Journal: Plant and Soil

Abbreviation

Plant Soil

Publisher

Springer

Journal Volumes

ISSN

0032-079X
1573-5036

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Publications 1 - 10 of 142
  • Traits related to differences in function among three arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
    Item type: Journal Article
    Thonar, Cécile; Schnepf, Andrea; Frossard, Emmanuel; et al. (2010)
    Plant and Soil
  • Soil drying shapes rhizosheath properties and their link with maize yields across different soils
    Item type: Journal Article
    Steiner, Franziska A.; Tung, Shu-Yin; Wild, Andreas J.; et al. (2025)
    Plant and Soil
    Background and Aims: Biophysicochemical soil properties in the rhizosheath are pivotal for crop yields and drive organic carbon cycling in agricultural soils. Yet, it remains uncertain how moderate soil drought may alter and interfere with rhizosheath properties in diverse soil types, and whether specific rhizosheath traits benefit crop yields under different water availability in heterogeneous field environments. Methods: Maize (Zea mays L.) was grown under ambient precipitation and moderate drought (60% precipitation exclusion) at two field sites differing in physicochemical soil properties, such as texture and amounts of soil organic matter (SOM). Rhizosheath properties, namely soil aggregation as well as content and distribution of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), were analyzed and, in conjunction with root traits, related to maize yields. Results: Under moderate soil drought, net rhizosheath-C concentrated spatially within the smaller rhizosheath in the form of more carbon-rich rhizodeposits. These effects were mediated by native soil properties, with rhizosheath structural stability decreasing stronger under drought in the finer-textured soil, allocating greater proportions of C and N to microaggregates. Rhizosheath and root properties were associated with maize yields. Yet, the influence and importance of belowground traits for crop yields varied with environmental conditions (soil x precipitation). Conclusion: The responsiveness of rhizosheath properties to moderate soil drought may influence the fate and turnover of root-derived C, and thus the overall drought resilience of SOM in agricultural soils. Moreover, our findings underscore the importance of rhizosheath properties for crop yields, yet highlighting that these relationships differ among environmental scenarios.
  • Belowground biomass accumulation assessed by digital image based leaf area detection
    Item type: Journal Article
    Joalland, Samuel; Screpanti, Claudio; Gaume, Alain; et al. (2016)
    Plant and Soil
  • Drought increases root and rhizodeposition carbon inputs into soils
    Item type: Journal Article
    Kost, Elena; Kundel, Dominika; Barthel, Matti; et al. (2026)
    Plant and Soil
    Aims Increasing droughts affect crop yield and health. Plants can respond to drought by adapting their root biomass, root morphology, and quality and quantity of rhizodeposition to improve water and nutrient uptake. Besides droughts, agricultural management influences roots and rhizodeposition; however, it is not well studied how agricultural management can affect the response of roots and rhizodeposition to drought. Methods A semi-continuous 13CO2 isotope labelling experiment was performed in a long-term field experiment comparing biodynamic, mixed conventional, and mineral conventional cropping systems. Rainout shelters were installed to induce drought. Root, net rhizodeposition, and the rhizosphere microbiome were determined at ripening of wheat. Results Drought enhanced the total root carbon mainly through the increase of fine roots. Fine root carbon under drought was primarily enhanced in the mixed conventional and biodynamic cropping system, both receiving farmyard manure, whereas no increase was measured in the mineral fertilized conventional system. Net rhizodeposition carbon was enhanced in all cropping systems under drought, particularly in the first 0.25 m. While some plant-growth-promoting genera such as Streptomyces and Rhizophagus showed relative increases under drought, other plant growth-promoting genera often involved in nitrogen fixation such as Rhodoferax and Mesorhizobium were decreased. Conclusion This field trial suggests that drought increases total belowground carbon input via fine root and net rhizodeposition carbon inputs. Since fine root carbon increased under drought in cropping systems with farmyard manure, adding manure under future drought periods could be advantageous to increase soil carbon inputs and improve nutrient foraging.
  • Neutron radiography as a tool for revealing root development in soil
    Item type: Journal Article
    Moradi, A.B.; Conesa, Héctor M.; Robinson, Brett; et al. (2009)
    Plant and Soil
  • Transpiration response to soil drying and vapor pressure deficit is soil texture specific
    Item type: Journal Article
    Cai, Gaochao; König, Maria; Carminati, Andrea; et al. (2024)
    Plant and Soil
