P-696 - Phenotypic characterization of winter/spring cereals and oilseeds, and soybeans in response to Fusarium graminearum using Rhizotrons

Relay cropping (RC) soybeans involves planting soybeans into a living crop, like overwinter cereals, before the first crop is harvested. In order to maintain high yields while reducing environmental costs, it is crucial to target crop plants that best pair with soybeans in RC systems with better developed and/or more efficient root systems. The objective of this study is to characterize phenotypically the effect of the soilborne pathogen F. graminearum (Fg) on root and shoot systems of soybeans and winter/spring cereal crops and oilseeds using Rhizotrons. Rhizotrons were used to observe plant growth in controlled conditions and non‑invasive image acquisition of plant shoot and root systems. Rhizotrons have two compartments, one was filled with potting mixture + F. graminerarum (FG) infected sorghum grain and the other without FG. Rhizotrons were planting with soybean and spring wheat, winter barley, winter rye, spring/winter canola, spring/winter camelina.  All the containers were covered with aluminum foil and incubated on a greenhouse bench with 12-h light. Each of the containers was assessed weekly for stand counts, plant heights, and root lengths until harvested for root and shoot biomass 38 days after planting. Results showed significant (P < 0.05) differences in agronomic features (stand counts, heights, root and shoot biomass) in inoculated vs controls in some of the cereals and oilseeds assessed.