Jatropha curcasL. Root Structure and Growth in Diverse Soils
Open Access
- 5 June 2013
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Hindawi Limited in The Scientific World Journal
- Vol. 2013, 1-9
- https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/827295
Abstract
Unlike most biofuel species,Jatropha curcashas promise for use in marginal lands, but it may serve an additional role by stabilizing soils. We evaluated the growth and structural responsiveness of youngJ. curcasplants to diverse soil conditions. Soils included a sand, a sandy-loam, and a clay-loam from eastern Mexico. Growth and structural parameters were analyzed for shoots and roots, although the focus was the plasticity of the primary root system architecture (the taproot and four lateral roots). The sandy soil reduced the growth of both shoot and root systems significantly more than sandy-loam or clay-loam soils; there was particularly high plasticity in root and shoot thickness, as well as shoot length. However, the architecture of the primary root system did not vary with soil type; the departure of the primary root system from an index of perfect symmetry was% (mean ± standard deviation). AlthoughJ. curcasdeveloped more extensively in the sandy-loam and clay-loam soils than in sandy soil, it maintained a consistent root to shoot ratio and root system architecture across all types of soil. This strong genetic determination would make the species useful for soil stabilization purposes, even while being cultivated primarily for seed oil.
Keywords
This publication has 20 references indexed in Scilit:
- Soil texture effects on the development of Jatropha seedlings – Mexican variety ‘piñón manso’Biomass and Bioenergy, 2011
- More than biofuel? Jatropha curcas root system symmetry and potential for soil erosion controlJournal of Arid Environments, 2010
- Evaluation of plant performance of Jatropha curcas L. under different agro-practices for optimizing biomass – A case studyBiomass and Bioenergy, 2009
- Jatropha bio-diesel production and useBiomass and Bioenergy, 2008
- Distribution and development strategy for Jatropha curcas L. in Yunnan Province, Southwest ChinaForest Science and Practice, 2007
- Performance of some under‐explored crops under saline irrigation in a semiarid climate in Northwest IndiaLand Degradation & Development, 2006
- Chemical composition, toxic/antimetabolic constituents, and effects of different treatments on their levels, in four provenances of L. from MexicoFood Chemistry, 2006
- Root architecture and wind‐firmness of mature Pinus pinasterNew Phytologist, 2005
- Exploration of a plant architecture database with the AMAPmod software illustrated on an apple tree hybrid familyAgronomy for Sustainable Development, 1999
- DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING MECHANICAL ANALYSES OF SOILS BY THE HYDROMETER METHODSoil Science, 1936