Abstract
Abstract Management practices often affect soil physical properties adversely thus reducing root growth. In the field difficulty arises in determining which soil physical property is influencing root growth because the factors are not readily separated. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of isolated soil physical factors on corn ( Zea mays L.) seedling growth under controlled conditions. Corn was grown in A horizon material of Groseclose silt loam (clayey, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludult) at four bulk densities (1.10, 1.22, 1.35, and 1.47 Mg/m 3 ), four lower soil moisture levels (0.24, 0.21, 0.18, and 0.15 m 3 /m 3 ), four higher soil moisture levels (0.24, 0.27, 0.30, and 0.33 m 3 /m 3 ), and three temperatures (25, 21, and 17°C) in growth chamber experiments. Optimal conditions as indicated by maximum root elongation for corn in Groseclose silt loam occurred with volumetric moisture contents from 0.24 to 0.27 m 3 /m 3 , bulk densities <1.22 Mg/m 3 , and a temperature of approximately 25°C. High bulk density, oxygen stress, low temperature, and water stress all reduced root elongation to some extent. Low temperature had the most dramatic effect. At 6 days corn root length at 21°C was only about 20% of that at 25°C, whereas root length at 17°C was only about 5% of that at 25°C. As bulk density increased, root length decreased. After 4 days high soil moisture stimulated root growth. Root length was not reduced by low soil moisture except at the lowest level (equivalent to a matric potential of −1090 kPa).
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
Maximum root elongation occurred at the specified moisture, density and temperature ranges.
- Taxon
- corn
Zea mays subsp. mayse0 - Outcome
- maximum root elongatione0
- Qualifier
- volumetric moisture contents from 0.24 to 0.27 m 3 /m 3 , bulk densities <1.22 Mg/m 3 , and a temperature of approximately 25°Ce0
- Setting
- Groseclose silt loame0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“maximum root elongation for corn in Groseclose silt loam occurred with volumetric moisture contents from 0.24 to 0.27 m 3 /m 3 , bulk densities <1.22 Mg/m 3 , and a temperature of approximately 25°C”
Claim · model-written summary
High bulk density reduced root elongation.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Treatment
- High bulk densitye0
- Outcome
- root elongatione0
- Direction
- reducede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“High bulk density, oxygen stress, low temperature, and water stress all reduced root elongation to some extent.”
t0“Corn Seedling”
Claim · model-written summary
Oxygen stress reduced root elongation.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Treatment
- oxygen stresse0
- Outcome
- root elongatione0
- Direction
- reducede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“High bulk density, oxygen stress, low temperature, and water stress all reduced root elongation to some extent.”
t0“Corn Seedling”
Claim · model-written summary
Low temperature reduced root elongation most strongly.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Treatment
- Low temperaturee0
- Outcome
- most dramatic effecte0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Low temperature had the most dramatic effect.”
t0“Corn Seedling”
Claim · model-written summary
Water stress reduced root elongation.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Treatment
- water stresse0
- Outcome
- root elongatione0
- Direction
- reducede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“High bulk density, oxygen stress, low temperature, and water stress all reduced root elongation to some extent.”
t0“Corn Seedling”
Claim · model-written summary
At day six root length at 21°C was about 20% of that at 25°C.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Treatment
- 21°Ce0
- Outcome
- root lengthe0
- Direction
- onlye0
- Value
- 20%e0
- Qualifier
- At 6 dayse0
- Comparator
- 25°Ce0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“At 6 days corn root length at 21°C was only about 20% of that at 25°C”
Claim · model-written summary
At day six root length at 17°C was about 5% of that at 25°C.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Treatment
- 17°Ce0
- Outcome
- root lengthe0
- Direction
- onlye0
- Value
- 5%e0
- Comparator
- 25°Ce0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“root length at 17°C was only about 5% of that at 25°C”
t0“Corn Seedling”
Claim · model-written summary
Root length decreased with increasing bulk density.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Treatment
- bulk densitye0
- Outcome
- root lengthe0
- Direction
- decreasede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“As bulk density increased, root length decreased.”
t0“Corn Seedling”
Claim · model-written summary
High soil moisture stimulated root growth after four days.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Treatment
- high soil moisturee0
- Outcome
- root growthe0
- Direction
- stimulatede0
- Qualifier
- After 4 dayse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“After 4 days high soil moisture stimulated root growth.”
t0“Corn Seedling”
Claim · model-written summary
Low soil moisture reduced root length only at the lowest level.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Treatment
- low soil moisturee0
- Outcome
- Root lengthe0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Qualifier
- except at the lowest level (equivalent to a matric potential of −1090 kPa)e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Root length was not reduced by low soil moisture except at the lowest level (equivalent to a matric potential of −1090 kPa).”
t0“Corn Seedling”
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