrations of Al, Ca, and Mn in shoots and seeds were determined at harvesting. Significant differences in Al susceptibility between varieties existed, and these differences increased with increasing soil Al. The Al‐susceptibility ratings using a root‐staining procedure for these cultivars reported by earlier workers were not fully confirmed; K. Fahari, rated as “Al‐susceptible”;, performed as well as “Al‐tolerant”; varieties. Greater uptake of Mn by all cultivars seemed to be due to anaerobiosis through poor soil drainage. The marked Al‐susceptibility of K. Swara is probably due to its inability to restrict Al uptake. Further testing of cultivars is necessary under field conditions to confirm their Al‐susceptibility to acidic, high‐Al soils.     

土壤水分胁迫对红砂幼苗细根形态和功能特征的影响

通过盆栽人工模拟干旱试验,研究了土壤水分胁迫对红砂幼苗细根形态及功能的影响。结果表明:(1)随胁迫程度的加剧红砂幼苗细根直径和体积呈减小趋势,而根长、比根长、表面积、比表面积均呈增大趋势,表明在胁迫条件下,红砂幼苗细根可通过根长、比根长、表面积、比表面积的增加与直径和体积的减小来适应逆境胁迫。随根序的升高红砂幼苗细根直径呈增大趋势,而根长和比根长表现出减小趋势,比表面积呈先升高后降低的趋势。(2)随胁迫程度的加剧红砂幼苗细根全C含量呈降低趋势,而全N含量先呈明显的降低趋势,后呈升高趋势,表明在中度胁迫下红砂幼苗细根呼吸作用明显降低。随根序的升高红砂幼苗细根全C含量呈增加趋势,而全N含量呈下降趋势,表明红砂幼苗较低级根序具有较强的呼吸作用与代谢活性。(3)红砂幼苗细根根长与全C含量之间呈极显著正相关关系;直径与全C含量之间呈显著正相关关系;比根长与C含量呈显著负相关关系。