A Study on the Relationship Between Wheat Root Development and Soil Texture

Abstract

The wheat root system is crucial for nutrient uptake, drought tolerance, and crop yield. This study explores the impact of soil texture on wheat root development, focusing on sandy, loamy, and clayey soils in two wheat varieties, Saraybosna and Alparslan. Using PVC tubes filled with different soils, root traits such as length, depth, diameter, volume, and dry weight were analyzed with image analysis software. Results showed that soil texture significantly affects root growth, with sandy and loamy soils promoting better development than clayey soil. Saraybosna exhibited superior root growth across all soil types, especially in sandy soil, achieving the highest root length and dry weight. In contrast, Alparslan showed reduced growth in clayey soil. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified root dry weight, depth, and length as key factors influencing development. These findings emphasize the importance of soil texture in root growth and optimizing wheat variety selection for better yields. The results also highlight the importance of root system plasticity, which is a still not well-known trait.