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down4thecrown posted an update
Rooting out soil compaction 🌱⬇️
⌬ Phytohormones, particularly ethylene, auxin, and abscisic acid (ABA), play crucial roles in controlling root growth responses to soil compaction.
🔎 In compacted soil, ethylene accumulation around root tips (due to reduced gas diffusion) triggers growth inhibition, reducing root elongation and increasing radial swelling.
🔻 The increased auxin response in the meristematic and elongation zone of epidermal cells results in decreased cell elongation and root growth.
🔀 The combined effects of auxin and ABA generally reduce the ability of roots to elongate rapidly in hard soils.
💧 Soil compaction during dry periods may trigger increased ABA levels due to water limitation, further hindering root growth responses.
👨🌾 There are several strategies to cope with compacted soils:
– Implementing diverse crop rotations to take advantage of different rooting patterns and depths
– Application of deep-rooting cover crops or biological tillage to naturally break up compacted layers
– Avoiding heavy machinery use when soil is wet to prevent further compaction
– Implementing precise irrigation to avoid waterlogging, which can exacerbate compaction issues
– Soil amendment with organic materials that enrich soil fauna that naturally aerate the soil through the creation of pore space
Image: phytohormonal responses to compacted soil (credits: Whalley et al. 2024 In: Beeckman & Eshel (Eds.) 2024 Plant Roots: The Hidden Half; ISBN: 978103235031).
#soil #agriculture #farming