ISSN:
1573-5036
Keywords:
lupin
;
maize
;
phosphate
;
root competition
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Abstract Root competition for phosphate (P) in the field was calculated with maize i) as singly grown plants, ii) in pure cropping and iii) in mixed cropping with lupin. The experimentally determined parameters used for this purpose were thein situ root-distance pattern as registered by autoradiography and the P-depletion cylinder around a maize root as determined autoradiographically under radial diffusional flow. The results do not indicate any competition for P between roots of adjacently grown plants in either pure or mixed cropping. On the other hand, the P-depletion cylinders of approximately one third of the roots of an individual maize plant were found to overlap. However, when allowance was made for the concentration gradients within a depletion cylinder, the actual competition for phosphate was less than 1%.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02371230
Permalink
