HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Abstract Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (2) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wuest, S. B. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Wuest, S. B. Agricola Articles by Wuest, S. B. Related Collections Crop Growth and Development Seed Establishment Hydraulic Conductivity

Water Transfer from Soil to Seed

The Role of Vapor Transport

USDA-ARS, Columbia Plateau Conservation Research Center, P.O. Box 370, Pendleton, OR 97801

View larger version (134K): [in a new window]   Fig. 1. Apparatus used to produce different amounts of seed-soil distance. Two of the ten seed positions had no hole, resulting in the seed being pressed directly into the soil. Wheat seed was glued to the plastic dowel.

View larger version (19K): [in a new window]   Fig. 2. Water gain and dye coverage of wheat seed suspended in holes of different diameter for 24 h. Error bars, where large enough to be seen, show standard error of the mean (n = 42). There were two zero diameter (no hole) positions in each soil block. Dotted lines indicate averages for the five runs with the greatest soil water potential (-0.07 MPa) and for the four driest (-1.3 MPa). Average soil water potential for all 42 runs was -0.16 MPa.

View larger version (19K): [in a new window]   Fig. 3. Comparison of water gain and germination for wheat seed in good seed-soil contact and for seed suspended in 11-mm holes. Individual seed weights were used to calculate water gain on a dry weight basis. (a) Oven-dried (105°C) seed. At 64 h, water gain was 18.1 mg for soil contact and 17.5 mg for 11-mm holes. (b) Normal seed. The large increase in water gain at 55 h by seeds in soil contact is probably due to root growth, averaging 7 mm. Error bars, where large enough to be seen, show standard error of the mean: (a) n = 3, (b) n = 5.