HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (11) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Pellerin, S. Articles by Plénet, D. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Pellerin, S. Articles by Plénet, D. Agricola Articles by Pellerin, S. Articles by Plénet, D. Related Collections Maize Root Development Soil Fertility and Productivity

CORN

Phosphorus Deficiency Affects the Rate of Emergence and Number of Maize Adventitious Nodal Roots

INRA, Unité d'Agronomie, 71, avenue Edouard-Bourleaux, B.P. 81, 33883 Villenave d'Ornon Cedex, France

pellerin{at}bordeaux.inra.fr

Root growth is critical for P uptake, especially when soil P availability is low. We studied the effects of P deficiency on the rate of appearance and number of adventitious nodal roots of field-grown maize plants (Zea mays L.). Experiments were conducted in 1995, 1996, and 1997 on a long-term P fertilization trial with three P fertilization regimes, located on a sandy soil in southwest France. Phosphorus deficiency had a negative effect on leaf area index (LAI). The amount of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) absorbed by the canopy and plant growth were reduced, especially during the first phases of the crop cycle (between the 7- and 14-visible-leaf stage). The emergence of adventitious roots was delayed for P-deficient plants, but the synchrony between root and leaf emergence was not disturbed. The final number of roots was significantly lower for P-deficient plants for phytomers 4 to 7. These phytomers were those for which root differentiation occurred when the PAR absorbed by the canopy was most severely reduced relative to the fertilized P treatments. A unique relationship was found for all years and P treatments between the cumulative amount of PAR absorbed by the plant and the number of emerged adventitious roots. We concluded that the reduced number of adventitious roots for phytomers 4 to 7 on P-deficient plants may be caused by the negative effect of P deficiency on LAI and its subsequent effect on PAR absorption and C nutrition of plants during the period of root emergence from specific phytomers.

Abbreviations: LAI, leaf area index • PAR, photosynthetically active radiation

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. KUME, N. SEKIYA, and K. YANO Heterogeneity in Spatial P-distribution and Foraging Capability by Zea mays: Effects of Patch Size and Barriers to Restrict Root Proliferation within a Patch Ann. Bot., December 1, 2006; 98(6): 1271 - 1277. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Wissuwa How Do Plants Achieve Tolerance to Phosphorus Deficiency? Small Causes with Big Effects Plant Physiology, December 1, 2003; 133(4): 1947 - 1958. [Abstract] [Full Text]