Root Methods: A Handbook

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.