Get on your boots: estimating root biomass and rhizodeposition of peas under field conditions reveals the necessity of field experiments

Aims More sustainable agricultural systems, which contribute to C sequestration and biological N fixation, require accurate quantification of plant C and N inputs into soils. This has to be conducted under field conditions, as there are serious shortcomings to pot-based experiments, which have dominated studies on rhizodeposition estimation in the past. Therefore, amounts of below-ground plant C, N, and especially the rhizodeposition of peas were quantified in the field more accurately, with particular emphasis on their transfer into different soil compartments during vegetation. Methods Pea (Pisum sativum L.) plants were labelled with multiple pulses of C-13-glucose and N-15 urea using the cotton wick method. Plants were harvested at four dates depending on plant development. Representative soil samples were taken at harvest with a special drilling tool, considering the spatial distribution of pea roots. Results Our results indicate that the quantity of C and N rhizodeposition did not change between flowering and maturity. About one third of the C and N rhizodeposits were present in microbial biomass and extractable C or the inorganic N pool of soil. When comparing this field study to a former pot experiment, a higher root-to-shoot ratio was detected; also the rhizodeposition-to-root ratio was altered in the field, questioning the assumption that results from pot experiments can be transferred to field conditions. Conclusions Due to a higher below-ground C (BGC) and N (BGN) input compared to pot experiments, studies aiming at quantifying BGC and BGN input will have to be conducted under field conditions.