Effects of soil structure on pea (Pisum sativum L.) root development according to sowing date and cultivar

• Published in: Plant and soil 2006-03, Vol.281 (1-2), p.121-135
• Main Authors: Vocanson, A, Roger-Estrade, J, Boizard, H, Jeuffroy, M.H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation to environment and cultivation conditions; Agricultural soils; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Autumn; Biological and medical sciences; Climatic conditions; Compacted soils; Cultivars; Environmental conditions; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; Life Sciences; Nutrient uptake; Peas; Pisum sativum; Root development; Root distribution; Root growth; rooting; Rooting depth; Roots; seasonal variation; Soil compaction; Soil structure; soil-plant interactions; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; Soils; Sowing; Sowing date; spatial distribution; Spring; Subsoils; Tillage; Varietal selection. Specialized plant breeding, plant breeding aims; Vegetal Biology; Winter
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-005-3938-0

Spring peas are known to be very sensitive to compaction, particularly when sowing takes place soon after winter. Winter peas, which are sown in autumn, should present an opportunity to sow the crop in better soil structural conditions than for spring peas, because of more favourable moisture conditions at that time. As environmental conditions have a big influence on root systems, it is important to determine the effects of soil structure on pea root systems for different cultivars and sowing dates. A spring pea cultivar and a winter pea cultivar were both sown at two dates (one in autumn and one in spring) on soils with different plough-layer structures (compacted and uncompacted) at two sites in 2002 and one site in 2003. Soil structure was characterised by bulk density and the percentage of highly compacted zones in the ploughed layer. Root distribution maps were produced every month, from February to maturity. Root development was described in terms of general root dynamics, root elongation rate (RER) in the subsoil, final maximum root depth (Dmax) and root distribution at maturity. Root depth dynamics depended on compaction and its interaction with climatic conditions. The effects of compaction on RER in the subsoil depended on the experimental conditions. Dmax was reduced by 0.10 m by compaction. Compaction also reduced root distribution between 10 and 40% in the ploughed layer only. Pea cultivars differed in sensitivity to soil compaction, with a direct effect on the final depth explored by roots. These results are discussed in terms of their relevance to water and nutrient uptake.