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

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Fick, G. W. Articles by Loomis, R. S. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Fick, G. W. Articles by Loomis, R. S. Agricola Articles by Fick, G. W. Articles by Loomis, R. S.

Recovery from Partial Defoliation and Root Pruning in Sugar Beet¹

Removal of approximately half the leaf area or fibrous roots at either the 6- or 12-leaf stage of growth in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) was followed by restoration of the preclipping ratio of leaf blade weight to fibrous root weight. Leaf removal resulted in a rapid decrease in the fraction of new growth going to the fibrous roots, and in increase in the relative growth rate of the leaf blades. Root pruning caused the relative growth rate of the fibrous roots to increase for at least part of the recovery period. Root pruning further decreased the relative growth rate of the blades while restoration of the blade-to-root ratio was taking place. These responses support the hypothesis that a functional equilibrium controls leaf and root growth of sugar beet as a result of interactions among the several physiological processes involved.

Key Words: Functional equilibrium • Blade-to-root ratio • Relative growth rate

² Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. 14850 and Professors of Agronomy, University of California, Davis, respectively. The support of the National Science Foundation (Grant GB 14581) is gratefully acknowledged.

Received for publication March 22, 1971.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. HIKOSAKA, T. TAKASHIMA, D. KABEYA, T. HIROSE, and N. KAMATA Biomass Allocation and Leaf Chemical Defence in Defoliated Seedlings of Quercus serrata with Respect to Carbon-Nitrogen Balance Ann. Bot., May 1, 2005; 95(6): 1025 - 1032. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]