School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
J Sci Food Agric. 2011 Jul;91(9):1528-37. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.4424. Epub 2011 May 2.
Soil compaction has been known to affect root growth for millennia. Root growth in natural soils is complex and soil compaction induces several stresses which may interact simultaneously, including increased soil strength, decreased aeration and reduced hydraulic conductivity. Yet, moderate soil compaction offers some benefits to growing roots by increasing root-soil contact so they can extract adequate resources. Until now, improving our understanding of the specific responses of roots to below-ground stimuli has been difficult. However, the advent of new technologies and practices, including X-ray computed tomography, to provide non-destructive, three-dimensional images of root systems throughout the plant's lifecycle now allows the responses of roots encountering changes in their physical, chemical or biotic environment to be established directly and non-invasively. Previous destructive methods, such as root washing, were incapable of identifying and characterising fine root architectural characteristics as these are inextricably linked to the composition of the soil matrix. X-ray computed tomography coupled with genetic approaches will provide a more comprehensive appreciation of the effect of soil compaction on root growth, and the knowledge required to generate improvements in plant breeding programmes and crop husbandry.
土壤压实数千年来一直被认为会影响根系生长。在自然土壤中，根系生长是复杂的，土壤压实会引发多种压力，这些压力可能会同时相互作用，包括土壤强度增加、通气性降低和水力传导性降低。然而，适度的土壤压实通过增加根土接触，使根系能够提取足够的资源，从而对生长中的根系有益。到目前为止，要提高我们对根系对地下刺激的具体反应的理解一直很困难。然而，新技术和实践的出现，包括 X 射线计算机断层扫描技术，为提供整个植物生命周期内根系的非破坏性、三维图像提供了可能，现在可以直接、非侵入性地确定和描述根系对物理、化学或生物环境变化的反应。以前的破坏性方法，如根系清洗，无法识别和描述细根结构特征，因为这些特征与土壤基质的组成密不可分。X 射线计算机断层扫描与遗传方法相结合，将更全面地了解土壤压实对根系生长的影响，并为植物育种计划和作物管理的改进提供所需的知识。
