the main source of C in maintaining soil organic matter. The amount of C and N supplied by roots can be signifiManagement practices may influence cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cant for maintaining or improving soil organic matter. and sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)] root C and N inputs for As much as 7 to 43% of the total aboveground and belowimproving soil quality. We examined the infl...

Plant roots growing through soil typically encounter considerable structural heterogeneity, and local variations in soil dry bulk density. The way the in situ architecture of root systems of different species respond to such heterogeneity is poorly understood due to challenges in visualising roots growing in soil. The objective of this study was to visualise and quantify the impact of abrupt ch...

Abstract Replacement of bare fallow in rotations by cover crops is a promising tool to reduce crusting, although the interactions with soil moisture and effect crop species are still not well understood. The objective this work was determine how modify surface response penetration their relation water content. Two winter crops, barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) vetch (Vicia sp. L.), were compared tre...

Crude protein (CP) of forages can be separated into fractions of differentiated abilities to provide available amino acids in the lower gut of ruminants. This knowledge is critical to develop feeding systems and to predict animal responses. We have measured during two growing seasons (1996 to 1997 and 1997 to 1998) the CP fractions of common vetch fresh forage with the objective being to assess...