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Morphological Effects of Moisture Stress on Burley Tobacco 1
Author(s) -
Ligon J. T.,
Benoit G. R.
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1966.00021962005800010012x
Subject(s) - loam , moisture , moisture stress , stalk , agronomy , irrigation , dry weight , water content , greenhouse , soil water , environmental science , field capacity , water stress , horticulture , chemistry , biology , soil science , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , engineering
The effects of moisture stress, brought about by increased levels of soil moisture tension, on the morphological development of greenhouse‐grown burley tobacco plants were studied during the summers of 1963 and 1964. The tobacco plants were transplanted into cans (one plant per can) containing 160 pounds (oven dry basis) of Maury silt loam. The moisture treatments were, 1, to maintain the soil near 100% of available water, and 2, 3, 4, and 5, to return the soil to field capacity when the moisture decreased to 75, 50, 25, and 0% of available water. These percent available water values correspond to tension values of 0.25, 0.42, 0.96, 3.50 and 15 atmospheres, respectively. The results show that increased soil moisture tension resulted in decreases in total leaf area development, rate of leaf area development, and total dry weight of leaves (for treatments 3, 4, and 5). Irrigation of stressed plants resulted in increased growth rates which did not exceed the normal rates of continually nonstressed plants except as the nonstressed plants approached maturity. In addition, increased moisture tension delayed maturity, decreased quality, reduced stalk weight, and increased the ratio of leaf weight to stalk weight.