Jatropha curcas L. Root Structure and Growth in Diverse Soils
Unlike most biofuel species, Jatropha curcas has promise for use in marginal lands, but it may serve an additional role by stabilizing soils. We evaluated the growth and structural responsiveness of young J. curcas plants to diverse soil conditions. Soils included a sand, a sandy-loam, and a clay-l...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2013-01-01
|
| Series: | The Scientific World Journal |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/827295 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849307999346098176 |
|---|---|
| author | Ofelia Andrea Valdés-Rodríguez Odilón Sánchez-Sánchez Arturo Pérez-Vázquez Joshua S. Caplan Frédéric Danjon |
| author_facet | Ofelia Andrea Valdés-Rodríguez Odilón Sánchez-Sánchez Arturo Pérez-Vázquez Joshua S. Caplan Frédéric Danjon |
| author_sort | Ofelia Andrea Valdés-Rodríguez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Unlike most biofuel species, Jatropha curcas has promise for use in marginal lands, but it may serve an additional role by stabilizing soils. We evaluated the growth and structural responsiveness of young J. curcas plants to diverse soil conditions. Soils included a sand, a sandy-loam, and a clay-loam from eastern Mexico. Growth and structural parameters were analyzed for shoots and roots, although the focus was the plasticity of the primary root system architecture (the taproot and four lateral roots). The sandy soil reduced the growth of both shoot and root systems significantly more than sandy-loam or clay-loam soils; there was particularly high plasticity in root and shoot thickness, as well as shoot length. However, the architecture of the primary root system did not vary with soil type; the departure of the primary root system from an index of perfect symmetry was 14±5% (mean ± standard deviation). Although J. curcas developed more extensively in the sandy-loam and clay-loam soils than in sandy soil, it maintained a consistent root to shoot ratio and root system architecture across all types of soil. This strong genetic determination would make the species useful for soil stabilization purposes, even while being cultivated primarily for seed oil. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1fc5a62383e94a53be87c2db31f0343e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1537-744X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Scientific World Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-1fc5a62383e94a53be87c2db31f0343e2025-08-20T03:54:36ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2013-01-01201310.1155/2013/827295827295Jatropha curcas L. Root Structure and Growth in Diverse SoilsOfelia Andrea Valdés-Rodríguez0Odilón Sánchez-Sánchez1Arturo Pérez-Vázquez2Joshua S. Caplan3Frédéric Danjon4Colegio de Postgraduados, Campus Veracruz 421, 91690 Veracruz, VER, MexicoCentro de Investigaciones Tropicales, UV 91110 Xalapa, VER, MexicoColegio de Postgraduados, Campus Veracruz 421, 91690 Veracruz, VER, MexicoDepartment of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USAINRA, UMR1202 BIOGECO, 33610 Cestas, FranceUnlike most biofuel species, Jatropha curcas has promise for use in marginal lands, but it may serve an additional role by stabilizing soils. We evaluated the growth and structural responsiveness of young J. curcas plants to diverse soil conditions. Soils included a sand, a sandy-loam, and a clay-loam from eastern Mexico. Growth and structural parameters were analyzed for shoots and roots, although the focus was the plasticity of the primary root system architecture (the taproot and four lateral roots). The sandy soil reduced the growth of both shoot and root systems significantly more than sandy-loam or clay-loam soils; there was particularly high plasticity in root and shoot thickness, as well as shoot length. However, the architecture of the primary root system did not vary with soil type; the departure of the primary root system from an index of perfect symmetry was 14±5% (mean ± standard deviation). Although J. curcas developed more extensively in the sandy-loam and clay-loam soils than in sandy soil, it maintained a consistent root to shoot ratio and root system architecture across all types of soil. This strong genetic determination would make the species useful for soil stabilization purposes, even while being cultivated primarily for seed oil.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/827295 |
| spellingShingle | Ofelia Andrea Valdés-Rodríguez Odilón Sánchez-Sánchez Arturo Pérez-Vázquez Joshua S. Caplan Frédéric Danjon Jatropha curcas L. Root Structure and Growth in Diverse Soils The Scientific World Journal |
| title | Jatropha curcas L. Root Structure and Growth in Diverse Soils |
| title_full | Jatropha curcas L. Root Structure and Growth in Diverse Soils |
| title_fullStr | Jatropha curcas L. Root Structure and Growth in Diverse Soils |
| title_full_unstemmed | Jatropha curcas L. Root Structure and Growth in Diverse Soils |
| title_short | Jatropha curcas L. Root Structure and Growth in Diverse Soils |
| title_sort | jatropha curcas l root structure and growth in diverse soils |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/827295 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ofeliaandreavaldesrodriguez jatrophacurcaslrootstructureandgrowthindiversesoils AT odilonsanchezsanchez jatrophacurcaslrootstructureandgrowthindiversesoils AT arturoperezvazquez jatrophacurcaslrootstructureandgrowthindiversesoils AT joshuascaplan jatrophacurcaslrootstructureandgrowthindiversesoils AT fredericdanjon jatrophacurcaslrootstructureandgrowthindiversesoils |