The Growth of Rice Roots and the Differentiation of Endodermis as Affected by Increasing Transpiration Rate

[摘要] Two sets of rice plants cultivated under submerged conditions were used, one serving as a test set, the other as a control. One set placed in front of an electric fan where it was exposed to wind velocities from about 0.6 to 1.0 meter per second during day time. The control set was protected from the fan and the natural wind (Fig. 1). The experiments reported here show that the transpiration rate increases about 4.5 to 12 percent and the average length of the crown roots increases about 13 percent by wind. As for the differentiation of the endodermis, though there was no significant difference in the cell wall thickening between both sets, the ratio of the passage cell number opposite to the protoxylem of the stele, were greater in the treated plants. Judging by the data concerning the stimulating effect of the "mild" wind on root length as well as the number of passage cells, it may be reasonable to think that the ability of roots to absorb water can be induced by the acceleration of transpiration.

[学科分类] 农业科学（综合）