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A STUDY OF THE ROOT SYSTEM OF BARLEY
Author(s) -
HACKETT C.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1969.tb06502.x
Subject(s) - root system , nutrient , hordeum vulgare , biology , phosphorus , root (linguistics) , agronomy , potassium , botany , poaceae , chemistry , ecology , linguistics , philosophy , organic chemistry
S ummary Relationships between the number, length, surface area, volume and dry weight of the root members of two varieties of barley ( Hordeum vulgare L. vars Maris Badger and Proctor) were examined over the first 4 weeks of growth in water culture. Plants given a complete nutrient supply were compared with plants deficient in potassium or phosphorus. Although there were large effects of age, variety and nutrition on all the root dimensions, relationships between the dimensions varied comparatively little. In consequence, effects of age, variety and nutrition on the rate of nutrient uptake per unit of root were qualitatively similar whichever dimension of the root system was considered. It is shown by reference to descriptions of root systems published elsewhere that constancy in relationships between root dimensions occurs in solid media also. This property of root systems, which appears to result quite straightforwardly from the contrasting morphological characteristics of root axes and laterals, may help to simplify some aspects of the study of nutrient absorption by roots.