Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (10)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Whalley, W.
Right arrow Articles by Dexter, A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Whalley, W.
Right arrow Articles by Dexter, A.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Whalley, W.
Right arrow Articles by Dexter, A.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol 49, 1689-1694, Copyright © 1998 by Oxford University Press

ARTICLES

Water stress induced by PEG decreases the maximum growth pressure of the roots of pea seedlings

W Whalley, A Bengough and A Dexter
Silsoe Research Institute, Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedford MK45 4HS, UK; Scottish Crop Research Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK; Corresponding author

Roots of plants growing in dry soil often experience large mechanical impedance because the decreased soil water content is associated with increased in soil strength. The combined effect of mechanical impedance and water stress hinders the establishment of seedlings in many soils, but little is known about the interaction between these two stresses. A method has been designed that, for the first time, measured the maximum axial force exerted by a root growing under controlled water stress. Using this technique the axial force exerted by a pea radicle was measured using a shear beam, while the seedling was suspended in an aerate solution of polyethylene glycol 20 000 at osmotic potentials between 0 and -0.45 MPa. The maximum growth force was then divided by the cross-sectional area of the root to give the maximum axial growth pressure. The value of maximum axial growth pressure decreased linearly from 0.66 and 0.35 MPa as the osmotic potentials of the solution of PEG decreased from 0 to -0.45 MPa. In dry soil, therefore, the maximum strength of soil that a root can penetrate is decreased because of the decrease in maximum growth pressure. The elongation rates of unimpeded roots were similar whether the roots were subject to either a matric potential in soil or to an osmotic potential in a solution of PEG.Key words: Pisum sativum L, pea, mechanical impedance, axial growth pressure, water stress, PEG 20 000.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J Exp BotHome page
A. P. Whitmore and W. R. Whalley
Physical effects of soil drying on roots and crop growth
J. Exp. Bot., July 1, 2009; 60(10): 2845 - 2857.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Exp BotHome page
W.E. Finch-Savage, K. Phelps, J.R.A. Steckel, W.R. Whalley, and H.R. Rowse
Seed reserve-dependent growth responses to temperature and water potential in carrot (Daucus carota L.)
J. Exp. Bot., November 1, 2001; 52(364): 2187 - 2197.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Exp BotHome page
W.R. Whalley, J. Lipiec, W.E. Finch-Savage, R.E. Cope, L.J. Clark, and H.R. Rowse
Water stress can induce quiescence in newly-germinated onion (Allium cepa L.) seedlings
J. Exp. Bot., May 1, 2001; 52(358): 1129 - 1133.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.