Does Elevated [CO<sub>2</sub>] Only Increase Root Growth in the Topsoil? A FACE Study with Lentil in a Semi-Arid Environment
Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations [CO<sub>2</sub>] are increasing steadily. Some reports have shown that root growth in grain crops is mostly stimulated in the topsoil rather than evenly throughout the soil profile by e[CO<sub>2</sub>], which is not optimal for crops...
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/4/612 |
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| author | Maryse Bourgault Sabine Tausz-Posch Mark Greenwood Markus Löw Samuel Henty Roger D. Armstrong Garry L. O’Leary Glenn J. Fitzgerald Michael Tausz |
| author_facet | Maryse Bourgault Sabine Tausz-Posch Mark Greenwood Markus Löw Samuel Henty Roger D. Armstrong Garry L. O’Leary Glenn J. Fitzgerald Michael Tausz |
| author_sort | Maryse Bourgault |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations [CO<sub>2</sub>] are increasing steadily. Some reports have shown that root growth in grain crops is mostly stimulated in the topsoil rather than evenly throughout the soil profile by e[CO<sub>2</sub>], which is not optimal for crops grown in semi-arid environments with strong reliance on stored water. An experiment was conducted during the 2014 and 2015 growing seasons with two lentil (<i>Lens culinaris</i>) genotypes grown under Free Air CO<sub>2</sub> Enrichment (FACE) in which root growth was observed non-destructively with mini-rhizotrons approximately every 2–3 weeks. Root growth was not always statistically increased by e[CO<sub>2</sub>] and not consistently between depths and genotypes. In 2014, root growth in the top 15 cm of the soil profile (topsoil) was indeed increased by e[CO<sub>2</sub>], but increases at lower depths (30–45 cm) later in the season were greater than in the topsoil. In 2015, e[CO<sub>2</sub>] only increased root length in the topsoil for one genotype, potentially reflecting the lack of plant available soil water between 30–60 cm until recharged by irrigation during grain filling. Our limited data to compare responses to e[CO<sub>2</sub>] showed that root length increases in the topsoil were correlated with a lower yield response to e[CO<sub>2</sub>]. The increase in yield response was rather correlated with increases in root growth below 30 cm depth. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:58:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9e08c1113f8c4a8cb4deed2ce57a85c2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:58:16Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-9e08c1113f8c4a8cb4deed2ce57a85c22023-11-21T11:45:50ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472021-03-0110461210.3390/plants10040612Does Elevated [CO<sub>2</sub>] Only Increase Root Growth in the Topsoil? A FACE Study with Lentil in a Semi-Arid EnvironmentMaryse Bourgault0Sabine Tausz-Posch1Mark Greenwood2Markus Löw3Samuel Henty4Roger D. Armstrong5Garry L. O’Leary6Glenn J. Fitzgerald7Michael Tausz851 Campus Drive, College of Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, CanadaDepartment of Agriculture, Science and the Environment, CQ University Australia, 114-190 Yaamba Road, Norman Gardens, QLD 4701, AustraliaDepartment of Mathematical Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USAFaculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 4 Water Street, Creswick, VIC 3363, AustraliaFaculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 4 Water Street, Creswick, VIC 3363, AustraliaAgriculture Victoria, Grains Innovation Park, 110 Natimuk Road, Horsham, VIC 3401, AustraliaAgriculture Victoria, Grains Innovation Park, 110 Natimuk Road, Horsham, VIC 3401, AustraliaAgriculture Victoria, Grains Innovation Park, 110 Natimuk Road, Horsham, VIC 3401, AustraliaDepartment of Agriculture, Science and the Environment, CQ University Australia, 114-190 Yaamba Road, Norman Gardens, QLD 4701, AustraliaAtmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations [CO<sub>2</sub>] are increasing steadily. Some reports have shown that root growth in grain crops is mostly stimulated in the topsoil rather than evenly throughout the soil profile by e[CO<sub>2</sub>], which is not optimal for crops grown in semi-arid environments with strong reliance on stored water. An experiment was conducted during the 2014 and 2015 growing seasons with two lentil (<i>Lens culinaris</i>) genotypes grown under Free Air CO<sub>2</sub> Enrichment (FACE) in which root growth was observed non-destructively with mini-rhizotrons approximately every 2–3 weeks. Root growth was not always statistically increased by e[CO<sub>2</sub>] and not consistently between depths and genotypes. In 2014, root growth in the top 15 cm of the soil profile (topsoil) was indeed increased by e[CO<sub>2</sub>], but increases at lower depths (30–45 cm) later in the season were greater than in the topsoil. In 2015, e[CO<sub>2</sub>] only increased root length in the topsoil for one genotype, potentially reflecting the lack of plant available soil water between 30–60 cm until recharged by irrigation during grain filling. Our limited data to compare responses to e[CO<sub>2</sub>] showed that root length increases in the topsoil were correlated with a lower yield response to e[CO<sub>2</sub>]. The increase in yield response was rather correlated with increases in root growth below 30 cm depth.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/4/612<i>Lens culinaris</i>climate change adaptationroot developmentroot depth distribution |
| spellingShingle | Maryse Bourgault Sabine Tausz-Posch Mark Greenwood Markus Löw Samuel Henty Roger D. Armstrong Garry L. O’Leary Glenn J. Fitzgerald Michael Tausz Does Elevated [CO<sub>2</sub>] Only Increase Root Growth in the Topsoil? A FACE Study with Lentil in a Semi-Arid Environment Plants <i>Lens culinaris</i> climate change adaptation root development root depth distribution |
| title | Does Elevated [CO<sub>2</sub>] Only Increase Root Growth in the Topsoil? A FACE Study with Lentil in a Semi-Arid Environment |
| title_full | Does Elevated [CO<sub>2</sub>] Only Increase Root Growth in the Topsoil? A FACE Study with Lentil in a Semi-Arid Environment |
| title_fullStr | Does Elevated [CO<sub>2</sub>] Only Increase Root Growth in the Topsoil? A FACE Study with Lentil in a Semi-Arid Environment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Does Elevated [CO<sub>2</sub>] Only Increase Root Growth in the Topsoil? A FACE Study with Lentil in a Semi-Arid Environment |
| title_short | Does Elevated [CO<sub>2</sub>] Only Increase Root Growth in the Topsoil? A FACE Study with Lentil in a Semi-Arid Environment |
| title_sort | does elevated co sub 2 sub only increase root growth in the topsoil a face study with lentil in a semi arid environment |
| topic | <i>Lens culinaris</i> climate change adaptation root development root depth distribution |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/4/612 |
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