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The relationship of the size and structural rigidity of pores to their penetration by roots

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Summary

An experimental procedure has been developed to demonstrate that young roots only pass through pores of a size exceeding the diameter of the root tip. Mechanical resistance to root growth is therefore a factor limiting root development in fine and densely compacted soil layers.

The importance of the rigidity of the pore structure in inhibiting root penetration has also been demonstrated experimentally.

The findings are compared with other observations in the literature on this subject. Attention is drawn to the fact that it is usually difficult to be certain of the importance of mechanical resistance in the field on account of the close similarity of its effect with those of excess water and insufficient aeration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Soil Fertility, Groningen, the Netherlands

    L. K. Wiersum

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  1. L. K. Wiersum
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Wiersum, L.K. The relationship of the size and structural rigidity of pores to their penetration by roots. Plant Soil 9, 75–85 (1957). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01343483

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01343483

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