Abstract
In the agroforestry systems of sub-Saharan Africa, the vertical and horizontal distribution of tree root biomass according to the soil profile is still poorly documented. The objective of this study is to verify the root distribution of four species of trees established in living hedges, namely, Commiphora kerstingii, Erythrina sigmoidea, Ficus thonningii and Jatropha curcas according to two types of soil (light soil and heavy soil) and three agroforestry technologies (fallows, wooded parks and plantations). The hedges were mostly monospecific in order to facilitate the identification of the roots. The experimental set-up is an entirely random factorial design with two factors. The evaluation of the distribution of tree roots was carried out using the profile method. To determine the different textural classes, a particle size analysis was undertaken in the laboratory. The results obtained show that the number of roots decreases rapidly after 30 cm of depth. The highest root densities are observed in the first 30 cm. Soil type has a slight effect (p <0.05) on rooting density in the last 30 cm of depth for all root classes, higher densities were obtained in light soil compared to heavy soil. Commiphora kerstingii stands out significantly by obtaining a higher number of roots than the other species for all classes. Among the technologies, the plantations showed the lowest root density at 0-5 cm and the highest at 55-60 cm. The root density was higher in the fallows. The results show that the root system is mainly concentrated near the stump.
Highlights
In botany, the root is the underground organ of a plant serving to fix it to the soil and to draw the water and nutrients necessary for its development [1,2]
The presence of the study aims to verify the root distribution of four species of trees established in living hedges, namely, Commiphora kerstingii, Erythrina sigmoidea, Ficus thonningii and Jatropha curcas according to two types of soil and three agroforestry technologies in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon
Work on the deep distribution of roots in agroforestry systems is still rare. These results demonstrate that the rooting in light soil of the species Commiphora kerstingii, Erythrina sigmoidea, Ficus thonningii and Jatropha curcas is denser and deeper than the rooting of these species in heavy soil
Summary
The root is the underground organ of a plant serving to fix it to the soil and to draw the water and nutrients necessary for its development [1,2]. It is the prolongation of the stem downwards; it differs from it in several characteristics: its internal structure, its positive geotropism, the presence of a terminal cap and absorbent hairs, the absence of leaves and buds [2,3]. The roots are the target organs of root herbicides, which are used to control weeds [6]
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