The role of root system characteristics in drought resistance of crop plants
1981
Passioura, J. B.
The transport of water from soil to shoot by roots is discussed. Emphasis is on the morphological characteristics that may influence drought resistance through their effects on (a) the amount of water transpired by a crop, (b) the efficiency with which the crop uses that water in producing dry matter and (c) the proportion of that dry matter that ends up in the grain. Two characters are important: The ability of the crop to produce a large rooting density deep in the soil if the soil contains much water; The longitudinal resistance to flow, which may influence the rate at which water collected in the subsoil is transported to the shoots. Depending on the environment, it may be beneficial to decrease the resistance, if there is evidence that the crops leave much available water in the soil at maturity, or to increase resistance if there is evidence that the roots leave an inadequate supply of water in the soil at flowering.
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