Aims Root interactions between neighbour plants represent a fundamental aspect of the competitive dynamics in pure stand and mixed cropping systems.The comprehension of such phenomena places big methodological challen...Aims Root interactions between neighbour plants represent a fundamental aspect of the competitive dynamics in pure stand and mixed cropping systems.The comprehension of such phenomena places big methodological challenges,and still needs clarification.The objectives of this work were(i)to test if a species with coloured roots can be used to examine the interaction in a legume-non-legume intercropping system;(ii)to verify the importance of initial root growth on the successive root development ofmixture component plants;(iii)to test if the root interaction in the shallowlayers has consequences for deep root growth and(iv)to compare the effect of intraspecific and interspecific competition on root development and biomass growth.Methods A detailed study on root growth and interaction was carried out using rhizotron tubes where two legume species were grown in pure stands or were intercropped with red beet,a variety of Beta vulgaris L.with clear red roots.Within the rhizotrons,the three species were grown either without competitors,with two plants of the same species to measure intraspecific competition or with one legume and one red beet plant to study interspecific competition.The use of mixtures where one component has clearly coloured roots,together with several scalar measurements of root depth and proliferation,allowed the measurement of the root system of each species when grown in the mixtures.Important findings The use of rhizotron tubes coupled with species with coloured roots represented a valuable method to study the belowground interaction in mixed cropping systems.The initial root growth was a very important feature for the subsequent dominance of a species and it was not related to seed dimension.Initial root growth was also important because the root interactions in the shallower soil layers were found to influence the root growth in deeper soil.The root system of the red beet showed much faster and deeper growth than that of the legumes,and made red beet the dominant component in the mixtures while the legume root system was confined to the shallower soil layer.Intraspecific competition was well tolerated by the legumes,but it was limiting for the highly competitive red beet.The outcome of root interaction between neighbour plants was confirmed to be speciesspecific as it changed according to the intensity of the competitive effectesponse of each species of the mixture:both legumes were slightly affected by the intraspecific and highly affected by interspecific competition while red beet was more affected by intraspecific competition but strongly dominant when intercropped with legumes.展开更多
Flavonoids produced by legume roots act as signaling molecules that induce the expression of nod genes in symbiotic rhizobia.However,the role of flavonoids in root exudates under intercropping systems in promoting soy...Flavonoids produced by legume roots act as signaling molecules that induce the expression of nod genes in symbiotic rhizobia.However,the role of flavonoids in root exudates under intercropping systems in promoting soybean nodulation remains unclear.Two consecutive years of field experiments were conducted using maize–soybean strip intercropping with interspecific row spacings of 30 cm(MS30),45 cm(MS45),and 60 cm(MS60),along with sole cropping of soybean(SS)and maize(MM).Root interactions were manipulated using either no root barrier(NB)or a polyethylene plastic barrier(PB)to assess the relationship between flavonoids in root exudates and soybean nodulation.We found that root–root interaction between soybean and maize increased nodule number and fresh weight in intercropped soybean,with enhancement gradually increasing as interspecific distance widened.The proportion of nodules with diameters exceeding 0.4 cm was higher in intercropped soybean under NB compared to PB.Additionally,the expression of nodule-related genes-GmENOD40,Gm NIN2b,and Gm EXPB2-was up-regulated.Furthermore,compared to monocropping,isoflavone secretion by soybean roots decreased,whereas flavonoid and flavonol secretion by both maize and soybean roots increased under intercropping.The abundance of differentially secreted flavonoid metabolites in the rhizosphere of both species declined when root contact was prevented by the barrier.In soybean roots,the expression of Gm CHS8 and Gm IFS1 was up-regulated,while Gm ICHG was down-regulated under root interaction.Most flavonoid and flavonol compounds showed positive correlations with nodule diameter.Nodule number,fresh weight,and the proportion of nodules larger than 0.2 cm increased in diverse soybean genotypes treated with maize root exudates,which contributed to enhanced nitrogen fixation capacity.Therefore,maize–soybean strip intercropping,combined with optimal row spacing,enhances the positive effects of underground root interactions and improves nodulation and nitrogen fixation in intercropped soybean.展开更多
