Studies of the Rhizosphere of Strawberry Plants at the Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture in Skierniewice,Poland

Abstract

Rhizosphere studies are particularly important because of the recently introduced fertigation systems in strawberry cultivation, both in the field and under cover. Because of the need for developing fruit production in a balanced environment, rhizosphere studies help in determining precise doses of mineral fertilizers necessary for proper growth and production of economically important strawberry cultivars with specific requirements. The present experiment was carried out using rhizoboxes and determined pH changes in the rhizosphere of strawberries depending on the dose and form of nitrogen applied. The method enables visualization of pH changes in the rhizosphere and the soil as they become visible due to color changes under the influence of root exudates. To achieve this, the exposed plant roots and the entire soil mass penetrated by the roots in the rhizobox were covered with a thin (0.5 cm) agar filter containing 1% agar and 1% pH indicator (bromocresol purple). The color of the agar filter covering the roots indicates pH levels in various zones of the root system and depends on the applied forms of nitrogen. The highest pH values in the rhizosphere were measured in the root tips, lower in the middle root zone, and the lowest at the root bases. Plants supplied with N-NH4+ had the lowest rhizosphere pH, which was associated with an intensive release of H+ ions to the rhizosphere and acidification in the root zone.