Automated Quantification of Roots Using a Simple Image Analyzer

Harris, Grant A.; Campbell, Gaylon S.

doi:10.2134/agronj1989.00021962008100060017x

Cited by 111 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Roots and organic matter retained on the sieve were spread uniformly in 15 cm diameter glass petri dishes on a light table and digital images captured by a Sony CCD video camera with a macro lens. Root length was quantified by the line-intercept method (Newman, 1966;Harris and Campbell, 1989) calculated from the number of root intercepts along parallel scan lines using KS-300 video imaging software (Axiovision 2.0).…”

Section: Root Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil microbial activity in a Liquidambar plantation unresponsive to CO2-driven increases in primary production

Sinsabaugh

Saiya-Cork

Long

et al. 2003

Applied Soil Ecology

141

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Section: Root Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil microbial activity in a Liquidambar plantation unresponsive to CO2-driven increases in primary production

Sinsabaugh

Saiya-Cork

Long

et al. 2003

Applied Soil Ecology

141

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“…The manufacturer's instructions for measuring root lengths and root diameter in the emulator mode were followed. Root lengths were corrected for overlap and resolution (Harris & Campbell, 1989), and total root lengths in each sample were estimated. Root length density (L,.)…”

Section: Final Shoot D Ivt Shoot P and N Root Length Density And mentioning

confidence: 99%

Growth, phosphorus uptake, and water relations of safflower and wheat infected with an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus

Bryla

Duniway

1997

New Phytologist

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SafHower (Carthamus tinctorius L. cv. S5S5) and spring wheat {Triticiim aestivum L. cv. Anza) were grown with or without the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glortius ettinicatum Becker & Gerd., under environmentally controlled conditions. Soil phosphate concentrations were adjusted before planting to produce mycorrhizal (M) and non-mycorrhizal (NM) plants that had similar leaf areas and root length densities at the same stage of development before initiating drought stress treatments. Drought did not afTect the amount of mycorrhizal infection in safflower or wheat. Interactions between water stress treatments and mycorrhizal infection on plant growth and phosphorus uptake were limited and only occurred in wheat. NM wheat plants had 28 °o greater shoot d. wt, slightly greater root length densities, and 39 °" greater P acquisition than M plants when grown under well watered conditions, but under droughted conditions plant size and tissue P contents of M and NM wheat plants were similar. Mycorrhizas did not afTect stomatal behaviour during drought stress in either safflower or wheat, i.e., transpiration and stomatal conductance declined independently of infection as soil water was depleted and leaf water potentials declined. Therefore, mycorrhizal infection did not alter the intrinsic hydraulic properties of the plant/soil system. Whilst wheat maintained turgor of recently expanded leaves during severe drought and safflower did not, mycorrhizal infection had no effect on leaf turgor during drought in either plant species.

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“…Automated root intersect counting by video camera imaging (Voorhees et al 1980) has been extended to root image analyses (length, width, branching) by using a scanner and a microcomputer (Zoon and Tienderen 1990, Pan and Bolton 1991, Ewing and Kaspar 1993. For recording projected root area or root surface area, a video camera and a computer system for digitizing and analysing video images have been developed for clean washed roots (Harris andCampbell 1991, Kokko et al 1993) and also for washedroot samples with residues (Smucker 1993). The image analysis permits examination of root length, diameter and surface area which all are needed for the evaluation of the efficiency of root systems on a morphological basis.…”

Section: Efficiency Of Root Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of soil compactness on the growth and quality of carrot

