Abstract
The distribution of net assimilated C in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grown at two N-levels was determined in a growth chamber. The N-fertilization involved 0 and 3.61 μmol N g-1 dry soil. After growth for seven weeks in an atmosphere with continuously 14C-labelled CO2, 14C was determined in shoots, roots, rhizosphere respiration and soil. At the low N-level, 32% of the net assimilated 14C was translocated below ground, whereas at the high N-level 27% was translocated below ground. The release of C from roots (root respiration, microbial respiration originating from decomposition of 14C-labelled root material and 14C remaining in soil) was greater with no N-supply (19% of net assimilated 14C) than in the treatment with N-supply (15%). Thus, the effect of N-supply on both translocation of assimilated 14C below ground and the release of 14C from growing roots was relatively small.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson E L 1987 Corn root growth and distribution as influenced by tillage and nitrogen fertilization. Agron. J. 79, 544–549.
Barber D A and Martin J K 1976 The release of organic substances by cereal roots in soil. New Phytol. 76, 69–80.
Brouwer R 1983 Functional equilibrium: Sense or nonsense? Neth. J. agric. Sci. 31, 335–348.
FAO 1974 Soil Map of the World, Vol. 1. Legend. UNESCO, Rome. 59 p.
FAO 1988 Soil Map of the World. Revised Legend. World Soil Resources, Report 60. FAO, Rome. 114 p.
Foster R C 1983 The plant root environment. In ‘Soils: An Australian Viewpoint’. Division of Soils, CSIRO, pp 673–684. CSIRO, Melbourne/Academic Press, London.
Gillespie I M M and Deacon J W 1988 Effects of mineral nutrients on senescence of the cortex of wheat roots and root pieces. Soil Biol. Biochem. 20, 525–531.
Hansson A-C, Pettersson R and Paustian K 1987 Shoot and root production and nitrogen uptake in barley, with and without nitrogen fertilization. J. Agron. Crop Sc. 158, 163–171.
Hunt R and Lloyd P 1987 Growth and partitioning. New Phytol. 106, 235–249.
Johansson G 1991 Carbon distribution in meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis L.) determined in a growth chamber with 14C-labelled atmosphere. Acta Agric. Scand. 41, 37–46.
Johnen B G and Sauerbeck D R 1977 A tracer technique for measuring growth, mass and microbial breakdown of plant roots during vegetation. In Soil Organisms as Components of Ecosystems. Eds. V Lohm and T Persson. pp 366–373. Ecol. Bull. (Stockholm) 25.
Keith H, Oades J M and Martin J K 1986 Input of carbon to soil from wheat plants. Soil Biol. Biochem. 18, 445–449.
Liljeroth E, VanVeen J A and Miller H J 1990a Assimilate translocation to the rhizosphere of two wheat lines and subsequent utilization by rhizosphere microorganisms at two soil nitrogen concentrations. Soil Biol. Biochem. 22. 1015–1021.
Liljeroth E, Bååth E, Mathiasson I and Lundborg T 1990b Root exudation and rhizoplane bacterial abundance of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in relation to nitrogen fertilization and root growth. Plant and Soil 127, 81–89.
Merckx R, Dijkstra A, denHartog A and vanVeen J A 1987 Production of root-derived material and associated microbial growth in soil at different nutrient levels. Biol. Fertil. Soils 5, 126–132.
Öborn I and Johnsson H 1990 Mollic gleysol at Kjettslinge. Soil description series no. 2. The Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Department of Forest Soils and Division of Soil Science and Ecochemistry, Uppsala. 11 p.
Poorter H, van derWerf A, Atikin O K and Lambers H 1991 Respiratory energy requirements of roots vary with the potential growth rate of a plant species. Physiol. Plant 83, 469–475.
Richter R 1988 The effect of nitrogen on the size of spring barley root system as determined by means of its electric capacity. Biol. Plant. (Praha) 30, 136–141.
Robinson D and Rorison I H 1987 Root hairs and plant growth at low nitrogen availabilities. New Phytol. 107, 681–693.
Soil Survey Staff 1975 Soil Taxonomy. A basic System of Soil Classification for making and interpreting Soil Surveys. USDA Handbook No 436. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 754 p.
Steen E, Jansson P-E and Persson J 1984 Experimental site of the “Ecology of Arable Land” project. Acta Agric. Scand. 34, 153–166.
Van derWerf A, Kooijman A, Welschen R and Lambers H 1988 Respiratory energy costs for the maintenance of biomass, for growth and for ion uptake in roots of Carex diandra and Carex acutiformis. Physiol. Plant. 72, 483–491.
Warembourg F R and Shakiba M R 1987 Distribution of assimilated carbon and production in a Dactylis glomerata (L) field. INTECOL Bull. 15, 75–82.
Warembourg F R, Estelrich D H and Lafont F 1990 Carbon partitioning in the rhizosphere of an annual and a perennial species of bromegrass. Symbiosis 9, 29–36.
Whipps J M 1984 Environmental factors affecting the loss of carbon from the roots of wheat and barley seedlings. J. Exp. Bot. 35, 767–773.
Whipps J M 1990 Carbon economy. In The Rhizosphere. Ed. J MLynch. pp 59–97. Wiley, Chichester.
Wonnacott T H and Wonnacott R 1977 Introductory Statistics for Business and Economics, 2nd Ed. Wiley, New York. 753 p.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Johansson, G. Below-ground carbon distribution in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) with and without nitrogen fertilization. Plant Soil 144, 93–99 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00018849
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00018849