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Coldwater, Michigan | I hope this makes sense. Roots don't, as such, grow to fertilizer. They neither see, nor smell. They intercept. Having said that: when they intercept you have one of two things generally happen. If it is too high of a concentration of fertilizer (for instance nitrogen) you can burn the roots (assuming the fertilizer didn't kill the plant) and stop growth in that area, at least for a time. You can often see this as stubbie root ends.
The second general observation is that in the area of the band ( assuming no damage) you will generally have a proliferation of small, fine roots in the area of the band. The major roots of the plant go in a direction from the seedling , and later within the soil profile. Where they ( the big ones) encounter fertilizer, you will usually have an abundance of fine roots. The large roots don't stop growing outward, unless damaged. It is the fine roots that give us the higher uptake of nutrients when conpared to the larger roots. It is this additional uptake that gives the band the advantage over some forms of broadcast. Also, something that should not be discounted. Because the roots hit the Phosphorous so much quicker in a band application, you get more into the plant before the soil solution can tie-up the Phosphorous. "P" is particularly responsive to this application, more so than most of our major nutrients.
Then you have the "seed-placers" like me, who think you should seed-place your starter, because the roots get into it quicker, and you have the roots directly below the plant, therefore getting a balanced root system feeding the plant, rather than a one-sided root system feeding the plant. You'll then have a lot of fine hairs in a ball directly below the plant.
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a question for you plant growth experts and any others
