RELATION BETWEEN TOP AND ROOT SIZE IN HERBACEOUS PLANTS

Abstract
Some of the plants used in these greenhouse experiments were grown in flats and others in different sized pots. The geometric mean of the individual top-root ratios (T.-R.R.) and Pearson''s factors for the correction of the standard deviation were applied to data obtained. The T.-R.R. of lettuce (Grand Rapids forcing variety) was influenced by soil acidity, and was increased by increasing soil fertility and by short days (as against long days). The T.-R.R. of radish plants (Scarlet Globe variety) showed no response to soil fertility (CA(NO3)2) but increased as length of day was shortened. Tomato plants (John Baer variety) gave an increase of T.-R.R. with increase in size of pots and also an apparently lower ratio with pruned and deflowered plants as against the controls. The correlation co-efficients presented show a general positive correlation between tops and roots.