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Morphometric analysis of root systems: application of the technique and influence of soil fertility on root system development in two herbaceous species
Author(s) -
FITTER A. H.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
plant, cell and environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.646
H-Index - 200
eISSN - 1365-3040
pISSN - 0140-7791
DOI - 10.1111/1365-3040.ep11573079
Subject(s) - branching (polymer chemistry) , root system , herbaceous plant , stochastic modelling , botany , biology , mathematics , biological system , chemistry , statistics , organic chemistry
. A method for describing root systems based on geomorphological techniques developed for river systems is described. Root systems, in common with other natural branching structures (rivers, bronchioles, trees), appear to obey Morton's Law of Branching: there is a constant ratio, the bifurcation or branching ratio, R b , between the number of branches of a given order, N u , and that of the next order. N u+1 , In experiments where Poa annua , and Rumex cripus , were grown at two levels of fertility, the first‐order roots (the youngest members in this system) were generally unresponsive to fertility, and differences in the root systems were largely the result of changes in the second‐order roots, those formed at the junction of two first‐order roots. These differences were reflected in the branching ratio, R b Although it is possible to explain these results by a stochastic model of branch development, the R b values for roots are higher than for other natural branching structures, and higher than the random model predicts. It is possible that a model based on optimum exploration of space may be more appropriate and provide a key to the factors governing root branching patterns.