Die Primärwurzel von Zea mays L.

Summary

Until now it has been presumed that the primary root of Zea mays L. dies very soon after the formation of the seedling. On the basis of this presumption maize root-system development has been used as an example for monocotyledons (z.B. Troll, 1937; Rauh, 1950).

After passing the seedling stage, monocotyledons are said to have shoot-born roots only. There are a few hints in the literature of exceptions to this principle known in the case of some palms (Falkenberg, 1876; Fitting, 1954; Kausch, unpublished). In this paper it is shown that the primary root of maize does not die off soon, but remains living during the entire vegetation period. Investigations were made within the greenhouse, where in the stage of flowering of the plants the primary root reached downwards into the soil as far as 1.60 m (see also Fig. 2). There are also some observations in the open field showing that here too the primary root remains living until the plant dies in autumn.

Nevertheless Zea mays has “sekundäre Homorhizie” and “heterogene Radication” (Troll, 1949). However, there is surely a large group within the monocotyledons which is capable of keeping the primary root system along with shoot-born roots. Of this group it may be said that it is of the “Mais-Wurzel-Typ.”

Zusammenfassung

An Gewächshauskulturen kann gezeigt werden, daß die Primärwurzel von Zea mays L. während der ganzen Lebensperiode der Pflanze perenniert. Da auch bei Phoenix dactylifera L. eine solche Tendenz zu erkennen ist, ist es wahrscheinlich, daß weitere Monocotylen diese Art der Bewurzelung zeigen. Es ließe sich daraus ein „Maiswurzeltyp” der heterogenen Radication bei den Monocotylen ableiten, bei dem primäres und sproßbürtiges Wurzelsystem dauernd nebeneinander bestehen.