ISSN:
1573-5036
Keywords:
ammonium
;
heterogeneity
;
inflow
;
localised nutrient
;
mineralisation
;
15N
;
nitrate
;
organic residue
;
proliferation
;
roots
;
soil
;
uptake
;
wheat
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Abstract To obtain nutrients mineralised from organic matter in the soil, plants have to respond to its heterogeneous distribution. We measured the timing of nitrogen uptake by wheat from a localised, 15N labelled organic residue in soil, as well as the timing of changes in root length density. We calculated the rates of N uptake per unit root length (inflows) for roots growing through the residue and for the whole root system. A stimulated local inflow appeared to be the main mechanism of exploitation of the residue N during the first five days of exploitation. 8% of the N that the plants would ultimately obtain from the residue was captured in this period. Roots then proliferated in the residue. This, together with a rapidly declining N inflow, contributed to the capture, over the next seven days, of 63% of the N that the plants derived from the residue. After that time, massive root proliferation occurred in the residue, but relatively little further N was captured.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00011582
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