Abstract
Root-zone aeration through subsurface drip irrigation affects root growth, but the response of root morphology by diameter (Φ) to different levels of irrigation water containing chemical fertilizer and dissolved oxygen is still poorly understood. A solar greenhouse experiment was carried out with tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seedlings to elucidate the role of various oxygenated irrigation factors in shaping root microstructure, morphology, and distribution. Possible relationships were explored between root characteristics, fruit yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and irrigation water use efficiency. Tomato plants were grown on a clay loam soil for 133 days under different levels of aeration (dissolved oxygen: 5, 10, and 20 mg L–1), nitrogen application (150, 225, and 300 kg ha–1), and drip irrigation (based on crop pan coefficient: 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0). Root-zone aeration led to substantial increase in the length and surface area of Φ0–2 mm roots. Considering the fertilizer effects, the length of Φ0.5–2 mm roots and the surface area of Φ0–0.5 mm roots were largest under the medium nitrogen level. With increasing irrigation volume, the length and surface area of Φ2–3 mm roots were considerably reduced, in contrast to the response of Φ0–2 mm roots in terms of their surface area. The morphology of Φ0–2 mm roots was positively correlated with aboveground biomass and fruit yield. Higher aeration rate and irrigation volume favored the distribution of Φ0–2 mm roots in deeper soil layers, which contributed to the enhancement of crop yield and nitrogen use efficiency. The optimal oxygenated irrigation regime for greenhouse tomato crops was aeration at 19.90 mg L–1, nitrogen application at 155.80 kg ha–1, and drip irrigation with the crop pan coefficient of 0.975, based on multi-objective optimization using the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
All data that support the findings in this study are available in the article. Source data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
References
Agarwal A, Ng WJ, Liu Y (2011) Principle and applications of microbubble and nanobubble technology for water treatment. Chemosphere 84:1175–1180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.05.054
Armstrong W (1964) Oxygen diffusion from the roots of some British bog plants. Nature 204:801–802. https://doi.org/10.1038/204801b0
Bhattarai SP, Midmore D, Pendergast L (2008) Yield, water-use efficiencies and root distribution of soybean, chickpea and pumpkin under different subsurface drip irrigation depths and oxygation treatments in vertisols. Irrig Sci 26:439–450. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-008-0112-5
Bhattarai SP, Pendergast L, Midmore DJ (2006) Root aeration improves yield and water use efficiency of tomato in heavy clay and saline soils. Sci Hortic 108:278–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2006.02.011
Bhattarai SP, Su N, Midmore DJ (2005) Oxygation unlocks yield potentials of crops in oxygen-limited soil environments. Adv Agron 88:313–377. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2113(5)88008-3
Chen WL, Jin MG, Ferre TPA, Liu YF, Xian Y, Shan TR, Ping X (2018) Spatial distribution of soil moisture, soil salinity, and root density beneath a cotton field under mulched drip irrigation with brackish and fresh water. Field Crops Res 215:207–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2017.10.019
Colmer TD, Gibberd MR, Wiengweera A, Tinh TK (1998) The barrier to radial oxygen loss from roots of rice (Oryza sativa L.) is induced by growth in stagnant solution. J Exp Bot 49:1431–1436. https://doi.org/10.1093/jexbot/49.325.1431
Collins LM, Dziak JJ, Li R (2009) Design of experiments with multiple independent variables: a resource management perspective on complete and reduced factorial designs. Psychol. Methods 14:202–224. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015826
Cui BJ, Niu WQ, Du YD, Zhang Q (2020) Response of yield and nitrogen use efficiency to aerated irrigation and N application rate in greenhouse cucumber. Sci Hortic 265:109220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2020.109220
Desnos T (2008) Root branching responses to phosphate and nitrate. Curr opin Plant Biol 11:82–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2007.10.003
Drescher GL, Silva LSD, Sarfaraz Q, Roberts TL, Nicoloso RT, Schwallbert R, Marques ACR (2020) Available nitrogen in paddy soils depth: influence on rice root morphology and plant nutrition. J Soil Sci Plant Nut 20:1029–1041. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-020-00190-5
Filleur S, Walch-Liu P, Gan Y, Forde BG (2005) Nitrate and glutamate sensing by plant roots. Biochem Soc Trans 33:283–286. https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0330283
Fukao T, Bailey-Serres J (2004) Plant responses to hypoxia--is survival a balancing act? Trends Plant Sci 9:449–456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2004.07.005
Gao LM, Su J, Tian Q, Shen YX (2020) Contrasting strategies of nitrogen absorption and utilization in alfalfa plants under different water stress. J Soil Sci Plant Nut 20:1515–1523. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-020-00230-0
Gale MR, Grigal DF (1987) Vertical root distributions of northern tree species in relation to successional status. Can J For Res 17:829–834. https://doi.org/10.1139/x87-131
Gregory PJ (2006) Plant roots: growth, activity and interaction with soils. Blackwell, London
Gong XW, Li XM, Li Y, Bo GK, Qiu RJ, Huang ZD, Gao SK, Wang SS (2022) An improved model to simulate soil water and heat: a case study for drip-irrigated tomato grown in a greenhouse. Agric Water Manage 277:108121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2022.108121
Gu J, Niu WQ, Lv W, Li Y, Liang BH, Guo LL (2017) Effects of irrigation threshold and lateral depth on tomato growth in greenhouse. Chinese J Eco-Agri 25:698–707 (in Chinese). https://doi.org/10.13930/j.cnki.cjea.161051
Hamoud YA, Shaghaleh H, Sheteiwy M, Guo XP, Elshaikh NA, Khan NU, Oumarou A, Rahim SF (2019) Impact of alternative wetting and soil drying and soil clay content on the morphological and physiological traits of rice roots and their relationships to yield and nutrient use-efficiency. Agric Water Manage 223:105706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2019.105706
Hu XT, Chen H, Wang J, Meng XB, Chen FH (2009) Effects of soil water content on cotton root growth and distribution under mulched drip irrigation. Sci Agric Sin 8:709–716. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1671-2927(08)60269-2
Horchani F, Gallusci P, Baldet P, Cabasson C, Maucourt M, Rolin D, Aschi-Smiti S, Raymond P (2008) Prolonged root hypoxia induces ammonium accumulation and decreases the nutritional quality of tomato fruits. J Plant Physiol 165:1352–1359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2007.10.016
Jackson LE, Burger M, Cavagnaro TR (2008) Roots, nitrogen transformations, and ecosystem services. Annu Rev Plant Biol 59:341–363. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.arplant.59.032607.092932
Jin CC, Lei HJ, Chen J, Xiao ZY, Leghari SJ, Yuan TY, Pan HW (2023) Effect of soil aeration and root morphology on yield under aerated irrigation. Agronomy 13:13020369. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13020369
Kawai T, Shibata K, Akahoshi R, Nishiuchi S, Takahashi H, Nakazono M, Kojima T, NosakaTakahashi M, Sato Y, Toyoda A, LucobAgustin N, KanoNakata M, Suralta RR, Niones JM, Chen YL, Siddique KHM, Yamauchi A, Inukai Y (2022) WUSCHEL-related homeobox family genes in rice control lateral root primordium size. P Natl Acad Sci USA 119:2101846119. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2101846
Li SP, Zhao L, Zhang SH, Liu Q, Li H (2020a) Effects of nitrogen level and soil moisture on sweet potato root distribution and soil chemical properties. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 21:536–546. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-020-00381-0
Li Y, Niu WQ, Xu J, Wang JW, Zhang MZ, Lv W (2016) Root morphology of greenhouse produced muskmelon under sub-surface drip irrigation with supplemental soil aeration. Sci Hortic 201:287–294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2016.02.018
