Water Relations of Pine Seedlings in Relation to Root and Shoot Growth

Abstract

The effects of water stress on growth and water relations of loblolly and white pine seedlings were studied during series of drying cycles. As mean soil water potential decreased, growth of roots, needles, and buds decreased. Growth of roots during successive severe drying cycles was not uniform, however. A study of needle and root extension showed that of the total growth of roots for 3 7-day drying cycles, only 6% occurred during the third cycle, while needle extension was uniform for the 3 cycles. The difference in response of needles and roots to drying cycles may be attributed primarily to the effect of water stress on the growing region. When subjected to a severe stress, roots matured toward the tip and became dormant, resulting in less growth during subsequent drying cycles. The intercalary growing region of needles, however, was not altered seriously enough by the stress to cause a difference in amount of growth during each drying cycle.