    Aims Although soil water deficit is the primary constraint on transpiration globally, the mechanisms by which soil drying and soil properties impact transpiration and stomatal regulation remain elusive. This work aimed to investigate how soil textures and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) impact the relationship between transpiration rate, canopy conductance, and leaf water potential of maize (Zea mays L.) during soil drying. We hypothesize that the decrease in soil-plant hydraulic conductance (K-sp) triggers stomatal closure and the latter is soil specific. Methods Plants were grown in two contrasting soil textures (sand and loam) and exposed to two consecutive VPD levels (1.8 and 2.8 kPa). We measured transpiration rate, canopy conductance, soil and leaf water potentials during soil drying. Results Transpiration rate decreased at higher soil matric potential in sand than in loam at both VPD levels. In sand, high VPD generated a steeper drop in canopy conductance with decreasing leaf water potential. The decrease in canopy conductance was well correlated with the drop in K-sp, which was significantly affected by soil texture. Conclusions Our results demonstrated that variations in canopy conductance were not simply a function of leaf water potential but largely affected by soil hydraulics. These results reinforce a model of stomatal closure driven by a loss in soil hydraulic conductivity. Further studies will determine if soil-specific stomatal regulation exists among species.
  • Analysing uncertainties in the calculation of fluxes using whole-plant chambers: random and systematic errors
    Item type: Journal Article
    Pérez-Priego, O.; López-Ballesteros, A.; Sánchez-Cañete, E.; et al. (2015)
    Plant and Soil
  • Fresh and residual phosphorus uptake by ryegrass from soils with different fertilization histories
    Item type: Journal Article
    Oberson, Astrid; Tagmann, Hans U.; Langmeier, Monika; et al. (2010)
    Plant and Soil
  • Methodological tests of the use of trace elements as tracers to assess root activity
    Item type: Journal Article
    Hoekstra, Nyncke J.; Finn, John A.; Buchmann, Nina; et al. (2014)
    Plant and Soil
    Background and aims There is increasing interest in how resource utilisation in grassland ecosystems is affected by changes in plant diversity and abiotic conditions. Research to date has mainly focussed on aboveground responses and there is limited insight into belowground processes. The aim of this study was to test a number of assumptions for the valid use of the trace elements caesium, lithium, rubidium and strontium as tracers to assess the root activity of several grassland species. Methods We carried out a series of experiments addressing the reliability of soil labelling, injection density, incubation time, application rate and the comparability of different tracers in a multiple tracer method. Results The results indicate that it is possible to achieve a reliable labelling of soil depths. Tracer injection density affected the variability but not the mean level of plant tracer concentrations. Tracer application rates should be based on pilot studies, because of site- and species-specific responses. The trace elements did not meet prerequisites to be used in a multiple tracer method. Conclusions The use of trace elements as tracers is potentially a very useful tool to give insight into plant root activity at different soil depths. This work highlights some of the main benefits and pitfalls of the method and provides specific recommendations to assist the design of tracer experiments and interpretation of the results.
  • Influence of root and leaf traits on the uptake of nutrients in cover crops
    Item type: Journal Article
    Wendling, Marina; Büchi, Lucie; Amossé, Camille; et al. (2016)
    Plant and Soil
    Aims: Cover crops play an important role in soil fertility as they can accumulate large amounts of nutrients. This study aimed at understanding the nutrient uptake capacity of a wide range of cover crops and at assessing the relevance of acquisition strategies. Methods: A field experiment was conducted to characterize 20 species in terms of leaf and root traits. Plant traits were related to nutrient concentration and shoot biomass production with a redundancy analysis. Acquisition strategies were identified using a cluster analysis. Results: Root systems varied greatly among cover crop species. Five nutrient acquisition strategies were delineated. Significant amounts of nutrients (about 120 kg ha−1 of nitrogen, 30 kg ha−1 of phosphorus and 190 kg ha−1 of potassium) were accumulated by the species in a short period. Nutrient acquisition strategies related to high accumulations of nutrients consisted in either high shoot biomass and root mass and dense tissues, or high nutrient concentrations and root length densities. Species with high root length densities showed lower C/N ratios. Conclusions: The same amounts of nutrients were accumulated by groups with different acquisition strategies. However, their nutrient concentrations offer different perspectives in terms of nutrient release for the subsequent crop and nutrient cycling improvement.
Publications 1 - 10 of 142