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Quantifying Rhizosphere Respiration in a Corn Crop under Field Conditions

Soils and Crops Research and Development Centre, Research Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2560 Hochelaga Blvd., Ste-Foy, Québec, Canada

Lawrence B. Flanagan

Dep. of Biology, Carleton Univ., 1125 Colonel By Drive, ON K1S 5B6, Canada

*Corresponding author (rochettep{at}em.agr.ca).

ABSTRACT

In order to quantify rhizosphere respiration (R_rh) during the growing season, we monitored the isotope ratio (¹³C) of soil CO₂ in a corn (Zea mays L.) crop that was grown on a soil developed from C₃ plant material. The R_rh was defined as the sum of CO₂ respired by plant roots and CO₂ respired by microbes that feed on organic material produced by the roots. The ¹³C of soil CO₂ in the corn plot changed from an early season low of approximately –20, to mid-season values of approximately –14, before declining again at the end of the growing season. In the control plot (no C₄ plants present) ¹³C values of soil CO₂ were significantly lower than values in the corn plot, averaging approximately –22 throughout most of the season. We observed no significant change in the ¹³C value of soil CO₂ in either the corn or control plots during a diurnal sampling period. The value of R_rh was 1.71 g CO₂ m^–2 d^–1 27 d after planting (DAP), reached 10 g CO₂ m^–2 d^–1 at 44 DAP, remained at about that value until 76 DAP, and gradually decreased to 2.6 g CO₂ m^–2 d^–1 at 141 DAP. The CO₂ respired by the rhizosphere was equivalent to 18 to 25% of crop net photosynthesis and 24 to 35% of crop net CO₂ assimilation during most of the growing season.

Received for publication April 1, 1996.

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