Formation of densely branched lateral roots in Sesbania cannabina triggered by patchily distributed phosphorus in andosolic soils

Phosphorus (P) is patchily distributed in soil because of its slow diffusion, especially in soil with a high phosphate absorption coefficient (PAC). Root responses to localized supply of phosphate were studied in Sesbania cannabina grown in volcanic andosol, which has a high PAC. Seedlings were grown in soil that was supplied with 0, 10, 100, 500, or 1000 mg P kg. After 30 days, analyses of plant P and root morphological were conducted. Further rhizobox experiments were also conducted. Seedlings were grown with layered P sources or localized P patches. Densely branched lateral roots (DBLRs) developed only in the 10 and 100 mg P kg treatments. Although an increase in shoot dry weight (DW) was observed in the 500 and 1000 mg P kg treatments, DBLRs were not observed. The number of DBLRs was positively correlated with shoot DW, root DW, and number of nodules, and negatively correlated with phosphorus use efficiency of shoots and roots. The rhizobox experiment showed that most DBLRs were observed in the layer with added P and in the position where P fertilizer was present. DBLRs developed so as to monopolize the P fertilizer by completely enveloping the area around it. The results suggest that DBLR formation is one of S. cannabina’s P acquisition strategies.