Table 2 Root length density (RLD) and diameter class length (DCL) for very fine (ø = 0–0.075 mm), fine (ø = 0.075–0.2 mm), medium (ø = 0.2–1 mm) and coarse (ø > 1 mm) root diameters as affected by soil cover.

From: A comparative study of fifteen cover crop species for orchard soil management: water uptake, root density traits and soil aggregate stability

Soil layer

Soil cover

RLD (cm cm−3)

DCL (cm cm−3)

RDW (mg cm−3)

Ø = 0.00–0.075 mm

Ø = 0.075–0.2 mm

Ø = 0.2–1.0 mm

Ø =  > 1.0 mm

0–10 cm

Trifolium michelianum

2.4g

0.619e

1.190f

0.537h

0.006de

3.7fg

Medicago polymorpha

7.4fg

1.265de

4.170ef

1.843fgh

0.027de

4.0efg

Medicago lupulina

13.6ef

1.486de

7.140de

4.738def

0.088bcde

4.8cdef

Medicago truncatula

2.8g

0.290e

1.350f

1.078gh

0.008de

3.2g

Lotus corniculatus

29.7cd

1.114de

4.870def

23.076a

0.540a

8.7a

Festuca arundinacea

59.0a

17.637ab

25.740a

15.347b

0.216b

7.6ab

Festuca ovina

30.3cd

9.749c

12.770bcd

7.384cde

0.068bcde

5.3cde

Festuca rubra commutata

53.7ab

16.699ab

26.100a

10.769bc

0.071bcde

6.2bc

Poa pratensis

52.5ab

23.354a

19.460ab

9.393c

0.178bc

6.1cd

Lolium perenne

33.0bc

11.386bc

11.700bcd

9.844bc

0.032cde

5.1cdef

Dichondra repens

16.1def

0.341e

7.550cde

8.025cde

0.107bcd

5.3cde

Trifolium subterraneum

7.4fg

1.112de

4.080ef

2.195fgh

0.059bcde

4.2efg

Sagina subulata

9.8fg

3.950d

2.960ef

2.667fg

0.001e

4.3efg

Glecoma hederacea

26.9cde

1.736de

16.320abc

8.615cd

0.033cde

4.9cdef

Hieracium pilosella

10.4fg

0.508e

5.540def

4.235ef

0.090bcde

4.7def

P-value

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

10–20 cm

Trifolium michelianum

0.2c

0.029c

0.074c

0.056cd

0.001c

2.3ab

Medicago polymorpha

0.0c

0.025c

0.059c

0.016d

0.000c

0.8ab

Medicago lupulina

1.6bc

0.295c

0.757bc

0.568cd

0.003bc

2.8ab

Medicago truncatula

0.0c

0.000c

0.002c

0.002d

0.000c

0.0b

Lotus corniculatus

7.9a

0.442c

1.297bc

6.173a

0.037a

4.5a

Festuca arundinacea

10.7a

2.269a

5.215a

3.157b

0.016b

4.2a

Festuca ovina

0.3c

0.068c

0.099c

0.090cd

0.000c

4.2a

Festuca rubra commutata

1.3bc

0.249c

0.681bc

0.339cd

0.006bc

4.2a

Poa pratensis

3.4b

1.369b

1.519b

0.521cd

0.008bc

3.7a

Lolium perenne

2.4bc

0.605bc

0.824bc

1.008cd

0.000c

3.6a

Dichondra repens

2.2bc

0.056c

0.732bc

1.415c

0.002bc

4.2a

Trifolium subterraneum

0.1c

0.009c

0.039c

0.050cd

0.000c

1.7ab

Sagina subulata

0.0c

0.000c

0.000c

0.000d

0.000c

0.0b

Glecoma hederacea

0.5c

0.032c

0.228bc

0.220cd

0.000c

4.2a

Hieracium pilosella

0.1c

0.004c

0.026c

0.068cd

0.000c

2.8ab

P-value

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

  1. Lowercase letters indicate differences among treatments within the same soil layer. P-values are reported.
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