Cultivar differences in early spatial distribution of wheat, onion and lettuce roots

Summary

Organic plant production is generally dependent on import of plant nutrients from conventional farming 26 systems. With increasing focus on reducing the conventional import, increased nutrient use efficiency is an 27 aim in organic agricultural systems. One way to achieve this is by choosing nutrient efficient cultivars or by 28 breeding for such. It is especially in the plant establishment phase, that an efficient nutrient uptake is 29 important. At this stage, plants have limited root growth and thereby limited soil contact and nutrient 30 uptake. The possibility of the initial roots to exploit as large a volume as possible will therefore increase 31 nutrient uptake. In addition, in early spring nutrient levels in the soil are low as mineralization is affected by 32 cold soil temperatures.