The present article describes a field auger sampling method for row-crop root measurements. In agroecosystems where crops are planted in a specific design (row crops), sampling procedures for root biomass quantification need to consider the spatial variability of the root system. This article explains in detail how to sample and calculate root biomass considering the sampling position in the fi...

Allometric biomass allocation theory predicts that leaf biomass (M L ) scaled isometrically with stem (M S ) and root (M R ) biomass, and thus above-ground biomass (leaf and stem) (M A ) and root (M R ) scaled nearly isometrically with below-ground biomass (root) for tree seedlings across a wide diversity of taxa. Furthermore, prior studies also imply that scaling constant should vary with spec...

Effect of fertilizer applications and grazing exclusion on species composition and biomass in wet meadow restoration in eastern Washington. Fertilizer applications and grazing exclusion were used as restoration strategies in degraded wet meadows in eastern Washington to grow biomass in the root systems where it could not be grazed. We used a split-block design to test vegetation responses to si...

In the present study, improvement of salt tolerance in basil (as a salt-sensitive plant) was investigated through silicon (Si) nutrition. Basil plants were subjected to silicon (0, 3 mM) and salinity (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM NaCl) for a duration of one month. Salt stress significantly decreased the biomass of basil. Si supplement (3 mM) resulted in a considerable increase (averagely +135%) i...

Abiotic stresses including salinity are the major limiting factors of growth and crop production worldwide. Microbial endophytes as the most important soil microorganisms, by modifying plants at genetical, physiological and ecological levels increase their yield per area unit and provide the possibility of crop production in saline and arid soils or climates with biotic and abiotic stresses. Th...

Traditional methods o f measuring tree root biomass are labor intensive and destructive in nature. We studied the utility of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to measure tree root biomass in situ within a replicated, intensive culture forestry experiment planted with loblolly pine (Pinus tneda L.). The study site was located in Decatur County, Georgia, in an area of the Troup and Lucy (loamy, kaol...

Elevated nitrogen (N) deposition to tropical forests may accelerate ecosystem phosphorus (P) limitation. This study examined responses of fine root biomass, nutrient concentrations, and acid phosphatase activity (APA) of bulk soil to five years of N and P additions in one old-growth and two younger lowland tropical forests in southern China. The old-growth forest had higher N capital than the t...

We determined fine root biomass and production of 15-, 35- and 100-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands during three growing seasons. Fine roots were sampled by the soil core method. Mean (+/- SE) annual fine root biomass of Scots pine in the 15-, 35- and 100-year-old stands was 220 +/- 25, 357 +/- 21 and 259 +/- 26 g m(-2), respectively. Fine root biomass of the understory vegetati...

Abiotic stresses including salinity are the major limiting factors of growth and crop production worldwide. Microbial endophytes as the most important soil microorganisms, by modifying plants at genetical, physiological and ecological levels increase their yield per area unit and provide the possibility of crop production in saline and arid soils or climates with biotic and abiotic stresses. Th...