Rooting patterns and aucubin content of Plantago lanceolata varieties

Abstract

Abstract This study investigated the potential of Plantago lanceolata as an alternative plant to mitigate the environmental impacts of agriculture in the face of climate change. Eleven genotypes of ribwort were compared under field conditions in northern Switzerland, focusing on the characteristics of the root system and the aucubin content in the leaves and roots. Aucubin, known to inhibit nitrification process in the soil, varied according to genotype and season. The content of secondary metabolite in leaves was higher than in roots, which may indicate the greater importance of leaves in reducing soil nitrification. Dry matter yield and for the first time root characteristics, such as length density and specific root length, were evaluated at two different depths, and at different positions in the experimental plots. The results showed that ribwort is well adapted in terms of rooting in topsoil. In addition, the plant's ability to root deeply after one year of cultivation under field conditions has been demonstrated, reaching depths of up to 1.88 metres. This allows the plant to effectively absorb water and nutrients from the subsoil layers.