Transport of water in the soil-plant-atmosphere system.
Abstract
Water movement in response to gradients of water potential in the soil-plant-atmosphere catena is considered. An approximate solution is presented of the differential equation describing soil moisture flow towards a plant root which is absorbing water at a periodically varying rate. This is combined with hypothetical plant characteristics to form a model of the hydraulic behaviour of a crop. The characteristics specified are the depth of penetration of roots into the soil, the density of rooting (length of root per c.c. of soil volume), the internal resistance of the crop to the flow of water and the critical value of leaf water potential which is associated with stomatal closure. [From author's summary.]-Univ. Nottingham Sch. agric., Sutton Bonington.