A new compartmentalised rhizotron system for root phenotyping

Although roots are the key organs for plant fitness, studies on root phenotyping and dynamics of water uptake are difficult and costly. Here we present a new compartmentalised rhizotron system that attempts to integrate some positive features of conventional methods for assessing root patterns at field and laboratory scale. The system has a petrolatum/paraffin hydrophobic film, which allows the compartmentalisation of soil layers along the cylinder profile, thus roots and soil moisture content are split into completely independent segments. In this preliminary study, we tested the system by creating a top-bottom split root arrangement that mimic the fluctuating levels of a water table to determine the dynamic interrelationship of canopy water conservation and root water acquisition from both shallow and deep roots of giant reed. Thanks to its versatility, the system enabled us to perform a root phenotyping study within distinct and independent soil portions.