The emergent rhizosphere: imaging the development of the porous architecture at the root-soil interface.

ABSTRACT: The rhizosphere is the zone of soil influenced by a plant root and is critical for plant health and nutrient acquisition. All below ground resources must pass through this dynamic zone prior to their capture by plant roots. However, researching the undisturbed rhizosphere has proved very challenging. Here we compare the temporal changes to the intact rhizosphere pore structure during the emergence of a developing root system in different soils. High resolution X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) was used to quantify the impact of root development on soil structural change, at scales relevant to individual micro-pores and aggregates (µm). A comparison of micro-scale structural evolution in homogenously packed soils highlighted the impacts of a penetrating root system in changing the surrounding

SUBMITTER: Helliwell JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5665926 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature