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Comparative Study
. 2008;179(3):857-866.
doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2008.02489.x. Epub 2008 May 23.

Root foraging in response to heterogeneous soil moisture in two grapevines that differ in potential growth rate

Taryn L Bauerle  1 , David R Smart  2 , William L Bauerle  3 , Christine Stockert  2 , David M Eissenstat  1
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Free article
Comparative Study

Root foraging in response to heterogeneous soil moisture in two grapevines that differ in potential growth rate

Taryn L Bauerle et al. New Phytol. 2008.
Free article

Abstract

* Linkages between plant growth rate and root responses to soil moisture heterogeneity were investigated. * Root dynamics were studied using genetically identical shoots (Vitis vinifera cv. Merlot) with genetically distinct root systems that promote higher (HSV) and lower (LSV) shoot growth rates (1103P and 101-14 Mgt, respectively). Three quantities of irrigation replenished different amounts of evapotranspiration (0, 40 and 100%ET(c)) in a California vineyard. * Roots of HSV vines exhibited more plasticity, as indicated by greater preferential growth in irrigated soil during the summer, and a larger shift in root diameter with a change in soil moisture than LSV vines. Higher tolerance of low soil moisture was not observed in LSV roots--root survivorship was similar for the two rootstocks. LSV vines produced a large fraction of its roots during the winter months and increased root density over the study, while HSV vines produced roots mainly in summer and only exhibited a high initial peak in root biomass in the first year. * These results demonstrated that a plant of higher vigor has greater morphological plasticity in response to lateral heterogeneity in soil moisture but similar tolerance to moisture stress as indicated by root survivorship in dry soil.

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References

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