The complex behaviors of expansive soils,particularly their volumetric changes driven by moisture variations,pose significant challenges in urban geotechnical engineering.Although vegetation-induced moisture changes a...The complex behaviors of expansive soils,particularly their volumetric changes driven by moisture variations,pose significant challenges in urban geotechnical engineering.Although vegetation-induced moisture changes are known to affect ground movement,quantitative characterization of tree–soil interactions remains limited due to insufficient field data and unclear relationships between tree water uptake and soil response.This study investigates the mechanical behavior of expansive clay soils influenced by two Lophostemon confertus samples during a 14-month field monitoring program in Melbourne,Australia.The research methodology integrates measurements of soil displacement,total soil suction,moisture content,and tree water consumption through instrumentation and monitoring systems.Field measurements suggest that tree roots reached the limits of their water extraction capacity when total soil suction exceeded 2880 kPa within the active root zone.The spatial extent of tree-induced soil desiccation reached 0.6–0.7 times the tree height laterally and penetrated to depths of 2.5–3.3 m vertically.The mature sample,with an 86%greater crown area and a threefold larger sapwood area,exhibited 142%higher water consumption(35 kL),demonstrating the scalability of tree–soil interaction mechanisms.A multiple linear regression model was developed to quantify the coupled relationships between soil movement and key variables,achieving a high adjusted R2 value of 0.97,which provides engineers and practitioners with a practical tool for estimating ground movement near trees.These findings offer valuable insights for infrastructure design in tree-adjacent environments and can inform computational models and design codes to enable more accurate site assessments and sustainable urban development.展开更多
Soils exhibit remarkable spatial heterogeneity in environmental conditions,which plants perceive at the levels of the whole root system,individual roots,and root tissues.Cropping practices aimed at reducing the enviro...Soils exhibit remarkable spatial heterogeneity in environmental conditions,which plants perceive at the levels of the whole root system,individual roots,and root tissues.Cropping practices aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture are likely to intensify this heterogeneity,highlighting the urgent need to adapt crops to heterogeneous soil environments.Recent advances in soil imaging and spatial omics offer unprecedented opportunities to decipher the molecular,physiological,and ecological pro-cesses that underpin plant–soil interactions.In this review,we explore the substantial yet largely untapped potential of integrating soil imaging with spatial omics to uncover the fundamental mechanisms that con-trol root foraging in heterogeneous soils.We present an overview of key imaging and molecular ap-proaches that have particular potential for revealing root foraging behavior.To demonstrate their capabil-ities for generating spatially explicit insights into root–soil interactions,we highlight selected case studies covering both biotic(beneficial and detrimental soil organisms)and abiotic(physical and chemical soil properties)factors.Finally,we outline a workflow for integrating spatial omics with soil imaging through vertical integration of experimental studies across levels of environmental complexity,coupled with predic-tive modeling.Unlocking the full potential of these approaches will require linking molecular,physiological,and ecological mechanisms at the root–soil interface to whole-plant growth and crop productivity.These fundamental insights into the edaphic drivers of root foraging will be essential for guiding crop adaptation to future,more heterogeneous soil environments.展开更多
Maize(Zea mays L.) root morphology exhibits a high degree of phenotypic plasticity to nitrogen(N) de ficiency,but the underlying genetic architecture remains to be investigated Using an advanced BC_4F_3 population...Maize(Zea mays L.) root morphology exhibits a high degree of phenotypic plasticity to nitrogen(N) de ficiency,but the underlying genetic architecture remains to be investigated Using an advanced BC_4F_3 population,we investigated the root growth plasticity under two contrasted N levels and identi fied the quantitative trait loci(QTLs) with QTL-environment(Q×E)interaction effects. Principal components analysis(PCA) on changes of root traits to N de ficiency(D LN-HN) showed that root length and biomass contributed for 45.8% in the same magnitude and direction on the first PC,while root traits scattered highly on PC_2 and PC_3. Hierarchical cluster analysis on traits for D LN-HN further assigned the BC_4F_3 lines into six groups,in which the special phenotypic responses to N de ficiency was presented These results revealed the complicated root plasticity of maize in response to N de ficiency that can be caused by genotype environment(G×E) interactions. Furthermore,QTL mapping using a multi-environment analysis identi fied 35 QTLs for root traits. Nine of these QTLs exhibited signi ficant Q×E interaction effects. Taken together,our findings contribute to understanding the phenotypic and genotypic pattern of root plasticity to N de ficiency,which will be useful for developing maize tolerance cultivars to N de ficiency.展开更多
