Journal article
Neither mycorrhizal inoculation nor atmospheric CO2 concentration has strong effects on pea root production and root loss
• Root responses to elevated CO2 concentrations, where nutrient demand was expected to be higher than at ambient CO2 , and possible interactions with mycorrhizal symbionts are reported for pea (Pisum sativum). These are important below-ground components affecting carbon flow into the soil. • A video-minirhizotron system was used to study root growth in pot-grown mycorrhizal (inoculated with Glomus caledonium) and nonmycorrhizal pea plants at ambient or elevated CO2 concentrations over 9 wk.
Analyses were made of root length changes, cohort size and survivorship. • Root length production at ambient, but not at elevated CO2 , was higher in nonmycorrhizal than in mycorrhizal plants from week 4-7. Root loss began at week 5, peaking 2 wk later with 40-50% loss of the root length produced by week 8.
The decline in root production and increase in root loss coincided with the onset of flowering. • Neither mycorrhizal inoculation nor CO2 concentration has a strong effect on pea root production and root loss, although mycorrhizal infection has a greater effect than CO2 .
Language: | English |
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Publisher: | Blackwell Science Ltd |
Year: | 2001 |
Pages: | 283-290 |
ISSN: | 14698137 and 0028646x |
Types: | Journal article |
DOI: | 10.1046/j.1469-8137.2001.00013.x |