INFLUENCE OF DRY SOIL ON ROOT EXTENSION

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Abstract
Metal containers holding about 15 kgm. of soil were half filled with Yolo clay soil containing 5, 10, 14, 15, 20, and 30% moisture. This bottom layer was covered with a wax seal and the upper half filled with soil at the moisture equivalent. Sunflower plants were grown in the containers until the plants were about 18 in. tall. The roots penetrated the wax seal, and grew into the bottom layer of soil in those containers in which this layer was above the permanent wilting percentage, but not in the others. Similar experiments were conducted in a number of metal-lined wooden troughs, and with a basket of hardware cloth coated with a wax seal, and submerged in a larger container filled with soil. The soil in portions of the troughs was watered by means of auto-irrigators. The roots in this experiment were grouped mainly around the irri-gators, and only a relatively small portion of the soil was moistened by these devices. The results indicate that roots will not grow into soil that contains less moisture than the permanent wilting percentage.

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