Application of Electrical Resistivity Tomography for Detecting Root Biomass in Coffee Trees

Paglis, Carlos Maurício

doi:10.1155/2013/383261

Cited by 24 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 17 publications

(29 reference statements)

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“…Some ERT studies focused on root biomass estimation, whereas others focused on physiological processes such as water and nutrient uptake by the root system, but these are mainly interpretation perspectives rather than a prior methodological difference, as both aspects can be captured by timelapse ERT measurements. Figure 4 compares results from several studies that have directly correlated bulk resistivity with root biomass with varying success (Amato et al, 2008(Amato et al, , 2009Rossi et al, 2011;Paglis, 2013). Bulk soil resistivity is known to be strongly influenced by soil moisture content, porosity, mineralogy, temperature, and salinity level and only to a lesser extent by roots.…”

Section: Ertmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sensing the electrical properties of roots: A review

Ehosioke

Nguyen

Rao

et al. 2020

Vadose Zone Journal

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Thorough knowledge of root system functioning is essential to understand the feedback loops between plants, soil, and climate. In situ characterization of root systems is challenging due to the inaccessibility of roots and the complexity of root zone processes. Electrical methods have been proposed to overcome these difficulties. Electrical conduction and polarization occur in and around roots, but the mechanisms are not yet fully understood. We review the potential and limitations of low‐frequency electrical techniques for root zone investigation, discuss the mechanisms behind electrical conduction and polarization in the soil–root continuum, and address knowledge gaps. A range of electrical methods for root investigation is available. Reported methods using current injection in the plant stem to assess the extension of the root system lack robustness. Multi‐electrode measurements are increasingly used to quantify root zone processes through soil moisture changes. They often neglect the influence of root biomass on the electrical signal, probably because it is yet to be well understood. Recent research highlights the potential of frequency‐dependent impedance measurements. These methods target both surface and volumetric properties by activating and quantifying polarization mechanisms occurring at the root segment and cell scale at specific frequencies. The spectroscopic approach opens up a range of applications. Nevertheless, understanding electrical signatures at the field scale requires significant understanding of small‐scale polarization and conduction mechanisms. Improved mechanistic soil–root electrical models, validated with small‐scale electrical measurements on root systems, are necessary to make further progress in ramping up the precision and accuracy of multi‐electrode tomographic techniques for root zone investigation.

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Section: Ertmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sensing the electrical properties of roots: A review

Ehosioke

Nguyen

Rao

et al. 2020

Vadose Zone Journal

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“…Comparison of soil and root electrical conductivity (s soil and s root , respectively). The envelopes of s soil (some with and some without roots) and s root are shown as shaded areas (Paglis, 2013;Bhatt and Jain, 2014). root-specific electrical properties, root growth, and transient transpiration.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Maize Roots on Soil–Root Electrical Conductivity: A Simulation Study

Rao

Meunier

Ehosioke

et al. 2019

Vadose Zone Journal

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The impact of roots on bulk electrical conductivity was studied using a modeling approach. The presence of roots affects petrophysical relations. The effect of roots is more pronounced in sandy soil than in loamy soil. Root surface and soil–root electrical contrast affect ERT measurements the most. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) has become an important tool for studying root‐zone soil water fluxes under field conditions. The results of ERT translate to water content via empirical pedophysical relations, usually ignoring the impact of roots; however, studies in the literature have shown that roots in soils may actually play a non‐negligible role in the bulk electrical conductivity (σ) of the soil–root continuum, but we do not completely understand the impact of root segments on ERT measurements. In this numerical study, we coupled an electrical model with a plant–soil water flow model to investigate the impact of roots on virtual ERT measurements. The coupled model can produce three‐dimensional simulations of root growth and development, water flow in soil and root systems, and electrical transfer in the soil–root continuum. Our electrical simulation illustrates that in rooted soils, for every 1% increase in the root/sand volume ratio, there can be a 4 to 18% increase in the uncertainty of σ computed via the model, caused by the presence of root segments; the uncertainty in a loam medium is 0.2 to 1.5%. The influence of root segments on ERT measurements depends on the root surface area (r = ∼0.6) and the σ contrast between roots and the soil (r = ∼0.9), as revealed by correlation analysis. This study is important in the context of accurate water content predictions for automated irrigation systems in sandy soil.

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“…Measurements can be converted into a three-dimensional model if the measurements are of high enough resolution [73]. To date, ERT has been used primarily for plants with large diameter roots, such as trees, to estimate root biomass [63,74,75]. It has been applied to maize and sorghum to assess water dynamics [64].…”

Section: Lab and Greenhouse-based Phenotyping For Root System Architementioning

confidence: 99%

Trait-Based Root Phenotyping as a Necessary Tool for Crop Selection and Improvement

2020

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Most of the effort of crop breeding has focused on the expression of aboveground traits with the goals of increasing yield and disease resistance, decreasing height in grains, and improvement of nutritional qualities. The role of roots in supporting these goals has been largely ignored. With the increasing need to produce more food, feed, fiber, and fuel on less land and with fewer inputs, the next advance in plant breeding must include greater consideration of roots. Root traits are an untapped source of phenotypic variation that will prove essential for breeders working to increase yields and the provisioning of ecosystem services. Roots are dynamic, and their structure and the composition of metabolites introduced to the rhizosphere change as the plant develops and in response to environmental, biotic, and edaphic factors. The assessment of physical qualities of root system architecture will allow breeding for desired root placement in the soil profile, such as deeper roots in no-till production systems plagued with drought or shallow roots systems for accessing nutrients. Combining the assessment of physical characteristics with chemical traits, including enzymes and organic acid production, will provide a better understanding of biogeochemical mechanisms by which roots acquire resources. Lastly, information on the structural and elemental composition of the roots will help better predict root decomposition, their contribution to soil organic carbon pools, and the subsequent benefits provided to the following crop. Breeding can no longer continue with a narrow focus on aboveground traits, and breeding for belowground traits cannot only focus on root system architecture. Incorporation of root biogeochemical traits into breeding will permit the creation of germplasm with the required traits to meet production needs in a variety of soil types and projected climate scenarios.

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Application of Electrical Resistivity Tomography for Detecting Root Biomass in Coffee Trees

Cited by 24 publications

References 17 publications

Sensing the electrical properties of roots: A review

Sensing the electrical properties of roots: A review

Impact of Maize Roots on Soil–Root Electrical Conductivity: A Simulation Study

Trait-Based Root Phenotyping as a Necessary Tool for Crop Selection and Improvement

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