2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Study on the root property and waterlogging tolerance of biomass crops

Research Project

Project/Area Number	23580019
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Research Field	Crop science/Weed science
Research Institution	The University of Tokyo
Principal Investigator	ABE Jun 東京大学, 農学生命科学研究科, 助教 (60221727)
Project Period (FY)	2011 – 2013
Keywords	工芸作物 / 耐湿性 / 根系
Research Abstract	Tolerance against excessive soil water content and waterlogging was examined for biomass crops, Erinathus spp., Napier grass, kenaf, and Jatropha curcas. All the four plants showed higher tolerance than maize and soybean; especially, Napier grass and kenaf, which formed superficial roots in a short period after the onset of waterlogging, resulted in rather high shoot biomass. Such relation between superficial root formation under waterlogging and maintenance of shoot biomass was found in the experiments on the varietal difference among Napier grass varieties. In case of Erianthus, excessive soil anaerobic condition declined next-year shoot growth. The excessive soil anaerobic condition may have disturbed the starch deposition in root stele of Erianthus during winter as the source of spring growth.