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Assessing nitrogen fluxes from roots to soil associated to rhizodeposition by apple (Malus domestica) trees

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Abstract

The mass transfer from root to soil by means of rhizodeposition has been studied in grasses and forest trees, but its role in fruit trees is still unknown. In this study, N fluxes from roots to soil were estimated by applying a 15N mass balance technique to the soil–tree system. Apple (Malus domestica) trees were pre-labelled with 15N and then grown outdoors in 40 L pots for one vegetative season in (1) a coarse-textured, low organic matter soil, (2) a coarse-textured, high organic matter soil, and (3) a fine-textured, high organic matter soil. At tree harvest the 15N abundance of the soils was higher than at transplanting, but the total amount of 15N present in the tree–soil system was similar at transplanting and tree harvest. The soils had a strong effect on N fluxes from and to the soil. In the fine-textured soil, 11% of the total plant-derived nitrogen was transferred to the soil, compared with 2–5% in the two coarse-textured soils. Rhizodeposition was higher in the fine soil (18% of the primary production) than in the coarse-textured soils, whereas higher soil organic matter depressed rhizodeposition. Nitrogen uptake was almost double in the coarse-textured, high organic matter soil versus the other soils. Our results indicate that belowground primary productivity is significantly underestimated if based on root production data only. Rhizodeposition represents a major process, whose role should not be underestimated in carbon and nitrogen cycles in orchard ecosystems.

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Acknowledgments

Study supported by funds by the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, by the Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry Laimburg and by the University of Bologna (Projects COFIN 2004 and RFO, ex 60%).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Fruit Tree and Woody Plant Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Francesca Scandellari, Giustino Tonon & Massimo Tagliavini

  2. Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Laimburg, Bozen, Italy

    Martin Thalheimer

  3. Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bozen, Italy

    Christian Ceccon & Massimo Tagliavini

  4. Department of agroenvironmental sciences and technologies, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Paola Gioacchini

  5. Complex Systems Research Centre, Morse Hall, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA

    John D. Aber

Authors
  1. Francesca Scandellari
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  2. Giustino Tonon
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  3. Martin Thalheimer
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  4. Christian Ceccon
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  5. Paola Gioacchini
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  6. John D. Aber
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  7. Massimo Tagliavini
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Massimo Tagliavini.

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Communicated by D. Treutter.

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Scandellari, F., Tonon, G., Thalheimer, M. et al. Assessing nitrogen fluxes from roots to soil associated to rhizodeposition by apple (Malus domestica) trees. Trees 21, 499–505 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-007-0141-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-007-0141-3

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