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Growth of Wheat and Barley Seedlings at Different Matric and Osmotic Potentials
Author(s) -
Hao X.,
Jong E.
Publication year - 1988
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/agronj1988.00021962008000050023x
Subject(s) - water potential , loam , shoot , osmotic pressure , agronomy , hordeum vulgare , germination , chemistry , soil water , poaceae , botany , biology , soil science , environmental science
Since saline and drought conditions often occur together, plant response to the combined stresses is of considerable interest. The effects of matric and osmotic potential on shoot and root growth of wheat ( Triticum aestivum, cv. Neepawa) and barley ( Hordeum vulgare, cv. Bonanza) were investigated in a growth chamber. An artificially salinized Dark Brown Chernozemic sandy loam soil (Typic Borolls) was used in the study. The plants were germinated in nonsaline soil, transplanted onto columns with different osmotic and matric potentials, and grown for up to 8 d. Osmotic potentials of −0.1 to −1.0 MPa and matric potentials of −0.01 to −2.5 MPa reduced shoot and root growth, but the effects of the matric and osmotic stress were not necessarily quantitatively equal. A marked interaction between the two potentials occurred at high stress levels. In the most saline treatments, root growth was greater in the dry than the wet treatments. It is suggested that the latter is due to increased salt accumulation around the roots caused by more rapid mass flow in the wettest soil.