摘要Aims Root interactions between neighbour plants represent a fundamental aspect of the competitive dynamics in pure stand and mixed cropping systems.The comprehension of such phenomena places big methodological challenges,and still needs clarification.The objectives of this work were(i)to test if a species with coloured roots can be used to examine the interaction in a legume-non-legume intercropping system;(ii)to verify the importance of initial root growth on the successive root development ofmixture component plants;(iii)to test if the root interaction in the shallowlayers has consequences for deep root growth and(iv)to compare the effect of intraspecific and interspecific competition on root development and biomass growth.Methods A detailed study on root growth and interaction was carried out using rhizotron tubes where two legume species were grown in pure stands or were intercropped with red beet,a variety of Beta vulgaris L.with clear red roots.Within the rhizotrons,the three species were grown either without competitors,with two plants of the same species to measure intraspecific competition or with one legume and one red beet plant to study interspecific competition.The use of mixtures where one component has clearly coloured roots,together with several scalar measurements of root depth and proliferation,allowed the measurement of the root system of each species when grown in the mixtures.Important findings The use of rhizotron tubes coupled with species with coloured roots represented a valuable method to study the belowground interaction in mixed cropping systems.The initial root growth was a very important feature for the subsequent dominance of a species and it was not related to seed dimension.Initial root growth was also important because the root interactions in the shallower soil layers were found to influence the root growth in deeper soil.The root system of the red beet showed much faster and deeper growth than that of the legumes,and made red beet the dominant component in the mixtures while the legume root system was confined to the shallower soil layer.Intraspecific competition was well tolerated by the legumes,but it was limiting for the highly competitive red beet.The outcome of root interaction between neighbour plants was confirmed to be speciesspecific as it changed according to the intensity of the competitive effectesponse of each species of the mixture:both legumes were slightly affected by the intraspecific and highly affected by interspecific competition while red beet was more affected by intraspecific competition but strongly dominant when intercropped with legumes.
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFF1000500)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32372231)(3187101212)the earmarked fund for China Agriculture Research System(CARS-04-PS21)。
摘要Flavonoids produced by legume roots act as signaling molecules that induce the expression of nod genes in symbiotic rhizobia.However,the role of flavonoids in root exudates under intercropping systems in promoting soybean nodulation remains unclear.Two consecutive years of field experiments were conducted using maize–soybean strip intercropping with interspecific row spacings of 30 cm(MS30),45 cm(MS45),and 60 cm(MS60),along with sole cropping of soybean(SS)and maize(MM).Root interactions were manipulated using either no root barrier(NB)or a polyethylene plastic barrier(PB)to assess the relationship between flavonoids in root exudates and soybean nodulation.We found that root–root interaction between soybean and maize increased nodule number and fresh weight in intercropped soybean,with enhancement gradually increasing as interspecific distance widened.The proportion of nodules with diameters exceeding 0.4 cm was higher in intercropped soybean under NB compared to PB.Additionally,the expression of nodule-related genes-GmENOD40,Gm NIN2b,and Gm EXPB2-was up-regulated.Furthermore,compared to monocropping,isoflavone secretion by soybean roots decreased,whereas flavonoid and flavonol secretion by both maize and soybean roots increased under intercropping.The abundance of differentially secreted flavonoid metabolites in the rhizosphere of both species declined when root contact was prevented by the barrier.In soybean roots,the expression of Gm CHS8 and Gm IFS1 was up-regulated,while Gm ICHG was down-regulated under root interaction.Most flavonoid and flavonol compounds showed positive correlations with nodule diameter.Nodule number,fresh weight,and the proportion of nodules larger than 0.2 cm increased in diverse soybean genotypes treated with maize root exudates,which contributed to enhanced nitrogen fixation capacity.Therefore,maize–soybean strip intercropping,combined with optimal row spacing,enhances the positive effects of underground root interactions and improves nodulation and nitrogen fixation in intercropped soybean.
基金funded by the Australian Research Council via the ARC Linkage(Grant No.LP16160100649).
