Willow (Salix spp.) stands are often proposed as vegetation covers for the restoration and stabilization of contaminated and derelict land. Planting willows on dredged sediment disposal sites for biomass production can be an alternative to traditional capping techniques. However, with the introduction of willow stands on dredged sediment disposal sites, the possibility of increased contaminant ...

In this study, water and nutrient uptake from the substrate and responses of the crop to fertigation strategies were analysed. In an experiment and simulation study, the amount and frequency of fertigation and electrical conductivity (EC) of the fertigation water were changed for a tomato crop grown on rockwool. In a climate chamber, tomato plants were grown on rockwool while five different EC ...

Transpiration may enhance mass-flow of nutrients to roots, especially in low-nutrient soils or where the root system is not extensively developed. Previous work suggested that nitrogen (N) may regulate mass-flow of nutrients. Experiments were conducted to determine whether N regulates water fluxes, and whether this regulation has a functional role in controlling the mass-flow of nutrients to ro...

In order to investigate the identification index of drought resistance in the forage triticale seedlings, 30 triticales with different genotypes were identified by 20%–PEG6000. Results showed that responses of each gene to water stress were relatively obvious, water content decreased, the root-shoot ratio enhanced, and leaf curvature and root hyperplasied; There was significant difference among...

We study rain water infiltration and drainage in a dry model sandy soil with superabsorbent hydrogel particle additives by measuring the mass of retained water for non-ponding rainfall using a self-built 3D laboratory set-up. In the pure model sandy soil, the retained water curve measurements indicate that instead of a stable horizontal wetting front that grows downward uniformly, a narrow fing...

two glasshouse and field experiments were conducted to assess the effects of root system, water uptake, water use efficiency and early vigor on yield and drought tolerance of bread wheat in two successive farming seasons (2009-11). the experiments were conducted as randomized complete block design and two-year results analyzed as combined design. considerable genetic variation was observed amon...

The relationship between soil water availability, root extension, and shoot growth of lohlolly pine seedlings (Pinus taedu L.) was evaluated in a rhizotron sand mixture in the absence and presence of crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) competition. Heights and diameters of seedlings grown with crabgrass were reduced 33 and SO%, respectively, compared with seedlings grown in pine monoculture. Furthermore...

A major challenge in plant ecology is quantifying how roots interact with the soil to obtain water and nutrients. Stable isotope analysis of hydrogen and oxygen bound in plant and soil water is one of the best and least destructive methods for elucidating plant-soil interactions. Plant roots obtain water from various depths in the soil and the isotopic signature of plant stem water reflects the...