Measurement of micro-scale soil deformation around roots using four-dimensional synchrotron tomography and image correlation.

ABSTRACT: This study applied time lapse (four-dimensional) synchrotron X-ray computed tomography to observe micro-scale interactions between plant roots and soil. Functionally contrasting maize root tips were repeatedly imaged during ingress into soil columns of varying water content and compaction. This yielded sequences of three-dimensional densiometric data, representing time-resolved geometric soil and root configurations at the micronmetre scale. These data were used as inputs for two full-field kinematic quantification methods, which enabled the analysis of three-dimensional soil deformation around elongating roots. Discrete object tracking was used to track rigid mineral grains, while continuum digital volume correlation was used to track grey-level patterns within local sub-volumes. These te

SUBMITTER: Keyes SD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5721161 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature