Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) provides intriguing opportunities for studying soil organisms and plant roots. However, the usefulness of MRI is sometimes limited by iron fractions which interfere with image quality. Data were collected which quantified hydrogen MR image intensity versus concentration of total iron in selected soils. It is suggested that one compare MRI signal intensity of water in a standard material such as purified quartz and in the natural soil of interest when doing quantitative hydrogen MRI studies involving soil plants or other organisms.
INTRODUCTIONMagnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) provides excellent quality in situ images of plant roots and soil insects under certain conditions. Rogers and Bottomley (1987) obtained images of Vicia Faba seedlings in Wynnville fine sandy loam, Lucy loamy sand, Dothan sandy loam, Lakeland sand, Kingston loamy sand, Blanton loamy sand and Houston clay. Tollner et al. (1986) successfully imaged insects in Lakeland sand, purified quartz sand, but not in Tifton sandy loam and Cecil clay loam. The Rogers and Bottomley (1987) images were of varying quality even though the soils were selected as a result of screening
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