Enhancing Understanding and Quantification of Soil-Root Growth Interactions

Research progress in soil–root growth interactions has been slow due to the relative inaccessibility of roots in their natural environment and because root research cuts across the boundaries of soil science, ecology, crop science, and plant physiology, among others. Enhancing Understanding and Quantification of Soil–Root Growth Interactions takes on this challenge to solve society's growing problems in the conservation of quality water and soil resources. Researchers must come together and leverage our understanding of the rhizosphere to maximize efficient, sustainable use of limited water and soil nutrient resources. This is a serious calling—from addressing the critical needs in nations who cannot afford costly fertilizers, to the global challenge of enhancing soil carbon storage to reduce climate change effects of elevated carbon dioxide. This book brings together scientists from different disciplines, worldwide, together to encourage synthesis of transdisciplinary knowledge and further research and developments in the area of root–soil interactions. Foreword vii

Preface ix

Contributors xi

Chapter 1 Rhizosphere Engineering by Plants: Quantifying Soil–Root Interactions 1
Peter J. Gregory, A. Glyn Bengough, Timothy S. George, and Paul D. Hallett

Chapter 2 Effect of Soil Attributes on Root Growth and Distribution in Some Common Crops: A Synthesis of Knowledge and Future Needs 31
J. Benjamin

Chapter 3 Root Growth and Distribution in Relation to Different Water Levels 45
Xiying Zhang and Chunsheng Hu

Chapter 4 Nitrogen Management Effects on Root Systems: A Synthesis and Future Needs 67
Juan M. Herrera and Peter Stamp

Chapter 5 Characterization of the Root Length Density Distribution of Wheat Using a Generalized Function 93
Qiang Zuo, Renduo Zhang, and Jianchu Shi

Chapter 6 Differences in One-, Two-, and Three-Dimensional Modeling of Root Growth for Estimating Water and Nutrient Uptake and the Carbon Cycle 119
L. Wu and I. J. Bingham

Chapter 7 Modeling Lolium perenne L. Roots in the Presence of Empirical Black Holes 155
Richard W. Zobel

Chapter 8 Root Effects on Soil Properties and Processes: Synthesis and Future Research Needs 173
S.D. Logsdon

Chapter 9 Reinforcement of Soil by Fibrous Roots 197
Kenneth W. Loades, A. Glyn Bengough, M. Fraser Bransby, and Paul D. Hallett

Chapter 10 Simulating Root Development and Soil Resource Acquisition in Dynamic Models of Crop–Weed Competition 229
Andres G. Berger, Andrew J. McDonald, and Susan J. Riha

Chapter 11 Soil–Root Interactions in Mixed Plant Systems 245
S.G.K. Adiku, L.R. Ahuja, H. Ozier-Lafontaine, G.H. Dunn, and L. Garcia

Chapter 12 Modeling Resource Interactions Under Multiple Edaphic Stresses 273
Annette Dathe, Johannes A. Postma, and Jonathan P. Lynch

Chapter 13 Simulation of Soil–Root Growth Interactions and Associated Processes: Synthesis and Summary 295
Dennis Timlin and Laj Ahuja

Index 303

About the Series 311

Dennis Timlin is a Research Soil Scientist at the USDA-ARS in Beltsville, MD.

Dr. Laj Ahuja is a retired soil scientist at USDA in Fort Collins, CO.