Abstract
Background and aims
Root elongation is generally limited by a combination of mechanical impedance and water stress in most arable soils. However, dynamic changes of soil penetration resistance with soil water content are rarely included in models for predicting root growth. Better modelling frameworks are needed to understand root growth interactions between plant genotype, soil management, and climate. Aim of paper is to describe a new model of root elongation in relation to soil physical characteristics like penetration resistance, matric potential, and hypoxia.
Methods
A new diagrammatic framework is proposed to illustrate the interaction between root elongation, soil management, and climatic conditions. The new model was written in Matlab®, using the root architecture model RootBox and a model that solves the 1D Richards equations for water flux in soil. Inputs: root architectural parameters for Soybean; soil hydraulic properties; root water uptake function in relation to matric flux potential; root elongation rate as a function of soil physical characteristics. Simulation scenarios: (a) compact soil layer at 16 to 20 cm; (b) test against a field experiment in Brazil during contrasting drought and normal rainfall seasons.
Results
(a) Soil compaction substantially slowed root growth into and below the compact layer. (b) Simulated root length density was very similar to field measurements, which was influenced greatly by drought. The main factor slowing root elongation in the simulations was evaluated using a stress reduction function.
Conclusion
The proposed framework offers a way to explore the interaction between soil physical properties, weather and root growth. It may be applied to most root elongation models, and offers the potential to evaluate likely factors limiting root growth in different soils and tillage regimes.
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Notes
Lindenmayer’s system for plant architecture modelling (Prusinkiewicz and Lindenmayer 1990).
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Acknowledgements
MTM appreciates the scholarship funded by the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES) to stay at the James Hutton Institute for 12 months (Process n° BEX 2934/15-9). This study has also received funding from Agrisus Foundation (PA n° 1236/13). The James Hutton Institute is funded by the Scottish Government.
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Video S1
Timelapse video of soybean root growth in the profile without soil compaction. (MP4 1208 kb)
Video S2
Timelapse video of soybean root growth in the profile with a soil compaction. (MP4 1014 kb)
Video S3
Timelapse video of soybean root growth in a drier season. (MP4 1021 kb)
Video S4
Timelapse video of soybean root growth in a wetter season. (MP4 1128 kb)
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de Moraes, M.T., Bengough, A.G., Debiasi, H. et al. Mechanistic framework to link root growth models with weather and soil physical properties, including example applications to soybean growth in Brazil. Plant Soil 428, 67–92 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-018-3656-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-018-3656-z