Flue‐Cured Tobacco Yield and Oxygen Content of Soil in Lysimeters Flooded for Various Periods1

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Abstract
Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. var. ‘Coker 298’) plants grown in lysimeters were flooded for 0, 12, 24, 48, 96, and 120 hours to define more clearly 02‐depletion rates in soil and effects of flooding on growth. The 02 content of air entrapped in soil pores was monitored with membrane‐covered galvanic‐type probes before, during, and after a 96‐hour flooding. Oxygen decreased from 16 to less than 4% in the soil atmosphere within 24 hours after flooding. Upon drainage, 02 increased within 48 hours to the original concentration.Growth and yield differences between the control and 12‐ and 24‐hour flooding treatments were not significant. Flooding for longer than 48 hours significantly reduced yield to less than 40% of that of the unflooded plants. Plants were more susceptible to flood damage at the 12‐ leaf stage of development than at the 17‐leaf stage. Reducing sugars increased from 11.8 to 14.8% and total alkaloids decreased from 1.26 to 0.76% in tobacco leaves flooded for 24 hours.

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