Potassium uptake of rye-grass (Lolium perenne) and red clover (Trifolium pratense) as related to root parameters

Abstract

Rye-grass (Lolium perenne) is known to be a strong competitor to red clover (Trifolium pratense) for soil K+ under conditions of low K availability in the soil. The objective of this study was to clarify whether this competitive behaviour of the two species can be explained by root morphology. Total K+ uptake ofL. perenne andT. pratense was studied under field conditions in relation to root fresh weight, root density, root cation exchange capacity, root surface and root length. The soil was an Alfisol, Udalf. All root parameters, when calculated per unit soil surface (M2), were higher inL. perenne than inT. pratense. In addition,L. perenne had longer root hairs and a denser root hair system thanT. pratense. The greatest difference in root morphology between species was root length, withL. perenne roots averaging 4–6 times longer than those ofT. pratense. Significant correlations were found between the total K+ uptake and all root parameters examined, with highest correlationsforroot fresh weight (r,0.92***T. pratense; 0.94***L. perenne) and root length (r, 0.91***T. pratense;r, 0.93***L. perenne). Potassium uptake per unit root fresh weight, root surface and root length were all significantly higher forT. pratense than for L. perenne. Differences in the rate of K+ uptake between species were particularly high when expressed per unit root length. Because of its greater root length and surface area,L. perenne can take up more soil K+ thanT. pratense, particularly where there is a low K− supply in the soil. Under such conditionsL. perenne will be a particularly strong competitor toT. pratense.