Bernd Felderer (ETH Zürich, Switzerland), Rainer Schulin & Peter Vontobel
"Neutron - Imaging of Roots in Real Soil"

Abstract

Neutron Radiography is a powerful tool to investigate root growth of plants. In a pot experiment we aimed to monitor patterns of soil colonization by a developing root system. First, we compared root length detected in NR-images with the root length detected after root-washing to identify a suitable plant species to be investigated by means of NR. The experimental plant species were lupine, chickpea, lentil and pea. For lupine, 100 % of root length detected with conventional root washing technique was measured in the NR-images. Lupine is therefore highly suitable for root research by means of NR. For chickpea, pea and lentils recovery of root length was low. Finally, we investigated root allocation over time. NR images show that lupine allocated newly growing roots mainly into niches of root free space even when free space becomes more and more limiting. This growth pattern indicates that roots are able to sense the presence of roots deriving from the same individual.