Summary
Four methods of measuring root distribution in a spring oat crop were compared: minirhizotrons installed vertically, minirhizotrons installed at an angle of 45°, core-break root counts and direct measurement of lengths of root washed from soil cores.
Minirhizotrons gave better estimates of root distribution where installed at 45° rather than vertically and could be used in the horizon between 30 cm below the soil surface and the maximum depth of rooting. We confirmed that relative root distribution at a particular growth stage can be assessed from counts of the number of roots crossing horizontal faces in core segments.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Bates G H 1937 Nature, London 139, 966–967.
Bohm W 1974 Z. Acker-u. Pflanz. 140, 282–287.
Bohm W et al. 1977 Agron. J. 69, 415–419.
Bohm W 1979 Methods of Studying Root Systems. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 188 p.
Cannell R Q et al. 1980 J. Agric. Sci. Camb 94, 345–349.
Drew M C and Saker L R 1980 Plant and Soil 55, 297–305.
Ellis F B and Barnes B T 1971 Plant and Soil 35, 209–212.
Ellis F B and Barnes B T 1980 Plant and Soil 55, 283–295.
Gregory P J 1979 J. Exp. Bot. 30, 205–214.
Marsh B a'B 1971 J. Appl. Ecol. 8, 265–267.
Newman E I 1966 J. Appl. Ecol. 3, 139–145.
Sanders J L and Brown D A 1978 Agron. J. 70, 1073–1076.
Tennant D 1975 J. Ecol. 63, 995–1001.
Tottman D R et al. 1979 Ann. appl. Biol. 93, 221–234.
Waddington J 1971 Can. J. Bot. 49, 1850–1852.
Welbank P Jet al. 1974 Rep. Roth. Exp. Stn. 1973, part 2, pp 26–66.
Welbank P J and Williams E D 1968 J. Appl. Ecol. 5, 477–481.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bragg, P.L., Govi, G. & Cannell, R.Q. A comparison of methods, including angled and vertical minirhizotrons, for studying root growth and distribution in a spring oat crop. Plant Soil 73, 435–440 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02184322
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02184322