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Abstract
A two-year field hydroponic study was conducted on root mass of maize (Zea mays L.) using the root electrical capacitance (Croot) method. The primary objective of the study was to test the utility of the Croot method in estimating root mass of maize (on a fresh and dry weight basis), and to determine any influence of maize genotype on this relationship. Secondary objectives were: (i) To determine if the volume of the Turface®-filled hydroponic containers had an effect on root mass-Croot relationships, and (ii) to determine if the number of plants/container affected the Croot measurements of individual plant root systems. Firstly, it was concluded that different maize genotypes appeared to have uniquely different root dry mass vs. Croot relationships. Secondly, the massing of the maize plant roots at the bottom of smaller (20-litre) pails seemed to frequently have a negative effect on the strength of the root mass-Croot relationship. Thirdly, multiple plants could be regarded as a single experimental unit in Croot studies when their root electrical capacitance was measured simultaneously. The predictive capability of the equations developed from this hydroponic study was reasonably good, but research is needed on similar genotype-specific relationships under field soil conditions to determine if they might have some utility in broader agronomic field applications.
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the funding support from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The work was carried out at the field hydroponic facility established by the Department of Plant Agriculture (Crops), University of Guelph, at the Arkell Research Station near Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Technical assistance was provided by M. Adamson, T. Sciscione and C. Rosenboom.