Wheat root system: type and how it is formed, structural features

Plants thanks to their roots are fixed in the ground, absorb water and mineral elements from the soil layer. The root system, formed by a set of roots, is of two types. The root system of wheat is classified as a fibrous type. This species, which occupies a large area of land in breadth, is typical for cereal monocotyledonous crops (barley, rye).

What is the root system of wheat

Types of roots that form a fibrous root system are divided into adventitious and main:

• primary roots appear at the stage of germination of planting material. Their number can vary within 3-5 shoots, which is determined by the varietal characteristics of the culture. It is noteworthy that at the beginning of the growing season, the plant feeds mainly on these roots;
• secondary (stem, nodal) root shoots are formed at the tillering stage of wheat. As a rule, two secondary shoots grow from the stem, providing nutrition for lateral shoots. If, due to drought, a powerful root system is not formed in plants, the primary roots continue to perform the nutritional function.

In case of favorable weather conditions, the primary root shoots do not die off, but provide nutrition for the main shoot of the wheat bush. But the main function of extracting moisture and nutrients from the soil is performed by numerous secondary roots. Therefore, the yield of wheat depends primarily on the power of the nodal processes.

Main Features

The development of wheat roots greatly depends on external factors. Key figures:

• soil moisture. It has been established that excess moisture adversely affects the development of wheat. Since the air conductivity of the earth is significantly reduced, the access of oxygen to the roots. Drought is also a negative - the formation of stem roots stops. The optimal soil moisture parameter is 60-75%;
• air temperature. The fibrous root system of spring varieties develops better in case of sowing at +13-16 °C. In winter varieties, it actively develops when sown at a temperature of + 15-20 ° С;
• crop rotation also plays an important role. The best predecessor for a cereal crop is peas or black fallow - in these cases, intensive formation of secondary roots is observed. An undesirable option is the sowing of winter varieties after corn, since little productive moisture remains in the upper soil layer.

Also take into account the placement depth of the seed. The optimal parameter is a depth of 3-4 cm. In this case, stem roots are intensively formed, which increases the productivity of wheat. The yield decreases when grain is sown to a depth of 5-8 cm, as the formation of a fibrous root system slows down.

How the root grows and develops

Wheat varieties are divided into spring and winter. Since crops are sown under different weather conditions, some features of root formation can be noted.

Recommended period for sowing winter wheat varieties - late September-early October. Plants have time to form a root system, shoot, resistance to low temperatures is formed.As a rule, by the beginning of winter, the primary roots deepen by 90-95 cm, and the stem roots grow in the soil layer 35-60 cm thick. As soon as the temperature rises in spring days, the development of the underground part of the plant resumes, mainly due to secondary root shoots.

When sowing spring wheat, soil moisture is an important factor affecting the development of the root system. Since nodal roots grow later, during a dry spring, a decrease in crop yield is observed.

Effect of fertilizers

It is natural that the mineral composition of the soil affects the development, growth of the plant and is the key to productivity.

Nitrogen supplements are more conducive to the growth of the above-ground green part of the plant than the underground. However, there is a significant growth of roots in wheat grown on black soil.

Phosphorus additives promote the growth of the root system.This feature is taken into account when sowing grain in areas with an insufficient level of moisture. Since the developed roots provide plants with moisture from the deeper layers of the earth. It is important to provide plant nutrition with phosphorus at an early stage of development.

Potassium supplements promote the growth and development of lateral root shoots. Fertilizers are applied to the soil during the main preparation, mixing with other minerals. It is also recommended to apply a small part of potassium supplements after some time directly to the root zones of plants.

Secondary root system in winter wheat

The development of cereal crops depends on the variety, the weather. Optimal conditions for sowing winter wheat: temperature regime: + 14-17 ° C, sufficient moisture in the upper soil layer.In this case, the stem roots actively and fully develop deep into and to the sides, since they are supplied with moisture and nutrients. When cold, the development of stem processes slows down. Root growth stops when the temperature drops to +2 °C.

In a dry autumn, the development of secondary roots is inhibited. In the absence of rain, there is no tillering of wheat. In spring, the rate of formation of the root system slows down. At the same time, in different periods of the growing season, there is a difference in the development of the root system along the horizontal layers of soil.

At the stage of wheat entering the tube, the main part of the roots - 55-60%, is concentrated in the upper soil layer (depth - up to 20 cm). Approximately 30% of the root mass develops at the level of 25-40 cm.In the flowering phase, the mass of the root system in the upper soil layer is reduced to 40-45% and increases in the soil horizon, which is at the level of 45-80 cm.

One cannot underestimate the influence of the degree of development of the wheat root system on the growth of the above-ground part, the yield. It is necessary to take into account the influence of external factors on the activity of the roots. By regulating the formation of the root system, it is possible to increase the productivity of cereal crops.

Recommended