RESPONSE OF ROOT DISTRIBUTION OF HALOXYLON AMMODENDRON SEEDLINGS TO IRRIGATION AMOUNTS IN THE TAKLIMAKAN DESERT, CHINA

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2007.0098

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims As a primary limiting factor affecting survival and growth of plants, moisture has important effects on above- and below-ground morphological characteristics. We studied root distribution characteristics in the Tarim Desert Highway Protection Forest to provide suggestions for water management.

Methods We excavated soil to study root distribution in Haloxylon ammodendron seedlings grown with different amounts of irrigation (35, 24.5 and 14 kg·ind. plant^-1·once^-1) in the Taklimakan Desert.

Important findings With less irrigation, the distribution of root biomass shifted to greater depth. Underground biomass had a significantly negative logarithmic relationship with soil depth under different irrigation amounts. Maximum horizontal spread of roots was twice that of vertical root spread, and horizontal distribution of root biomass was consistent under all irrigation amounts. The vertical distribution of absorptive roots was nearly consistent with vertical changes of soil moisture; all had a unimodal curve, but peak values of absorptive roots biomass were in different soil layers with different irrigation amounts. With smaller amounts of irrigation, absorptive roots were concentrated in deeper soil layers. Root length, root surface area and root volume all exhibited a unimodal curve under different irrigation amounts; the less irrigation, the deeper the peak values. Root-shoot ratios and proportion of vertical root depth and plant height increased as irrigation amounts decreased.

Key words: root system, root surface area, underground biomass, root-shoot ratio

SHAN Li-Shan, ZHANG Xi-Ming, HUA Yong-Hui, WEI Jiang, YAN Hai-Long, XIE Ting-Ting. RESPONSE OF ROOT DISTRIBUTION OF HALOXYLON AMMODENDRON SEEDLINGS TO IRRIGATION AMOUNTS IN THE TAKLIMAKAN DESERT, CHINA[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2007, 31(5): 769-776.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2007.0098

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2007/V31/I5/769

Figures/Tables 12

Fig.1 Vertical distribution of underground biomass in each layer for treatment one

Fig.2 Vertical distribution of underground biomass in each layer for treatment two

Fig.3 Vertical distribution of underground biomass in each layer for treatment three

Table 1 Vertical distribution curve equation of underground biomass under different irrigation amounts (the relationships between depth and biomass of sampling layer)

处理 Treatment	拟合方程 Fitting equation	决定系数 Determination coefficient
No.1	Y=-25.944ln(X)+122.86	R²=0.911 2
No.2	Y=-33.613ln(X)+156.12	R²=0.928 0
No.3	Y=-16.65ln(X)+93.632	R²=0.711 6

Fig.4 Horizontal distribution of underground biomass under different irrigation amounts

Fig.5 Relationship between soil moisture and root distribution of treatment one

Fig.6 Relationship between soil moisture and root distribution of treatment two

Fig.7 Relationship between soil moisture and root distribution of treatment three

Fig.8 Vertical distribution of root volume under different irrigation amounts

Fig.9 Vertical distribution of root length under different irrigation amounts

Fig.10 Vertical distribution of root surface area under different irrigation amounts

Table 2 Proportion between under- and aboveground growth indexes under different irrigation amounts (Mean±SE)

处理 Treatment	根冠比 Root-shoot ratio	根深/株高 Root depth /individual plant height	根幅/冠幅 Root spread range/crown diameter
No.1	0.88±0.11	0.95±0.16	12.70±1.54
No.2	0.90±0.12	1.06±0.15	17.16±3.41
No.3	0.92±0.20	1.37±0.12	14.85±3.61

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