Li Y, Niu WQ, Zhang MZ, Wang JW, Zhang ZX (2020b) Artificial soil aeration increases soil bacterial diversity and tomato root performance under greenhouse conditions. Land Degrad Dev 31:3560. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.3560
Li Y, Wang S, Duan X, Liu S, Hu S (2021) Multi-objective energy management for Atkinson cycle engine and series hybrid electric vehicle based on evolutionary NSGA-II algorithm using digital twins. Energy Conv and Manag 230:113788. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2020.113788
Liang J, Zhang J, Wong MH (1996) Effects of air-filled soil porosity and aeration on the initiation and growth of secondary roots of maize (Zea mays). Plant Soil 186:245–254. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02415520
Liu R, Yang Y, Wang YS, Wang XC, Rengel Z, Zhang WJ, Shu LZ (2020) Alternate partial root-zone drip irrigation with nitrogen fertigation promoted tomato growth, water and fertilizer-nitrogen use efficiency. Agric Water Manage 233:106049. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106049
Lu RK (2000) Methods for agrochemical analysis of soil. Agriculture Science and Technology Press, Beijing, China, pp 166–168 (in Chinese)
Lynch JP, Brown KM (2012) New roots for agriculture: exploiting the root phenome. Philos Trans R Soc London, Ser B 367:1598–1604. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2011.0243
Ma DY, Guo TC, Song X, Wang CY, Han QX, Yue YJ, Zha FN (2010) Effects of nitrogen fertilizer application on RuBP carboxylase activity and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters in flag leaves of winter wheat. Acta Botanica Boreali-Occidentalia Sinica 30:2197–2202 (in Chinese)
Ma ZM, Chen J, Liu TT, Lv XD (2017) Effects of water and nitrogen coupling on root length density and yield of spring wheat in permanent raised-bed cropping system. Acta Agron Sin 43:1705–1714 (in Chinese). https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1006.201701705
Meng SW, Jia QQ, Zhou H, Liu QJ, Yu J (2018) Fine root biomass and its relationship with aboveground traits of Larix gmelinii trees in northeastern China. Forests 9:35–45. https://doi.org/10.3390/f9010035
Neykova N, Obando J, Schneider R, Shisanya C, Thiele-Bruhn S, Thomas FM (2011) Vertical root distribution in single-crop and intercropping agricultural systems in Central Kenya. J Plant Nutr Soil Sci 174:742–749. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.201000314
Niu WQ, Fan WT, Persaud N, Zhou XB (2013a) Effect of post-irrigation aeration on growth and quality of greenhouse cucumber. Pedosphere 23:790–798. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0160(13)60070-3
Niu WQ, Jia ZX, Zhang X, Shao HB (2012) Effects of soil rhizosphere aeration on the root growth and water absorption of tomato. Clean – Soil Air. Water 40:1364–1371. https://doi.org/10.1002/clen.201100417
Niu WQ, Zhang J, Zhang LL, Xue WL, Zhang LT (2013b) Effects of buried depth and pressure head on water movement of wetted soil during moistube-irrigation. Trans Chin Soc Agric Mach 44:128–134 (in Chinese). https://doi.org/10.6041/j.issn.1000-1298.2013.12.021
Paul AI, Jocelyn EM (2010) Root system architecture. Adv Bot Res 55:75–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-380868-4.00002-8
Pendergast L, Bhattarai SP, Midmore DJ (2013) Benefits of oxygation of subsurface drip-irrigation water for cotton in a Vertosol. Crop Pasture Sci 64:1171–1181. https://doi.org/10.1071/CP13348
Qi DL, Hu TT (2022) Effects of nitrogen application rates and irrigation regimes on root growth and nitrogen-use efficiency of maize under alternate partial root-zone irrigation. J Soil Sci Plant Nut 22:2793–2804. https://doi.org/10.1007/S42729-022-00846-4
Sharp RE, Poroyko V, Hejlek LG, Spollen WG, Springer GK, Bohnert HJ, Nguyen HT (2004) Root growth maintenance during water deficits: physiology to functional genomics. J Exp Bot 55:2343–2351. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erh276
Wang C, Bai D, Li YB, Yao BL, Feng YQ (2021a) The comparison of different irrigation methods on yield and water use efficiency of the jujube. Agric Water Manage 252:106875. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2021.106875
Wang JT, Du GF, Tian JS, Jiang CD, Zhang YL, Zhang WF (2021b) Mulched drip irrigation increases cotton yield and water use efficiency via improving fine root plasticity. Agric Water Manage 255:106992. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2021.106992
Wu P, Liu F, Wang JY, Liu YH, Gao Y, Zhang XQ, Chen GZ, Huang FY, Ahmad S, Zhang P, Cai T, Jia ZK (2022a) Suitable fertilization depth can improve the water productivity and maize yield by regulating development of the root system. Agric Water Manage 271:107784. https://doi.org/10.1016/AGWAT.2022.107784
Wu L, Li L, Ma Z, Fan MS (2022b) Improving potato yield, water productivity and nitrogen use efficiency by managing irrigation based on potato root distribution. Int J Plant Prod 16:547–555. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42106-022-00205-4
Xu CL, Tao HB, Tian BJ, Gao YB, Ren JH, Wang P (2016) Limited-irrigation improves water use efficiency and soil reservoir capacity through regulating root and canopy growth of winter wheat. Field Crop Res 196:268–275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2016.07.009
Yang XT, Fan J, Ge JM, Luo ZB (2022) Effect of irrigation with activated water on root morphology of hydroponic rice and wheat seedlings. Agronomy 12:1068–1072. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12051068
Zhang H, Forde BG (1998) An arabidopsis MADS box gene that controls nutrient-induced changes in root architecture. Science 279:407–409. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.279.5349.407
Zhang Q, Du YD, Cui BJ, Sun J, Wang J, Wu ML, Niu WQ (2021) Aerated irrigation offsets the negative effects of nitrogen reduction on crop growth and water-nitrogen utilization. J Clean Prod 313:127917. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127917
Zhang RF, Yang HS, Zhang YQ, Fan XY, Liu J, Liu BL, Xue XW, Li DD (2020) Effects of subsoiling on roots distribution and nitrogen accumulation and utilization of spring maize. Agric Res Arid Areas 38:176–181 (in Chinese). https://doi.org/10.7606/j.issn.1000-7601.2020.05.25
Zhong RH, Hu JM, Bao YH, Wang F, He XB (2018) Soil nutrients in relation to vertical roots distribution in the riparian zone of Three Gorges Reservoir, China. J Mt Sci 15:1498–1509. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-017-4719-y
Zhou WL, Yi YJ, Tu NM, Tan ZJ, Wang HY, Yang YR, Wang ZY, Yi ZX (2018) Research progresses in the effects of rhizosphere oxygen-increasing on rice root morphology and physiology. Chin J Eco-Agric 26:367–376. https://doi.org/10.13930/j.cnki.cjea.170680
Zou N, Qiang XM, Shi WM (2012) Effects of different levels of NH4+ on growth of tomato roots. Soils 44:827–833 (in Chinese). https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.0253-9829.2012.05.019
Zhu JJ, Xu N, Siddique KHM, Zhang ZH, Niu WQ (2022a) Aerated drip irrigation improves water and nitrogen uptake efficiencies of tomato roots with associated changes in the antioxidant system. Sci Hortic 306:111471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2022.111471
Zhu LX, Liu LT, Sun HC, Zhang K, Zhang YJ, Li AC, Bai ZY, Wang GY, Liu XQ, Dong HZ, Li CD (2022b) Low nitrogen supply inhibits root growth but prolongs lateral root lifespan in cotton. Ind Crop Prod 189:115733. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2022.115733
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41771256; 41977087), the Major Scientific and Technological Innovation Project of Shandong Province (2020CXGC010808-05), and the General Program of the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2020MD101).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing Interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Zhang, Z., Yang, R., Zhang, Z. et al. Effects of Oxygenated Irrigation on Root Morphology, Fruit Yield, and Water–Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 23, 5582–5593 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-023-01423-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-023-01423-z