TY - JOUR

T1 - Development of mechanical soil stability in an initial homogeneous loam and sand planted with two maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes with contrasting root hair attributes under in-situ field conditions

AU - Rosskopf, U.

AU - Uteau, D.

AU - Peth, S.

N1 - Funding Information: Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. This work was conducted within the framework of the priority program 2089, funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) – 403627636. Funding Information: We would like to thank the working group of Doris Vetterlein at the UFZ Halle for the set-up of the field experiment at the research station in Bad Lauchstädt.

PY - 2022/9

Y1 - 2022/9

N2 - Purpose: Soil structure evolving from physical and biological processes is closely related to soil mechanical characteristics and texture. We studied the influence of substrate and genotype on the initial development of mechanical traits, differences between depths, and changes over the course of two years in the field. Methods: Plots were homogeneously filled with a loam and a sand and planted with two maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes (wild type (WT) and rth3 mutant) with contrasting root hair attributes. Undisturbed soil cores were taken in 2019 and 2020 at 14 and 34 cm depth. Confined uniaxial compression tests were performed to determine pre-compression stress (σpc), compressibility (Cc, Cs) and elasticity index (EI). Mechanical energy was calculated based on penetration resistance (PR) tests with a penetrometer needle resembling root geometries. Results: σpc, Cc and Cs were significantly higher in loam as compared to sand, whereas the factor genotype proved to be negligible. Over time, σpc increased and Cc decreased in loam from 2019 to 2020 and Cs declined in both substrates. Higher mechanical energies were observed in loam and partially in WT. Required energy was higher at 14 cm than at 34 cm depth and decreased from 2019 to 2020 in sand. Airdry sand samples required four times as much energy than those at matric potential (Ψm) of -50 kPa. Conclusion: For the development of the mechanical traits examined texture proved to be the dominating factor and changes in soil stability could be observed within a short period of time.

AB - Purpose: Soil structure evolving from physical and biological processes is closely related to soil mechanical characteristics and texture. We studied the influence of substrate and genotype on the initial development of mechanical traits, differences between depths, and changes over the course of two years in the field. Methods: Plots were homogeneously filled with a loam and a sand and planted with two maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes (wild type (WT) and rth3 mutant) with contrasting root hair attributes. Undisturbed soil cores were taken in 2019 and 2020 at 14 and 34 cm depth. Confined uniaxial compression tests were performed to determine pre-compression stress (σpc), compressibility (Cc, Cs) and elasticity index (EI). Mechanical energy was calculated based on penetration resistance (PR) tests with a penetrometer needle resembling root geometries. Results: σpc, Cc and Cs were significantly higher in loam as compared to sand, whereas the factor genotype proved to be negligible. Over time, σpc increased and Cc decreased in loam from 2019 to 2020 and Cs declined in both substrates. Higher mechanical energies were observed in loam and partially in WT. Required energy was higher at 14 cm than at 34 cm depth and decreased from 2019 to 2020 in sand. Airdry sand samples required four times as much energy than those at matric potential (Ψm) of -50 kPa. Conclusion: For the development of the mechanical traits examined texture proved to be the dominating factor and changes in soil stability could be observed within a short period of time.

KW - Compression index

KW - penetration resistance

KW - pre-compression stress

KW - soil elasticity

KW - soil mechanical stability

KW - swelling index

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85132805785&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s11104-022-05572-5

DO - 10.1007/s11104-022-05572-5

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85132805785

VL - 478

SP - 143

EP - 162

JO - Plant and soil

JF - Plant and soil

SN - 0032-079X

IS - 1-2

ER -