Biomechanical properties of the growing and decaying roots of Cynodon dactylon

TY - JOUR

T1 - Biomechanical properties of the growing and decaying roots of Cynodon dactylon

AU - Kamchoom, Viroon

AU - Boldrin, David

AU - Leung, Anthony Kwan

AU - Sookkrajang, Chanakan

AU - Likitlersuang, Suched

N1 - Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

PY - 2022/2

Y1 - 2022/2

N2 - Aim: Root growth and decay may affect root reinforcement to soil erosion and stability. We measured the effects of growth and decay on the tensile strength of Cynodon dactylon roots considering different causes of mortality common to agricultural land conversion (i.e. burning and herbicide application).Method: We applied three treatments to C. dactylon grass: (i) growth duration (60, 120 and 180 days), (ii) decay duration after burning (30, 60, 120, 180 and 360 days) and (iii) decay duration after herbicide application (15, 30 and 60 days). The diameter, tensile strength and cellulose and lignin contents of root samples (n = 303) in different treatments were measured.Results: Tensile strength–diameter relations followed a negative power law regardless of treatment (R2 > 0.6). The increase in median tensile strength values due to grass growth was consistent with the increase in cellulose and lignin contents. Root decay by herbicide application caused significantly greater and faster reduction in tensile strength than burning treatment because of the faster reduction of cellulose and lignin contents.Conclusion: Root decay due to different causes of plant mortality can increase susceptibility to erosion and slope instability during the conversion of agricultural land. Measures on slope safety and erosion are vital when using herbicides for weed clearance in farmlands due to the faster deterioration of root chemical composition and root tensile strength (compared with burning).

AB - Aim: Root growth and decay may affect root reinforcement to soil erosion and stability. We measured the effects of growth and decay on the tensile strength of Cynodon dactylon roots considering different causes of mortality common to agricultural land conversion (i.e. burning and herbicide application).Method: We applied three treatments to C. dactylon grass: (i) growth duration (60, 120 and 180 days), (ii) decay duration after burning (30, 60, 120, 180 and 360 days) and (iii) decay duration after herbicide application (15, 30 and 60 days). The diameter, tensile strength and cellulose and lignin contents of root samples (n = 303) in different treatments were measured.Results: Tensile strength–diameter relations followed a negative power law regardless of treatment (R2 > 0.6). The increase in median tensile strength values due to grass growth was consistent with the increase in cellulose and lignin contents. Root decay by herbicide application caused significantly greater and faster reduction in tensile strength than burning treatment because of the faster reduction of cellulose and lignin contents.Conclusion: Root decay due to different causes of plant mortality can increase susceptibility to erosion and slope instability during the conversion of agricultural land. Measures on slope safety and erosion are vital when using herbicides for weed clearance in farmlands due to the faster deterioration of root chemical composition and root tensile strength (compared with burning).

KW - Burning

KW - Cellulose

KW - Herbicide

KW - Lignin

KW - Root decay

KW - Root tensile strength

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85118855056

U2 - 10.1007/s11104-021-05207-1

DO - 10.1007/s11104-021-05207-1

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85118855056

SN - 0032-079X

VL - 471

SP - 193

EP - 210

JO - Plant and Soil

JF - Plant and Soil

IS - 1-2

ER -