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Home → Publications → Tree Planters' Notes → Tree Planters' Notes Volume 51, Number 1 (2005) → An Inexpensive Rhizotron Design for Two-Dimensional, Horizontal Root Growth Measurements

An Inexpensive Rhizotron Design for Two-Dimensional, Horizontal Root Growth Measurements

We designed, constructed, and tested an observational system that supports two-dimensional, horizontal root growth measurements over time without disturbing aboveground plant growth and without the need for destructive sampling of roots. Our rhizotrons allow for (1) studying relatively greater numbers of plants at any given time than is now possible under traditional technologies in a crop development context, (2) observing the horizontal orientation of root systems, which ultimately supports the study of competition among crop trees and between crop trees and invasive weed species, and (3) acquiring novel rooting data that can be input to a plant growth model. Our system is primarily constructed using common materials such as plexiglass and aluminum channel at approximately $375.00 per unit.


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Author(s): Adam H. Wiese, Donald E. Riemenschneider, Ronald S. Zalesny, Jr.

Publication: Tree Planters' Notes - Volume 51, Number 1 (2005)

Volume: 51

Number: 1