Authors: Dorte Bodin Dresbøll Kristian ThorupKristensen
Publish Date: 2012/02/23
Volume: 357, Issue: 1-2, Pages: 161-172
Abstract
Changes in root system activity were determined as 15N root uptake in top and bottom layers of potted tomato plants Solanum lycopersicum L after waterlogging the bottom layer for 24 h or 5 d The plants were grown in peatbased media noncompacted or highlycompacted resulting in differences in gas diffusion air permeability and oxygen availabilityThe roots were affected by shortterm waterlogging 24 h by decreasing uptake in the bottom layer and increasing uptake in the pot top layer Longterm waterlogging 5 d decreased the 15N root uptake more in both layers Root uptake recovered fast within 6 h after shortterm waterlogging whereas recovery of longterm waterlogged roots took more than 24 h suggesting production of new root biomass Despite affecting physical properties medium compaction did not affect root uptake Aboveground biomass was affected by waterlogging by increasing the dry matter percentage decreasing nitrogen N percentage and increasing starch contentThe results confirmed that root uptake in different layers of small pots could be distinguished by the 15N technique which was applicable under potentially denitrifying conditions The results demonstrated that during shortterm stress in part of the root system plants increased uptake from the nonaffected parts of the root system probably as compensation for suboptimal conditionsWe thank Helle Kjærsgaard Sørensen and Ruth Nielsen for skilful technical assistance In addition we are grateful to Bo Vangsø Iversen for valuable discussions on determination of physical properties of growing media Funding was provided from The Danish Council for Independent Research Technology and Production Sciences Ref no 09–061045
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