Root Growth and Water Uptake by Maize Plants in Drying Soil

Sharp, R. E and Da vies, W. J. 1985. Root growth and water uptake by maize plants in drying soil.— J. exp. Bot. 36: 1441-1456. The influence of soil drying on maize (Zea mays L.) root distribution and use of soil water was examined using plants growing in the greenhouse in soil columns. The roots of plants which were watered well throughout the 18 d experimental period penetrated the soil profile to a depth of 60 cm while the greatest percentage of total root length was between 20-40 cm. High soil water depletion rates corresponded with these high root densities. Withholding water greatly restricted root proliferation in the upper part of the profile, but resulted in deeper penetration and higher soil water depletion rates at depth, compared with the well watered columns. The deep roots of the unwatered plants exhibited very high soil water depletion rates per unit root length.

[1]  H. Street,et al.  Stimulation of the Growth of Excised Cultured Roots of Soya Bean by Abscisic Acid , 1977 .

[2]  E. A. Hurd.  Phenotype and drought tolerance in wheat , 1974 .

[3]  D. Clarkson,et al.  Ion Uptake and Root Age , 1968, Nature.

[4]  B. P. Ghildyal,et al.  Soil Water-Root Relations in Wheat: Water Extraction Rate of Wheat Roots that Developed under Dry and Moist Conditions 1 , 1977 .

[5]  J. E. Weaver.  Root development of field crops , 1926 .

[6]  J. Boyer,et al.  Complete turgor maintenance at low water potentials in the elongating region of maize leaves. , 1982, Plant physiology.

[7]  B. D. Doss,et al.  Effect of Soil Moisture Level on Root Distribution of Cool‐Season Forage Species1 , 1960 .

[8]  J. Passioura.  The effect of root geometry on the yield of wheat growing on stored water , 1972 .

[9]  Peter J. Gregory,et al.  Water relations of winter wheat: 2. Soil water relations , 1978, The Journal of Agricultural Science.

[10]  M. Drew.  PROPERTIES OF ROOTS WHICH INFLUENCE RATES OF ABSORPTION , 1979 .

[11]  C. D. Nickell,et al.  Soybean Root Development and Soil Water Depletion , 1976 .

[12]  M. Shone,et al.  Effects of localized and overall water stress on assimilate partitioning in barley between shoots, roots and root exudates , 1983 .

[13]  H. M. Taylor,et al.  Water uptake by soya-bean roots as affected by their depth and by soil water content , 1978, The Journal of Agricultural Science.

[14]  H. M. Taylor,et al.  Rooting Density and Water Extraction Patterns for Corn (Zea mays L.) 1 , 1973 .

[15]  W. R. Gardner,et al.  Water Uptake By Plants: II. The Root Contact Model , 1977 .

[16]  P. E. Weatherley,et al.  THE LOCATION OF THE RESISTANCE TO WATER MOVEMENT IN THE SOIL SUPPLYING THE ROOTS OF TRANSPIRING PLANTS , 1977 .

[17]  E. Newman.  RESISTANCE TO WATER FLOW IN SOIL AND PLANT I. SOIL RESISTANCE IN RELATION TO AMOUNTS OF ROOT: THEORETICAL , 1969 .

[18]  H. M. Taylor,et al.  Diurnal variations in root diameter. , 1970, Plant physiology.

[19]  H. M. Taylor,et al.  Water Relations and Growth of Cotton in Drying Soil1 , 1973 .

[20]  W. R. Gardner,et al.  Water Uptake by Plants: I. Divided Root Experiments , 1977 .

[21]  G. J. Burch,et al.  Agronomic and physiological responses of soybean and sorghum crops to water deficits II. Crop evaporation, soil water depletion and root distribution , 1978 .

[22]  A. Frank,et al.  Rates of Photosynthesis and Transpiration and Diffusive Resistance of Six Grasses Grown Under Controlled Conditions1 , 1976 .

[23]  W. Davies,et al.  Root and Shoot Growth of Plants Treated with Abscisic Acid , 1981 .

[24]  J. Mcwilliam,et al.  The nature of the perennial response in Mediterranean grasses. I. Water relations and summer survival in Phalaris , 1968 .

[25]  I. Alexander,et al.  Plant Root Systems. Their Function and Interaction with the Soil. , 1978 .

[26]  D. A. Phillips,et al.  An Instrument for Estimating the Total Length of Root in a Sample , 1974 .

[27]  M. Caldwell.  Root Extension and Water Absorption , 1976 .

[28]  E. A. Garwood,et al.  Use of water by six grass species. 2. Root distribution and use of soil water , 1979, The Journal of Agricultural Science.

[29]  Peter J. Gregory,et al.  Water relations of winter wheat , 1979, The Journal of Agricultural Science.

[30]  R. E. Ramig,et al.  Root Development of Winter Wheat as Influenced by Soil Moisture and Nitrogen Fertilization1 , 1957 .

[31]  M. Shone,et al.  EFFECTS OF PERIODS OF LOCALIZED WATER STRESS ON SUBSEQUENT NUTRIENT UPTAKE BY BARLEY ROOTS AND THEIR ADAPTATION BY OSMOTIC ADJUSTMENT , 1983 .