Date post: | 16-Aug-2015 |
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Government & Nonprofit |
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A lysimetric system to unravel root functionality
Nov 2009
Roots
The system measures plant water uptake at key stages and can help explain how yield component interacts (eg, with HI).
Roots: An essential component of adaptation for dry land crops.
Past progresses at ICRISAT
Current shift in root research: Exploiting root functionality
Large throughput screening, applicable for plant breeding in many crops
Root scanning and analysis to assess root length density.
Simple lifting and weighing to measure water uptake.Plastic beads prevent 90% soil evaporation.Cylinder size and spacing gives canopy structure.
Conclusions
Tubes of 1.2 m length 20 cm diameter, applicable to high density crops (groundnut, chickpea, wheat, rice and barley).
Tubes of 2.0 m length 25 cm diameter, applicable to low density crops
The system allows long term and robust assessment of
Large diversity in water extraction available in the germplasm.
The system allows measurement of water uptake, and