• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2002

Root distribution was monitored in the root zone of corn fields on several soil series in central Illinois during three growing seasons in order to find the effect of soil series and tillage system on root growth. A minirhizotron technique was used to videotape each soil profile in weekly intervals to a depth of 75 cm under conventional tillage (CT) and no tillage (NT) systems of cultivation. Root distribution near soil surface generally increased during the early stages of the growing season, but declined as surface soil moisture was depleted in late summer. Even though root distribution was not significantly different between soil series in this experiment. differences in root distribution between soil series were associated with the increases in root-available water storage capacity. Root population in the top 30 cm of NT plots. where increased water infiltration rates and saturated flow of soil moisture into the subsoil, was generally higher than that of CT plots in Illinois corn fields. Foots appeared in the deeper layers later in the growing season, with root penetration into subsoil layers occurring as much as 2-3 weeks earlier on the NT plots than in CT plots. In conclusion, root distribution was significantly affected by the tillage systems, but not different by soil series.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2014

Fine root distribution was investigated in Pinus densiflora stands using soil core sampling and minirhizotrons, and conversion factors and regression equations were developed for converting minirhizotron data into fine root biomass. Fine root biomass was measured by soil core sampling from October, 2012 to September, 2013 once a month except for the winter, and surface area of fine roots was estimated by minirhizotrons from May to August, 2013 once a month. Fine root biomass and surface area were significantly higher in the upper soil layers than in the lower soil layers. Fine root biomass showed seasonal patterns; the mean fine root biomass ($kg{\cdot}ha^{-1}$) in summer (3,762.4) and spring (3,398.0) was significantly higher than that in autumn (2,551.6). Vertical and seasonal patterns of fine root biomass might be related to the soil bulk density, nutrient content and temperature with soil depth, and seasonal changes of soil and air temperature. Conversion factors (CF) between fine root surface area from minirhizotron data and fine root biomass from soil core sampling were developed for the three soil depths. Then a linear regression equation was developed between the predicted fine root biomass using CF and the measured fine root biomass (y = 79.7 + 0.93x, $R^2=0.81$). We expect to estimate the long-term dynamics of fine roots using CF and regression equation for P. densiflora forests in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 1992

An experiment was conducted to find out effect of soil water condition on shoot and root growth and P, K uptake by soybean plants. Soybean plants were grown under different soil water table levels, 20cm, 40cm and 60cm below the soil surface using minirhizotron with 20cm in diameter, and well irrigated and water stressed conditions using 1/2000a Waganer pots. Three soybean plants, Paldal culfivar, were grown and sampled at the early growing period, 37 days after planting, and at the harvesing period, 115 days after planting. Shoot and root growth were restricted by water stresed condition and by excessive soil water condition with the 20cm water table. Little difference in shoot and root growth were found between well irrigated condition and 40cm or 60cm water table conditions. The P and K contents in shoot under water stressed condition were higher than well irrigated condition at the early growing period but reversed at later harvesting period. The dry weight and length of roots were more severely restricted by water stress than those of shoots. Root morphological difference was found by anatomical observation. Normal cortex was developed under the well irrigated condition, while abnormal cortex with aerenchyma formed by lysis under excessive water conditions of 20 or 40cm water talbes. Aerenchyma was formed at outer skirt of pericycle. Role of formation of aerenchyma of soybean roots might be an adaptation to excessive soil water condition and possibly related to survival of soybean roots growing under near flooding condition on dikes of paddy lands.