Effects of growing plants on humus and plant residue decomposition in soil; uptake of decomposition products by plants
1989
Haider, K. | Heinemeyer, O. | Mosier, A.R.
Phytotron studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of growing corn plants (Zea mays L.) on soil organic constituent decomposition. Soils, in plastic pots, were amended with either 14C-labeled plant residues, soil organic matter, or lignin and either planted or left unplanted. The temperature and moisture conditions of the soil-plant system were carefully controlled. The total and 14CO2 evolved from the pot headspace was monitored throughout the growth period. At indicated times, plants and soils were destructively sampled and analyzed for their 14C content. Growing plants did not significantly affect plant residue mineralization but did decrease the amount of labeled organicmatter or lignin remaining in the soil. Little 14C was taken up by plants growing in a soil in which plant residues were decomposing. 14C uptake was somewhat higher when plants grew in a soil with labeled soil organic matter and was significantly higher in a soil amended with 14C-lignin. Significant amounts of the absorbed 14C were translocated from the roots into the sprouts.
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