Pietola¹

1995

AFSci

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Field experiments were performed in Southern Finland on three soil types: fine sand (1989-1991), clay (1989) and mull (1990-1991). The following soil mechanical treatments were applied to autumn ploughed land: soil loosening by ridge preparation (ridge distance 45 cm), rotary harrowing (to a depth of 20 cm, clay 15 cm), and soil compaction track by track by a tractor weighing 3 Mg (1 or 3 passes, wheel width 33 cm) before seed bed preparation. One plot was untreated. These treatments were set up in April (on clay in May) under moist soil conditions. Sprinkler irrigation (one application of 30 mm) was applied to clay and fine sand when soil moisture in top soil had decreased to around 50% of plant-available water capacity. PVC cylinders (r = 15 cm, h = 60 cm) were fixed in the experimental areas during the growing periods. At harvest, these cylinders were removed for specific analysis of tap and fibrous roots of carrot. Length and width of fibrous roots were quantified by image analysis in the USA. The impacts of soil loosening and partial compaction were determined by measuring soil physical parameters to a depth of 25 cm in mineral soils, and to greater depths in organic soil. Dry bulk densities of the plough layers increased with increasing tractor passes by 8%, 10% and 13% for fine sand, mull and clay soils, respectively. The lowest dry soil bulk density in the plough layer was obtained by rotary harrowing to a depth of 20 cm. Comparison of gamma ray transmission and gravimetric analysis indicated that dry soil bulk density was slightly lower when determined by gravimetric analysis. Increased soil bulk densities were reflected by increased water retention capacity (matric suction ≤ 10 kPa) and greater penetrometer resistance. Relatively similar increases in bulk density increased the penetrometer resistance much less in mull than in fine sand. In contrast, greater bulk densities in the mull soil affected soil air composition adversely by decreasing the O2 content to 10% when the subsoil had high wetness. In other soils, the lowest soil oxygen contents of 16-18% were recorded in early summer (compacted clay) and during periods of vigorous plant growth (fine sand) when soil water contents were high. Even though the highest degree of soil compactness (D) in a plough layer approached 93 (gravimetric) in all soils, only clay soil was compacted to a soil macro-porosity below 10% (pore diameter > 30 μm). Soil compaction promoted crop establishment and early growth as compared with loose soil beds. Optimum soil compactness for carrot yield (D = 82) was observed only in clay field where excess loosening or compaction affected yield quantity adversely at different stages of growth. During biomass accumulation, excessive penetrometer resistances limited tap root growth in compacted fine sand without irrigation. Water applications promoted shoot growth, but did not affect final shoot and tap root yield. Among the three soil types tested in this study, compaction of mull soil had the least effect on carrot growth and external quality. This paper presents evidence that the internal quality of carrots is only slightly affected by changes in soil physical properties, while the adverse effects of soil compaction on carrot external quality (short, deformed and conical tap roots with greater maximum diameters) are clear. Even though compacted clay soil greatly limited the biomass accumulations in the tap root, which had a high crude fibre content, the carotene (10 mg/100 g carrots) and sugar contents (5%) reached acceptable levels. The lowest carotene contents (4 mg/100 g carrots) were observed in loose mull, following a cool late summer in 1990. The effect of irrigation on carotene content varied from one year to another. High sugar and carotene contents appeared to respond to the high below-ground absorption surface. The fibrous root system of carrots, consisting of mostly very fine roots (diameter 0.15 mm), had total lengths of 150 m in loose fine sand at a soil depth of 0-50 cm (rotary harrowed), 200 m and 300 m in fine sand and mull soils subjected to 3 passes by a tractor wheel. The maximum dry weight (60 μg), length (1.2 cm) and surface area (0.05 cm2) of the fibrous root system per soil volume (cm3) were observed in compacted or irrigated soil to a depth of 30 cm, and also in relation to tap root dry weight. This suggests a capacity of carrot plant for high below-ground absorption potential and optimal biochemial maturation of tap root tissue even when surface soils are compacted. This is supported by higher leaf area, as the early shoot growth was promoted by partial soil compaction. Soil compaction affected the soil physical properties and carrot external quality in agreement with previous studies. Carotene and sugar contents appeared to be unaffected or were slightly increased in riper and firmer carrots of compacted soils. This is consistent with the earlier information about the internal quality of carrot which is shown to be highly dependent on genetic factors and developmental stage of carrot. The present study emphasizes the surface area of carrot fibrous root system as a beneficial factor for maintaining high levels of carotene and sugar contents in tap roots after partial soil compaction.

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Automated Quantification of Roots Using a Simple Image Analyzer

Cited by 111 publications

References 10 publications

Soil microbial activity in a Liquidambar plantation unresponsive to CO2-driven increases in primary production

Soil microbial activity in a Liquidambar plantation unresponsive to CO2-driven increases in primary production

Growth, phosphorus uptake, and water relations of safflower and wheat infected with an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus

Effect of soil compactness on the growth and quality of carrot

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