Title: Root growth and root-shoot interaction in transplants and direct seeded pepper plants
Abstract: The objectives of this work were to assess and describe pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) root distribution in the soil profile and to relate root to shoot growth. Plants were field-grown from transplants, produced with either top or bottom irrigation, or from direct seeding using either primed or raw seeds. Dry weights were determined every 2 weeks beginning at 30 days post-planting. Root growth was measured at two soil levels, 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm and in three 10-cm wide positions within each level. Transplants and direct seeded plants had 150 and 100%, respectively, greater root mass in the upper than in the lower soil level. Root growth increase over 56 days was linear for transplants while in direct seeded plants root growth had a lag phase of approximately 14 days, with a sharp increase thereafter. At the end of the growth period, fruit, stem, leaf and root dry weight accounted for 66, 11, 19 and 4% for transplants and 39, 16, 33 and 12% for direct seeded plants. The coordination of growth between root and shoot changed after fruit set only in transplants, which indicates that transplants exhibited a greater fruit sink demand and fruit production than seeded plants.
Publication Year: 1990
Publication Date: 1990-07-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 29
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