ROOTING OF TUBE-GROWN
WHEAT PLANTS
Graham Russell
The University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Email: [email protected]
The structure of wheat root systems has been studied since JE Weaver’s
pioneering work in the 1920s. More recently, interest has focussed on the
effects of genotype and environment on rooting systems and the
consequences for resource capture.
When soil cores are taken in the field, only
isolated parts of root systems are recovered,
between-core variation can be large and
accurately measuring root length can be
difficult.
From Weaver, Kramer
& Reed (1924).
Ecology 5, 26-50.
It is easier to extract and measure roots of
glasshouse-grown plants but the environment
is often very different from that in the field.
This poster describes how glasshouse
experiments were used to get root data
comparable with those from the field.
Wheat plants were grown in long insulated tubes (the
insulation was removed for the photograph) in an unheated
greenhouse. The top 300 mm of the artificial soil included
organic matter to simulate topsoil. Watering was carried out
according to the estimated soil water deficit. Other
treatments were those used for the field trials.
After harvest the intact root systems were washed and the roots
spread out in a tray. The primary axes (seminal and nodal roots)
were counted every 100 mm down the profile and a typical 50 mm
length of primary axis was sampled at each of these depths. The
samples were placed in a Petri dish, carefully cleaned under a
binocular microscope, spread out and photographed.
The length of lateral root per sample was measured and the total root
length calculated for each depth increment. As the leaf area was also
measured, the root length: leaf area ratio could be calculated as well.
The root length: leaf area ratios were similar to those
found in the field and realistic profiles of root length were
obtained. This way of measuring cereal root systems
provides a bridge between controlled environment and
field studies.
Tube 25, 0.85 m depth
This work is part of project 2332, Root System Management, of the UK Home-Grown Cereals Authority.