Analysis of Crown and Root Orientation of Quercus suber in Relation to the Irrigation System Using a Magnetic Digitizer

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of the spatial distribution of soil water and nutrients on cork oak (Quercus suber) architecture. Fertirrigation is being tested in cork oak plantations to accelerate tree growth up to the production stage. To assess the impact of wet bulb location on tree development, six trees (three subjected to subsurface drip irrigation and three controls) were fully excavated at a sandy soil site, along with a seventh tree subjected to surface drip irrigation at a sandy loam soil site. The aerial parts of the trees were digitized using a Polhemus Fastrak magnetic digitizer and segmented into orders starting from the main trunk. Roots with diameters greater than 0.5 cm were digitized during excavation and segmented by size and order from the root collar. For each segment, length, orientation, and spatial location were calculated. General linear models were then applied to compare total root length across orientation and quadrant classes. Crown architecture was influenced by factors such as light competition. Irrigation treatments did not significantly affect root architecture when wet bulb formation was constrained. However, tree no. 7 had 50% of its total root length located within the wet bulb quadrant. These findings suggest that differences in soil type and irrigation method influence wet bulb formation, potentially reducing the impact of fertirrigation on root architecture. Strategies to minimize tree dependence on wet bulb zones are crucial for enabling future irrigation suppression.