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Effect of Carbon Dioxide, Oxygen, and Soil Moisture Suction on Germination of Corn and Soybeans
Author(s) -
Grable Albert R.,
Danielson Robert E.
Publication year - 1965
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1965.03615995002900010007x
Subject(s) - aeration , germination , moisture , water content , agronomy , carbon dioxide , soil water , suction , saturation (graph theory) , environmental science , chemistry , zoology , horticulture , biology , soil science , mathematics , geology , mechanical engineering , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , engineering , combinatorics
Corn and soybeans were planted in soil‐filled glass tubes which were continuously aerated with known mixtures of CO 2 , O 2 , and N 2 . Initial soil moisture suction was varied independently of gas composition. Various aspects of germinative growth were measured during and after various intervals of aeration. The results indicate that the kind and extent of response obtained from a given CO 2 treatment was influenced in varying degrees by time, soil suction, plant species, and the growth variables measured. The importance of excessive CO 2 as a causal agent of plant injury during germination has probably been overestimated. Corn and soybeans during germination tolerated, and sometimes were stimulated by, CO 2 concentrations higher than those normally found in soils. When CO 2 was sufficiently high to cause severe toxicity, seedlings recovered quickly upon aeration with air. Comparatively small changes in soil moisture suction often completely overshadowed the effect of different CO 2 levels on root growth. In general, growth increased as soil moisture suction decreased; but excessive soil moisture, apart from the aeration treatments used, severely limited or completely stopped germinative growth. With corn the effect occurred at soil saturation and was probably due to reduced O 2 diffusion rates. With soybeans the effect occurred at a lesser moisture content and was due primarily to invasion by pathogenic organisms.