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A quantitative analysis of the relationships between root distribution and nitrogen uptake from soil by two grass species
Author(s) -
ROBINSON D.,
RORISON I. H.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 0022-4588
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1985.tb00314.x
Subject(s) - holcus lanatus , dry matter , nitrogen , agronomy , nutrient , irrigation , biology , botany , horticulture , chemistry , poaceae , ecology , lolium perenne , organic chemistry
SUMMARY Two grass species, Holcus lanatus and Deschampsia flexuosa , were grown in soil containing available nitrogen at 4 μg g −1 (‘Low N’) or 58 μg g −1 (‘High N’), in a controlled environment. Water was supplied via an auto‐irrigation system, which also minimized the vertical redistribution of soil nutrients, particularly NO 3 − . Growth, root morphology and distribution, and N uptake were measured during a 70‐day period. H. lanatus produced more dry matter than D.flexuosa in the high N treatment. Yields were similar in both species in the low N treatment. The growth of H. lanatus in the low N treatment was not limited by a complete exhaustion of soil N. Root density of H. lanatus was likely to have been inadequate to allow this species to attain its maximum potential N‐inflow rate. Thus, N uptake per plant and dry matter production were restricted. The growth of D.flexuosa was not limited by the low N treatment, compared with that in the high N treatment. This was attributed to its low maximum potential relative growth rate and, hence, its low demand for N compared with H. lanatus , rather than to any major ‘compensatory’ adjustments in root morphology or N absorption efficiency.