Regulation of Root Distribution and Depth by Phosphorus Localization in Agrostis stolonifera

Authors

Lyons, E.M.; Snyder, R.H.; Lynch, J.P.

Source

HortScience, Volume 43, Number 7, p.2203--2209 (2008)

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Abstract

Root distribution in turfgrass systems influences drought tolerance and resource competition with undesirable species. We hypothesized that spatial localization of phosphorus {(P)} supply would permit manipulation of turfgrass root distribution. To test this hypothesis, creeping bentgrass {(Agrostis} stolonifera L.) plants were exposed to localized P supply in two experiments. The first experiment split the root zone horizontally into two different growth tubes and the second used alumina-buffered P {(Al-P)} to localize P availability deeper within a continuous root zone. In the horizontally split root zones, heterogeneous P availability led to no difference in shoot growth compared with uniform P availability. Root proliferation was greatest in the growth tube with available P compared with the growth tube without P. The use of {Al-P,} regardless of its spatial distribution, doubled root-to-shoot ratios compared with soluble P. Much of the increase in the ratio was accounted for by reduced shoot growth. Use of {Al-P} increased rooting deeper in the root zone, especially when the {Al-P} was mixed only in the lower portion of the root zone. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that root distribution of creeping bentgrass can be manipulated by spatial localization of P supply in the root zone and indicate that relative biomass allocation to roots and shoots may be manipulated with buffered P sources.