Abstract
Knowledge of where roots are active is crucial for efficient management of nutrients in tree crops but measurement of root activity is problematic. Measurement using soil water depletion is an approach that has not been tested in a humid climate. We hypothesised that the three dimensional distribution of root activity of a tree crop in the humid tropics (a) can be determined by measuring soil water depletion during rain-free periods, and (b) is influenced by environment (soil type and climate) and surface management. A field study was carried out in which soil water content was measured and water uptake calculated (by difference between soil water content at beginning and end of rain-free periods) for different surface management zones and depths (0.1 m intervals to 1.6 m depth) under oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) at a loam–clay site and a sandy site. Significant differences were measured between sites and between surface management zones at each site. At both sites water uptake was highest under the weeded zone close to the palm stem, slightly lower under the zone where pruned fronds are placed, and lowest under the path used for removing harvested fruit. Vertical distribution of root activity differed between the sites, with higher activity near the surface at the finer textured site. Total water uptake values were lower than estimates of evapotranspiration made using climate data. The difference was probably largely due to water uptake from deeper than 1.6 m. This study showed that the spatial distribution of tree root activity in a humid climate could be quantified using a relatively simple method.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen RG, Pereira LS, Dirk R, Smith M (1998) Crop evapotranspiration: guidelines for computing crop water requirements. FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 56. Rome, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Also available (May, 2005) at www.fao.org/docrep/X0490E/x0490e00.htm#Contents
Bachy A (1964) Tropisme racinaire du palmier à huile. Oléagineux 19:684–685
Bonal D, Atger C, Barigah TS, Ferhi A, Guehl JM, Ferry B (2000) Water acquisition patterns of two wet tropical canopy tree species of French Guiana as inferred from H 182 O extraction profiles. Ann For Sci 57:717–724
Chanzy A, Chadoeuf J, Gaudu JC, Mohrath D, Richard G, Bruckler L (1998) Soil moisture monitoring at the field scale using automatic capacitance probes. Eur J Soil Sci 49:637–648
Dufrêne E, Dubos B, Rey H, Quencez P, Saugier B (1993) Changes in evapotranspiration from an oil palm stand (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) exposed to seasonal water deficits. Oléagineux 48:105–120
Dufrêne E, Saugier B (1993) Gas exchange of oil palm in relation to light, vapour pressure deficit and leaf age. Funct Ecol 7:97–104
Fairhurst T (1996) Management of nutrients for efficient use in smallholder oil palm plantations. PhD, Department of Biological Sciences, Wye College, London, United Kingdom, pp 211
Gale MR, Grigal DF (1987) Vertical root distribution of northern tree species in relation to successional status. Can J For Res 17:829–834
Green SR, Vogeler I, Clothier BE, Mills TM, van den Dijssel C (2003) Modelling water uptake by a mature apple tree. Aust J Soil Res 41:365–380
Groves SJ, Rose SC (2004) Calibration equations for Diviner 2000 capacitance measurements of volumetric soil water content of six soils. Soil Use Manage 20:96–97
Henson IE (1995) Carbon assimilation, water use and energy balance of an oil palm plantation assessed using micrometeorological techniques In: Jalani BS et al (eds) Proceedings 1993 PORIM international palm oil congress – agriculture. Palm Oil Research Institute Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, pp 137–158
IAEA (1975) Root activity patterns of some tree crops. Technical report series No 170, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria, pp 154
Jourdan C, Rey H (1997) Modelling and simulation of the architecture and development of the oil-palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) root system. I. The model. Plant Soil 190:217–233
Jury WA, Gardner WR, Gardner WH (1991) Soil physics (5th ed). Wiley, New York
Katul G, Todd P, Pataki D, Kabala ZJ, Oren R (1997) Soil water depletion by oak trees and the influence of root water uptake on the soil moisture content spatial statistics. Water Resour Res 33:611–623
Koumanov KS, Hopmans JW, Schwankl LJ (2004) Soil water dynamics in the root zone of a micro-sprinkler irrigated almond tree. Acta Hortic 664:369–375
Lambourne J (1935) Notes on the root habit of oil palms. Malay Agric J 23:582–583
Lehman J (2003) Subsoil root activity in tree-based cropping systems. Plant Soil 255:319–331
Meinzer FC, Brooks JR, Bucci S, Goldstein G, Scholz FG, Warren JM (2004) Converging patterns of uptake and hydraulic redistribution of soil water in contrasting woody vegetation types. Tree Physiol 24:919–928
Musters PAD, Bouten W (1999) Assessing rooting depths of an Austrian pine stand by inverse modeling soil water content maps. Water Resour Res 35:3041–3048
Musters PAD, Bouten W (2000) A method for identifying optimum strategies of measuring soil water contents for calibrating a root water uptake model. J Hydrol 227:273–286
Ng SK, Thamboo S, de Souza P (1968) Nutrient contents of oil palms in Malaya II Nutrients in vegetative tissues. Malays Agric J 46:332–391
Purvis C (1956) The root system of the oil palm: its distribution, morphology and anatomy. J West Afr Inst Oil Palm Res Annu Rep 1:60–82
Radersma S, Ong CH (2004) Spatial distribution of root length density and soil water of linear agroforestry systems in sub-humid Kenya: implications for agroforestry models. For Ecol Manage 188:77–89
Ruer P (1967) Répartition en surface du système radiculaire du palmier à huile. Oléagineux 22:535–537
Schroth G, Rodrigues MRL, D’Angelo SA (2000) Spatial patterns of nitrogen mineralization, fertilizer distribution and roots explain nitrate leaching from mature Amazonian oil palm plantation. Soil Use Manage 16:222–229
Soil Survey Staff (1999) Soil taxonomy. A basic system of soil classification for making and interpreting soil surveys. United States Department of Agriculture. Handbook No. 436
Starr JL, Paltineau IC (1998) Soil water dynamics using multisensor capacitance probes in nontraffic interrows of corn. Soil Sci Soc Am J 62:114–122
Tailliez B (1971) La système racinaire du palmier à huile sur la plantation San Alberto (Colombie). Oléagineux 26:435–477
Tinker PB, Nye PH (2000) Solute movement in the rhizosphere. Oxford University Press, New York
Vrugt JA, Hopmans JW, Šimůnek J (2001) Calibration of a two-dimensional root water uptake model. Soil Sci Soc Am J 65:1027–1037
Zaharah AR, Sharifuddin HAH, Ahmad Sahali M, Mohd Hussein MS (1989) Fertilizer placement studies in mature oil palm using isotope technique. Planter Kuala Lumpur 65:384–388
Zuo Q, Meng L, Zhang R (2004) Simulating soil water flow with root–water-uptake applying an inverse method. Soil Sci 169:13–24
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Mason Japara, David Joe, Rex Suma, Enzeng Banabas, Serah Banabas, Yandi Banabas, Hanson Injik, Mark Erick, Jeffrey Tamunda, Maori Nara and Norma Konimor for taking the soil water content readings, to Rose Tobi and Janet Suru for compiling weather data and to William Sirabis for measuring root mass density. The work was funded by the Papua New Guinea Oil Palm Research Association, the European Union (Stabex 4.22) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (SCMN/2000/046).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nelson, P.N., Banabas, M., Scotter, D.R. et al. Using Soil Water Depletion to Measure Spatial Distribution of Root Activity in Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) Plantations. Plant Soil 286, 109–121 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-006-9030-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-006-9030-6