Root growth of some tropical crops in uniform columns [maize, cowpea, cassava, yam, sweet potato]
1982
Lal, R. | Maurya, P.R. (International Inst. of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan (Nigeria))
Root system of maize, cowpea, maize and cowpea inter-cropped, cassava, yam and sweet potato were investigated in large boxes 240 x 115 X 20cm. One broad side of these boxes was made of a removable transparent plexiglass sheet. The soil was packed in the boxes at a dry bulk density of 1.28 g cm('-3). Maize roots penetrated to a depth of 135cm in 4 weeks and 240cm in eight weeks after seeding. Total root mass at 4 weeks after seeding was 3.53 and 22.0g per plant for cowpea and maize, respectively. In eight weeks total root mass of cowpea was 130g per plant compared with 292g per plant for maze. The effect of mixed cropping was to increase the total root mass compared with sole crop of maize or cowpea. However, the sum of the root mass of sole maize and cowpea was greater than the total root mass of maize and cowpea grown simultaneously. Among the tuberous crops investigated, cassava has a very deep and prolific root system and sweet potato has a very shallow root system. Results are discussed in terms of agronomic implications towards spacing, optimum plant population, and tillage practices.
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