Abstract
A study of water absorption by root systems of two herbage species, white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), was used to partition the resistances to water flux between the soil and plant. A large and almost constant plant resistance influenced the pattern of water absorption until the soil resistance reached about 1.5 x 103 MPa s cm-3. This corresponded to an extraction of almost 80% of the available soil water. Water absorption from progressively deeper soil layers showed no evidence of any substantial resistance to water flux through the root xylem. Therefore, in wet soils, water movement into and through a root system is predominantly influenced by a large resistance to the radial water flux through root tissues outside the xylem. The radial resistance values for unit (cm) length of root were 6.49 x 106 and 6.54 x 106 MPa s cm-2 for clover and fescue respectively. A model of water uptake has been described which introduces two modified parameters for integrating the soil water potential (?) and the soil-root conductance (?), over an entire root system. This study, along with other evidence from the literature, would indicate that for unit length of root the radial resistance to water absorption is reasonably similar, not only for an entire root system but also for a number of different species. An underestimation of the radial soil resistance (Rsr) to water absorption suggests that a root contact resistance (Rc) exists which could be due to the shrinkage of the soil or root, or both, with drying of the soil. This effect caused an increase in resistance to water absorption of about 48 x Rsr for fescue and 71 x Rsr for clover. This difference in Rc between the two species was attributed to a contrast in root morphology, especially a difference in the average root diameters of the two species.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
A large and almost constant plant resistance influenced the pattern of water absorption until soil resistance reached about 1.5 x 103 MPa s cm-3.
- Taxon
- white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)
Trifolium repens
Lolium arundinaceume0 - Outcome
- pattern of water absorptione1
- Qualifier
- until the soil resistance reached about 1.5 x 103 MPa s cm-3e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)”
e1“A large and almost constant plant resistance influenced the pattern of water absorption until the soil resistance reached about 1.5 x 103 MPa s cm-3”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil resistance at that point corresponded to extraction of almost 80% of the available soil water.
- Taxon
- white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)Trifolium repensLolium arundinaceume0
- Outcome
- extraction of almost 80% of the available soil watere2
- Value
- 80%e2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)”
e2“This corresponded to an extraction of almost 80% of the available soil water”
Claim · model-written summary
Water absorption from progressively deeper soil layers showed no evidence of substantial resistance to water flux through the root xylem.
- Taxon
- white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)Trifolium repensLolium arundinaceume0
- Outcome
- resistance to water flux through the root xyleme3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)”
e3“Water absorption from progressively deeper soil layers showed no evidence of any substantial resistance to water flux through the root xylem”
Claim · model-written summary
In wet soils, water movement into and through a root system is predominantly influenced by a large radial resistance through root tissues outside the xylem.
- Taxon
- white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)Trifolium repensLolium arundinaceume0
- Outcome
- water movement into and through a root systeme4
- Qualifier
- predominantly influenced by a large resistance to the radial water flux through root tissues outside the xyleme4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)”
e4“in wet soils, water movement into and through a root system is predominantly influenced by a large resistance to the radial water flux through root tissues outside the xylem”
Claim · model-written summary
The radial resistance per unit root length for clover was 6.49 x 10^6 MPa s cm-2.
TrifoliumOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)”
e5“The radial resistance values for unit (cm) length of root were 6.49 x 106 and 6.54 x 106 MPa s cm-2 for clover and fescue respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
The radial resistance per unit root length for fescue was 6.54 x 10^6 MPa s cm-2.
Verbatim
e0“white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)”
e5“The radial resistance values for unit (cm) length of root were 6.49 x 106 and 6.54 x 106 MPa s cm-2 for clover and fescue respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
The radial resistance to water absorption per unit root length is reasonably similar across a number of different species.
Verbatim
e0“white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)”
e6“the radial resistance to water absorption is reasonably similar, not only for an entire root system but also for a number of different species”
Claim · model-written summary
Root contact resistance increased resistance to water absorption by about 48 x Rsr in fescue.
Verbatim
e0“white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)”
e7“This effect caused an increase in resistance to water absorption of about 48 x Rsr for fescue and 71 x Rsr for clover”
Claim · model-written summary
Root contact resistance increased resistance to water absorption by about 71 x Rsr in clover.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)”
e7“This effect caused an increase in resistance to water absorption of about 48 x Rsr for fescue and 71 x Rsr for clover”
Claim · model-written summary
The difference in root contact resistance between clover and fescue was attributed to a contrast in root morphology.
- Taxon
- white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)Trifolium repensLolium arundinaceume0
- Outcome
- difference in Rc between the two speciese1
- Qualifier
- contrast in root morphologye1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)”
e1“This difference in Rc between the two species was attributed to a contrast in root morphology”
Claim · model-written summary
Root contact resistance may be due to shrinkage of the soil or root with drying of the soil.
- Taxon
- white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)Trifolium repensLolium arundinaceume0
- Outcome
- root contact resistance (Rc)e7
- Qualifier
- shrinkage of the soil or roote7
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)”
e7“a root contact resistance (Rc) exists which could be due to the shrinkage of the soil or root, or both, with drying of the soil”