Root morphology and architecture (CRIDA indigenous root chamber-pin board method) of two morphologically contrasting genotypes of mungbean under varied water conditions

摘要

An experiment was conducted in the root chambers during 2010-11 under the net-house conditions at Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) Hyderabad, India to study the effect of soil moisture deficit on root morphology and root architecture of two morphologically contrasting cultivars of mungbean in comparison with the irrigated treatment. ML267 (short stature) and WGG37 (tall stature) were studied with two watering treatments viz., soil moisture up to FC (irrigated) and another upto 33.3% Available Water Content (deficit watered). Soil moisture stress affected total root length at flowering stage (42DAS) of mungbean by 30% irrespective of cultivar and also expressed drought resistance of ML267 at vegetative stage (22DAS) and atpod filling stage (69DAS) of WGG37. Deficit soil moisture conditions affected WGG37 more than ML267. It is concluded that soil moisture deficit conditions (33.3%AWC) though reduced the root dry weight at the top soil depth, increased Total Root Length (TRL), Root Length Density (RLD), Root Surface Area (RSA) at deeper soil depths especially at 42DAS resulting in high root shoot ratio and fine root length of ML267. 2D Root architecture image of a single plant and root measurement at different soil profile depths could be possible in Root chamber-Pin board methodology. Therefore, this indigenized Root chamber- Pin board method was adopted and is recommended for study of root architecture under controlled conditions.