Journal Article

FZJ-2020-05058

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Spatially Resolved Root Water Uptake Determination Using a Precise Soil Water Sensor

van Dusschoten, D. (Corresponding author)FZJ* ; Kochs, J.FZJ* ; Kuppe, C. W.FZJ* ; Sydoruk, V. A.FZJ* ; Couvreur, V. ; Pflugfelder, D.FZJ* ; Postma, J. A.FZJ*

2020
Soc. Rockville, Md.

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Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/26521  doi:10.1104/pp.20.00488

Abstract: To answer long-standing questions about how plants use and regulate water, an affordable, noninvasive way to determine localroot water uptake (RWU) is required. Here, we present a sensor, the soil water profiler (SWaP), which can determine local soilwater content (u) with a precision of 6.10 25 cm 3 $ cm 23 , an accuracy of 0.002 cm 3 $ cm 23 , a temporal resolution of 24 min, and aone-dimensional spatial resolution of 1 cm. The sensor comprises two copper sheets, integrated into a sleeve and connected to acoil, which form a resonant circuit. A vector network analyzer, inductively coupled to the resonant circuit, measures theresonance frequency, against which u was calibrated. The sensors were integrated into a positioning system, which measuresu along the depth of cylindrical tubes. When combined with modulating light (4-h period) and resultant modulating planttranspiration, the SWaP enables quantification of the component of RWU distribution that varies proportionally with total plantwater uptake, and distinguishes it from soil water redistribution via soil pores and roots. Additionally, as a young, growingmaize (Zea mays) plant progressively tapped its soil environment dry, we observed clear changes in plant-driven RWU and soilwater redistribution profiles. Our SWaP setup can measure the RWU and redistribution of sandy-soil water content withunprecedented precision. The SWaP is therefore a promising device offering new insights into soil–plant hydrology, withapplications for functional root phenotyping in nonsaline, temperature-controlled conditions, at low cost.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Pflanzenwissenschaften (IBG-2)

Research Program(s):

1. 582 - Plant Science (POF3-582) (POF3-582)

Appears in the scientific report 2020

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Database coverage:
; ; BIOSIS Previews ; Biological Abstracts ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Agriculture, Biology and Environmental Sciences ; Current Contents - Life Sciences ; Ebsco Academic Search ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 5 ; JCR ; National-Konsortium ; PubMed Central ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

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