The Morphogenetic Effect of Oxygen on Roots

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Abstract
Pea roots in water cultures were subjected to different aeration conditions. Root elongation and root branching were strongly effected by the air supply, elongation being favored by increasing aeration and branching activity by decreasing aeration. By changing the aeration conditions from full aeration to no aeration and vice versa it was shown that the extent of root elongation depends on the availability of oxygen. However, it appears that the viability of the root tissues is independent of the external oxygen supply, thus allowing an undisturbed growth potential under extreme shortage of external O2. The formative influence of oxygen on root branching was characterized by a greatly enhanced root density due to a higher number of laterals per unit root length producing them and accelerated development of laterals of a higher order.