Rooting systems of oilseed and pulse crops. II: Vertical distribution patterns across the soil profile

► Root length density, surface area, and the number of root tips all decreased rapidly with the increase of soil depth from 0 to 100 cm. ► About >90% of the roots were distributed in the top 60 cm soil segment, with most roots occurring in the top 20-cm soil. ► Pulse crops have the thickest roots (i.e., roots with largest diameter) among the species tested, and may function as a “tillage” to the soil. ► Rotating oilseeds and wheat with pulse crops in a well-designed crop sequence may improve water use efficiency at a system level.