Root Methods

Why a New Handbook on Root Methods? Uptake of water and nutrients is a key process in agricultural and natural ecosystems. Plant roots play a vital role in the supply of resources for growth, and yet we have a relatively poor understanding of how they function in the natural soil environment. Dr. B6hm began the Preface of his standard text on root research methods (B6hm 1979) with the comment: 'Root research under natural jield conditions is a step-child of science. The reason for this is primarily methodological. The known methods are tedious, time-consuming and the accuracy of their results is of ten not very great'. Although improvements have been made recently for some methods, working on roots is stiH tedious and time-consuming. Compared to some other disci- plines, a root researcher requires a considerable budget for his or her work. It is for this reason that in root research careful planning, the choice of appro- priate methods and also a clear idea of which root characteristic should be observed in relation to the goal of the research question are fundamental. Con- sequently, it is recommended to make use of 'root experience' developed else- where as much as possible.