GROWTH REACTION AND MAGNETOTROPISM IN ROOTS OF WINTER WHEAT (KHARKOV 22 M.C.)

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Abstract
Kharkov 22 M.C. winter wheat (Triticum vulgare Vill.) generally matures 4 to 6 days earlier when seeded in rows orientated north and south than when seeded in rows orientated east and west on dry land at Lethbridge, Alberta. Regardless of seed-row orientation, most plants have their easily visible roots orientated in a north-south direction. Where Kharkov seedlings were grown in stationary root cages that provided for in situ examination of the roots, there was a strong tendency for the roots to orientate themselves in a north-south direction. Plants that each day were rotated 90 degrees horizontally had roots that were omni-directional. There was evidence that the root-growth response was not directly heliotropic but rather magnetotropic or geo-magnetotropic. Observation of the roots of a number of other plants suggests that some inherent factor within a species or even within a variety of a species may also be necessary before the tropism becomes manifest.