Here’s a link to an article about a study and book written in 1927 by a professor at the University of Nebraska. He and his team planted a wide range of vegetables in multiples of three and dug up their root systems at various stages of growth to map their growth. Also included in the book is cultural comments with regards to how growers can best protect each crop roots. Quite an impressive undertaking that I doubt today’s researchers and grad students would put in the time needed to do it right.
If your interest is peaked, here’s a link to a free .pdf of the book.
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I think you are correct. For one thing it’s already been done. You can’t expect credit for repeating what’s done and known. Also it’s interesting but not really that useful. A different soil will probably give different results.
I think today’s researcher would take a different approach. Less manual labor and more about sophisticated instrumentation. Something that would measure water use, plant water stress, or crop water needs. But then I’m 20 years out of date on crop research needs and methods.
The author also did a book in 1926 on field crops and grasslands in which goes into the techniques involved and the history going back to 1889 where scientists studied root systems. Back then people tried using water to wash away soil and others built frames in the soil to hold roots in place as soil was removed.
I’ve seen Virginia Tech’s corn root pits at Ag Expos showing roots 4 to 5 foot deep. Tiny roots by then but still interesting to see them that deep in soils I would struggle to dig a post hole in.
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