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Hydraulic Conductivity of Cotton Roots as Influenced by Plant Age and Rooting Medium
Author(s) -
Brar G. S.,
McMichael B. L.,
Taylor H. M.
Publication year - 1991
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/agronj1991.00021962008300010059x
Subject(s) - hydraulic conductivity , hydroponics , sowing , gossypium hirsutum , conductivity , malvaceae , root system , agronomy , botany , nutrient , horticulture , mathematics , biology , chemistry , soil science , soil water , environmental science , ecology
Models of water extraction by plant root systems often contain the basic assumption that hydraulic conductivity of the root system is a constant value. An experiment was conducted to determine if plant age or rooting medium environmental conditions affected hydraulic conductivity of cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) roots. Hydraulic conductivity was measured by the pressure outflow method at 12, 24, 36, and 48 d after planting (DAP) on roots grown in both hydroponics and sand. Hydraulic conductivity decreased 45% in nutrient‐solution‐grown and 57% in sand‐grown roots from 12 DAP to the mean of 24, 36, and 48 DAP. Hydraulic conductivity of sand‐grown roots was 4 to 10 times lower than that for roots grown hydroponically, whether conductivity was compared at equal DAP or at equal root length.