Premium
Seedling Test for the Quantitative Measurement of Root Tolerances to Compacted Soil 1
Author(s) -
Asady G. H.,
Smucker A. J. M.,
Adams M. W.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1985.0011183x002500050019x
Subject(s) - seedling , phaseolus , penetration (warfare) , biology , soil water , porosity , agronomy , sowing , xylem , horticulture , bulk density , materials science , mathematics , composite material , ecology , operations research
Root responses of plant genotypes to compacted soils have not been well defined. This experiment was conducted under controlled environments using a soil core seedling test consisting of an experimentally compacted soil having air‐filled porosities of 31, 18, and 6%. Root penetration ratios were measured 14 days after planting without destroying seedling viability. Root penetration ratios and root lengths declined linearly with decreasing air‐filled porosity. Xylem accumulations of toxic anaerobic metabolites were directly correlated with soil bulk density and inversely related to oxygen diffusion rates in the soil. High correlations ( r = 0.91) were observed between root penetration ratios of this rapid test and the growth and yield of field‐grown dry edible beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.).