Vertical gradient in soil temperature stimulates development and increases biomass accumulation in barley
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In: Plant, Cell and Environment, Vol. 35, No. 5, 05.2012, p. 884-892.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Vertical gradient in soil temperature stimulates development and increases biomass accumulation in barley
AU - Füllner, K.
AU - Temperton, Victoria Martine
AU - Rascher, Uwe
AU - Jahnke, Siegfried
AU - Schurr, Ulrich
AU - Kuhn, Arnd J.
PY - 2012/5
Y1 - 2012/5
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Biology
KW - Ecosystems Research
KW - Hordeum Vulgare
KW - C and N distribution
KW - root diameter
KW - root growth
KW - root length
KW - shoot development
KW - soil temperature gradient
KW - uniform soil temperature
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84859420689&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-3040.2011.02460.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-3040.2011.02460.x
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 22070728
VL - 35
SP - 884
EP - 892
JO - Plant, Cell and Environment
JF - Plant, Cell and Environment
SN - 0140-7791
IS - 5
ER -