Abstract
Effects of living mulch cultivation with wheat or barley on root growth and root development of soybean were examined by using multicolor staining method. In living mulch plot with barley, top dry weight, root weight and root length of soybean were decreased compared to that in single-soybean plot. In living mulch plot with wheat, top dry weight of the soybean was not affected by wheat, while root weight and total root length of soybean were decreased. It was shown that barley root developed into soybean root zone at the early growth stage and root distribution of soybean was suppressed. Development of soybean root was affected by neighboring wheat and barley, while that of wheat and barley were not affected by soybean. These results supposed that roots competition between soybean and wheat or barley occurred immediately after sowing, and the extent of competition with barley was stronger than with wheat.
