Agronomy Journal Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education
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Published online 1 May 1970
Published in Agron J 62:313-316 (1970)
© 1970 American Society of Agronomy
677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA
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Effects of Time and Height of Cut on Rooting Activity of Merion Kentucky Bluegrass as Measured by Radioactive Phosphorus Uptake1

J. L. O'Donnell and J. R. Love2

Radioactive phosphorus provides a means by which the depth and lateral extent of ‘Merion’ Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) rooting can be measured over the growing season under field conditions. Each 15.2-cm (6-inch) depth increment, irrespective of the height of cut, was found to have 1.5 to 3 times as much root activity as the increment immediately below it. The depth of rooting activity was least in the spring (May) and increased to a maximum in the fall (October). The relative lateral distribution of root activity for both heights of cut was approximately 62, 27, 8, and 2% of the total activity for each 5.1-cm (2-inch) lateral strip from the line of injection. The lateral extent was least in the spring and greatest in the fall. Throughout the growing season there was more total root activity with the 4.4-cm (1 3/4-inch) cutting height than with the 2.2-cm (7/8-inch) cutting height. In comparison to the radioactive phosphorus method, the physical measurement of roots tends to overestimate the importance of the roots above 20.3 to 25.4 cm (8 to 10 inches) and underestimate the importance of the roots below this depth.

Key Words: Roots - depth and lateral extent • Turfgrass rooting

1 Contribution from the Department of Soil Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 53706, published with the approval of the Director of the Wisconsin Agr. Exp. Sta. This study was supported in part by the O. J. Noer Research Foundation, Inc. Submitted by senior author in partial fulfillment for the M.S. Degree.

2 Formerly graduate student (now superintendent Nakoma C.C., Madison, Wisconsin) and Associate Professor, Department of Soil Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Received for publication August 29, 1969.




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The SCI Journals Crop Science Vadose Zone Journal
Journal of Natural Resources
and Life Sciences Education		 Soil Science Society of America Journal
Journal of Plant Registrations Journal of
Environmental Quality		 The Plant Genome
Copyright © 1970 by the American Society of Agronomy.