摘要The complex behaviors of expansive soils,particularly their volumetric changes driven by moisture variations,pose significant challenges in urban geotechnical engineering.Although vegetation-induced moisture changes are known to affect ground movement,quantitative characterization of tree–soil interactions remains limited due to insufficient field data and unclear relationships between tree water uptake and soil response.This study investigates the mechanical behavior of expansive clay soils influenced by two Lophostemon confertus samples during a 14-month field monitoring program in Melbourne,Australia.The research methodology integrates measurements of soil displacement,total soil suction,moisture content,and tree water consumption through instrumentation and monitoring systems.Field measurements suggest that tree roots reached the limits of their water extraction capacity when total soil suction exceeded 2880 kPa within the active root zone.The spatial extent of tree-induced soil desiccation reached 0.6–0.7 times the tree height laterally and penetrated to depths of 2.5–3.3 m vertically.The mature sample,with an 86%greater crown area and a threefold larger sapwood area,exhibited 142%higher water consumption(35 kL),demonstrating the scalability of tree–soil interaction mechanisms.A multiple linear regression model was developed to quantify the coupled relationships between soil movement and key variables,achieving a high adjusted R2 value of 0.97,which provides engineers and practitioners with a practical tool for estimating ground movement near trees.These findings offer valuable insights for infrastructure design in tree-adjacent environments and can inform computational models and design codes to enable more accurate site assessments and sustainable urban development.
基金support from the University of Nottingham(Nottingham Research Fellowship).R.B.acknowledges support from a BBSRC Discovery Fellowship(BB/S011102/1)BBSRC New Investigator Research(BB/X014843/1)+2 种基金partner(BB/X018806/1)grants.H.C.acknowledges support from BBSRC Growing Health(BBS/E/RH/230003B)BBSRC Delivering Sustainable Wheat(BBS/E/RH/230001A).R.B.,T.C.H.C.acknowledge a UK-CG project funded by UK International Development from the UK government and BBSRC,part of UK Research and Innovation.
摘要Soils exhibit remarkable spatial heterogeneity in environmental conditions,which plants perceive at the levels of the whole root system,individual roots,and root tissues.Cropping practices aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture are likely to intensify this heterogeneity,highlighting the urgent need to adapt crops to heterogeneous soil environments.Recent advances in soil imaging and spatial omics offer unprecedented opportunities to decipher the molecular,physiological,and ecological pro-cesses that underpin plant–soil interactions.In this review,we explore the substantial yet largely untapped potential of integrating soil imaging with spatial omics to uncover the fundamental mechanisms that con-trol root foraging in heterogeneous soils.We present an overview of key imaging and molecular ap-proaches that have particular potential for revealing root foraging behavior.To demonstrate their capabil-ities for generating spatially explicit insights into root–soil interactions,we highlight selected case studies covering both biotic(beneficial and detrimental soil organisms)and abiotic(physical and chemical soil properties)factors.Finally,we outline a workflow for integrating spatial omics with soil imaging through vertical integration of experimental studies across levels of environmental complexity,coupled with predic-tive modeling.Unlocking the full potential of these approaches will require linking molecular,physiological,and ecological mechanisms at the root–soil interface to whole-plant growth and crop productivity.These fundamental insights into the edaphic drivers of root foraging will be essential for guiding crop adaptation to future,more heterogeneous soil environments.
基金supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(2011CB100305,2012AA100304)National Natural Science Foundation of China(31172015,31421092,31572186)+2 种基金Danish Strategic Research Council(NUTRIEFFICIENT 10-093498)European Community the Seventh Framework Programme for Research(NUE-CROPSFP7-CP-IP 222645)Chinese Universities Scientific Fund(2015ZH001)
摘要Maize(Zea mays L.) root morphology exhibits a high degree of phenotypic plasticity to nitrogen(N) de ficiency,but the underlying genetic architecture remains to be investigated Using an advanced BC_4F_3 population,we investigated the root growth plasticity under two contrasted N levels and identi fied the quantitative trait loci(QTLs) with QTL-environment(Q×E)interaction effects. Principal components analysis(PCA) on changes of root traits to N de ficiency(D LN-HN) showed that root length and biomass contributed for 45.8% in the same magnitude and direction on the first PC,while root traits scattered highly on PC_2 and PC_3. Hierarchical cluster analysis on traits for D LN-HN further assigned the BC_4F_3 lines into six groups,in which the special phenotypic responses to N de ficiency was presented These results revealed the complicated root plasticity of maize in response to N de ficiency that can be caused by genotype environment(G×E) interactions. Furthermore,QTL mapping using a multi-environment analysis identi fied 35 QTLs for root traits. Nine of these QTLs exhibited signi ficant Q×E interaction effects. Taken together,our findings contribute to understanding the phenotypic and genotypic pattern of root plasticity to N de ficiency,which will be useful for developing maize tolerance cultivars to N de ficiency.