Root length and mass densities of vitis vinifera l. Cultivars ‘muscat gordo blanco’ and ‘shiraz’

Abstract

Root length and mass densities were measured in Vitis vinifera L. cultivars ‘Shiraz’ and ‘Muscat Gordo Blanco’ vines which grew adjacent to each other under the same cultural conditions. Samples were taken from the top 75 cm of soil at lateral distances of 50, 100, and 150 cm from the vine butt. In both cultivars, the greatest length density was found at a lateral distance of 150 cm from the vine and between 15 and 45 cm depth. The greatest mass density in both cultivars occurred at a lateral distance of 50 cm from the vine. In ‘Shiraz’ the greatest mass density occurred between 15 and 60 cm depth, whereas in ‘Muscat Gordo Blanco’ it occurred higher in the profile between 15 and 45 cm depth. The estimated root mass densities for ‘Shiraz’ and ‘Muscat Gordo Blanco’ were equivalent with values of 1.3 and 1.2 kg/m, respectively, and similar to other published values. However, the estimated root length density of ‘Shiraz’, 1.1 km/m, was higher than ‘Muscat Gordo Blanco’, 0.8 km/m. Both were higher than other reported values. ‘Shiraz’ achieved a higher root length density because 47% of the root mass was fine roots, i.e., < 2 mm in diameter. ‘Muscat Gordo Blanco’ only had 26% of the root mass as fine roots. © 1994 The Royal Society of New Zealand.