Soil mineral nitrogen availability to young maize plants as related to root length density distribution and fertilizer application method

Abstract

Minirhizotron observations from 4 experiments in 1992 and 1993 with maize on a sandy soil in the Wageningen Rhizolab, Netherlands, showed strong vertical and lateral root density gradients during the first 9 weeks after emergence. Root length density (Lrv), as determined in core samples 9 weeks after emergence, was positively related (P