Abstract
In low input agriculture, a thorough understanding of the plant-nutrient interactions plays a central role. This study aims to investigate the effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) and liming omission on shoot growth as well as on topsoil root biomass, growth and morphology (tuber and fibrous roots) of sugar beet grown under field conditions at the Dikopshof long-term fertilizer experiment (Germany). Classical shoot observation methods were combined with root morphology and link measurements using an image analysis program. Omission of the nutrients N, P and K as well as of liming led to a significant decrease in shoot growth. Tuber yield was lowest for the unfertilized and the K omission treatment. The root shoot ratio was highest in the N deficient treatment. In the K omission treatment, a strategic change from a less herringbone root type (early stage) to a more herringbone root type (late stage), which is more efficient for the acquisition of mobile nutrients, was observed. By contrast, a change from a more herringbone (early stage) to a less herringbone root type (late stage) which is less expensive to produce and maintain was observed in the unfertilized treatment. We conclude that sugar beet alters its root morphology as a nutrient acquisition strategy.
Highlights
A deeper understanding of effects of nutrient limitation on shoot and root growth is of value for plant breeding and cultivar selection, organic farming and low-input agriculture [1], and improvement of crop models [2,3,4]
This study aims to investigate the effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) and liming omission on shoot growth as well as on topsoil root biomass, growth and morphology of sugar beet grown under field conditions at the Dikopshof long-term fertilizer experiment (Germany)
In the K omission treatment, a strategic change from a less herringbone root type to a more herringbone root type, which is more efficient for the acquisition of mobile nutrients, was observed
Summary
A deeper understanding of effects of nutrient limitation on shoot and root growth is of value for plant breeding and cultivar selection, organic farming and low-input agriculture [1], and improvement of crop models [2,3,4]. The above-ground part of plants has been intensively studied, the below-ground parts have largely been neglected, in the past [9]. The reasons behind this are difficulties of observation of root systems related to the time and labor requirements. The choice of methods depends on the crop studied, the soil properties, labor availability and the objective of the study [12]
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