Vertical gradient in soil temperature stimulates development and increases biomass accumulation in barley

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

We have detailed knowledge from controlled environment studies on the influence of root temperature on plant performance, growth and morphology. However, in all studies root temperature was kept spatially uniform, which motivated us to test whether a vertical gradient in soil temperature affected development and biomass production. Roots of barley seedlings were exposed to three uniform temperature treatments (10, 15 or 20°C) or to a vertical gradient (20-10°C from top to bottom). Substantial differences in plant performance, biomass production and root architecture occurred in the 30-day-old plants. Shoot and root biomass of plants exposed to vertical temperature gradient increased by 144 respectively, 297%, compared with plants grown at uniform root temperature of 20°C. Additionally the root system was concentrated in the upper 10cm of the soil substrate (98% of total root biomass) in contrast to plants grown at uniform soil temperature of 20°C (86% of total root biomass). N and C concentrations in plant roots grown in the gradient were significantly lower than under uniform growth conditions. These results are important for the transferability of 'normal' greenhouse experiments where generally soil temperature is not controlled or monitored and open a new path to better understand and experimentally assess root-shoot interactions. In nearly all experiments with living plants the temperature of root system and shoot are identically or spatially uniform. But this is not the case outside under field conditions, where temperature in the soil is heterogeneous. Under controlled conditions we found that this abiotic parameter has a strong effect on root distribution and dynamic of biomass production of barley.

Original languageEnglish
JournalPlant, Cell and Environment
Volume35
Issue number5
Pages (from-to)884-892
Number of pages9
ISSN0140-7791
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 05.2012
Externally publishedYes

    Research areas

  • Biology
  • Ecosystems Research - Hordeum Vulgare, C and N distribution, root diameter, root growth, root length, shoot development, soil temperature gradient, uniform soil temperature

Recently viewed

Researchers

  1. Isabel Wullschleger

Publications

  1. Context, contexts and appropriateness
  2. Investigation of the sulfur speciation in petroleum products by capillary gas chromatography with ICP-collision cell-MS detection
  3. Exploring Management Control Systems for Biodiversity
  4. Combination matters
  5. Several genes in Chlorella virus strain CVG-1 encode putative virion components
  6. On the logic of drawing history from symbols, especially from images
  7. The Emerging Research Field of Experimentation for Circular Business Model Innovation
  8. Virtual Voting in RFMOs
  9. Programme des Lebens und Überlebens
  10. Measurement approaches for inigrated reporting adoption and quality
  11. Wasted compliance strategies? The policy-making styles of Hungary and Poland in the implementation of European environmental directives
  12. The end of welfare as we know it?
  13. Article 69 CISG
  14. The Bigger Picture of Corruption
  15. Flavonoids as biopesticides – Systematic assessment of sources, structures, activities and environmental fate
  16. Expertise for the public:
  17. Identifying user assistance systems for radiotherapy to increase efficiency and help saving lives
  18. Water-related problématiques
  19. GOMBRICH,ERNST,HANS, BETWEEN PATHOS AND ORNAMENT
  20. Public Value
  21. Preliminary data on help‐seeking intentions and behaviors of individuals completing a widely available online screen for eating disorders in the United States
  22. Intra-industry adjustment to import competition
  23. Atmospheric mercury over sea ice during the OASIS-2009 campaign
  24. The balanced scorecard’s missing link to compensation
  25. The effects of managerial preferences on the financial behaviour of small firms
  26. European External Action Service
  27. Coplanar micro-strips/electrospun sensor system to measure the electronics properties of the polyethylene oxide (PEO) electrospun
  28. Programm FAKE
  29. Fast Catch Bumerang
  30. Investigation on Flexible Coils Geometries for Inductive Power Transmission Systems
  31. Navigating cognition biases in the search of sustainability
  32. Virtual-exchange collaboration timeline planner