Summary
Four methods of measuring root distribution in a spring oat crop were compared: minirhizotrons installed vertically, minirhizotrons installed at an angle of 45°, core-break root counts and direct measurement of lengths of root washed from soil cores.
Minirhizotrons gave better estimates of root distribution where installed at 45° rather than vertically and could be used in the horizon between 30 cm below the soil surface and the maximum depth of rooting. We confirmed that relative root distribution at a particular growth stage can be assessed from counts of the number of roots crossing horizontal faces in core segments.
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Bragg, P.L., Govi, G. & Cannell, R.Q. A comparison of methods, including angled and vertical minirhizotrons, for studying root growth and distribution in a spring oat crop. Plant Soil 73, 435–440 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02184322
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02184322