Effect of Soil Aeration and Root Morphology on Yield under Aerated Irrigation

Abstract

Soil compaction easily causes root hypoxia stress, resulting in poor root growth and the absorption of soil water and nutrients. We hypothesized that aerated irrigation (AI) could enhance nutrient uptake and utilization, thus unlocking the high yield potential by increasing soil aeration and root morphology indicators compared with that in the non-aeration treatment. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of soil aeration and root morphology on the yield of greenhouse cucumbers. The dissolved oxygen (DO) in irrigation water at 10 mg L−1 (A1), 20 mg L−1 (A2), and non-aeration treatment (A0) were applied via a subsurface drip irrigation system. The soil respiration rates, DO in soil water, root morphology, and crop yield was measured. The results showed that AI could significantly improve the soil respiration rate, DO in soil water, and root morphology compared with non-aeration treatment. The A2 significantly increased soil respiration rate by 11.63% and 11.93%, respectively, compared with the A1 and A0 treatments. Under A1 and A2, the DO in soil water increased by 20.01% and 18.02%, respectively, compared with the A0. Moreover, during the flowering and fruit set, the mature, and the late stages, the root surface area, root volume, root tip number, root forks, and root dry weight in the A2 treatment significantly increased than that in the A0 treatment. The soil respiration rate, DO in soil water, root length, and root forks were the main indexes correlated to the yield, respectively. The DO in soil water and root forks number significantly influenced the yield. The cucumber yield and economic benefits in A2 peaked at 53.04 t ha−1 and 3.95 × 104 USD ha−1, increased by 7.86% and 7.30% compared with that in the A0 treatment, respectively (p < 0.05). The results could provide technical support and scientific knowledge for regulating greenhouse cucumbers under AI.

Enhancing Root Distribution, Nitrogen, and Water Use Efficiency in Greenhouse Tomato Crops Using Nanobubbles

“…This effect was greater when the gas used was oxygen. Similar results have been obtained by Jin et al [5] in pumpkins with aerated irrigation, or by Wang et al [20], who found that oxygenation significantly promoted root development, mainly in the form of longer root length and increased root surface area.…”

“…Oxygen availability is considered one of the most important factors for plant growth, after water and nutrient availability [1]. Low oxygen and high CO 2 concentrations, such as those that may occur in certain intensive irrigation systems, especially in heavy soils, negatively affect plant growth and productivity [2][3][4] and may affect the architecture and distribution of the root system [5,6]. In recent decades, many active techniques for soil or substrate aeration have been introduced.…”

Root Zone Water Management Effects on Soil Hydrothermal Properties and Sweet Potato Yield

“…Good soil aeration is crucial for root differentiation and growth. Roots differentiate easily in well-aerated soil; whereas in poorly aerated soils, excessive CO 2 can be toxic to the root system, hindering growth [ 21 ]. Our results indicate that the soil CO 2 content was significantly higher in the drip irrigation treatments than under hole irrigation within the first month after transplanting.…”

Varietal Differences in the Root Systems of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) under Drip Irrigation with Plastic Film Mulch

“…Conversely, poor soil aeration leads to hypoxia, reducing transpiration, nutrient uptake, and overall plant growth. Effective soil aeration enhances redoxase enzyme activity and root metabolism, improving nutrient absorption and accelerating plant growth and yield [59]. In drip irrigation with plastic film mulch without soil submergence, variations in soil aeration due to irrigation and mulching practices influence nutrient availability due to aerobic microorganisms and nitrogen use efficiency, resulting in overall plant growth and yield.…”