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A Method for Maintaining Constant Soil Moisture Availability for Potted Plants
Author(s) -
Schwaegerle Kent E.
Publication year - 1983
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/sssaj1983.03615995004700030045x
Subject(s) - water content , moisture , environmental science , volume (thermodynamics) , soil science , dry weight , mathematics , agronomy , geotechnical engineering , biology , geology , geography , meteorology , physics , quantum mechanics
A method was developed to reduce labor time in experiments in which soil moisture is to be periodically adjusted by observed changes in pot weight. In an experiment involving 420 pots of Phlox species, a pair of modified balances was used daily to fill pots with water automatically to a precise weight. To achieve six different levels of soil moisture availability six weights of equal volume were placed in the pots. Pots displayed daily changes in soil moisture of 0.9 to 2.3%. Daily watering of all pots required only 75 to 90 min. This system proved effective for analysis of plant growth response to different soil moisture levels in experiments where statistical considerations demand large sample sizes.