RB56-176 Influence of Atmospheric and Soil Moisture Conditions on Diurnal Variations in Relative Turgidity of Potato Leaves

H.O. Werner, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Document Type Article

© 1956, The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska on behalf of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension. All rights reserved.

Abstract

The experimental work reported herein was planned to determine:

1. The extent and nature of the changes of the relative turgidity (R.T.) of leaves of the potato plant during the diurnal cycle.
2. The extent to which R.T. of potato leaves is influenced by atmospheric conditions, soil moisture, variety, and age of plants.
3. The extent to which visible evidence of water shortage in leaves is indicative of water loss from them as revealed by R.T. and the extent to which this relationship varies with different varieties.
4. The nature of the relationships between morphological characteristics of leaves and stems and the R.T. characteristics of the leaves of various potato plants.

This study indicates that R.T. determinations can be useful for ascertaining the probable comparative physiological activity of different groups of potatoes. The results also indicate that plants are probably functioning considerably below optimum during many hours of the day because the internal water content is much lower than their appearance indicates. The study also shows that to better understand the daily R.T. cycle, it will be necessary to investigate various root relationships.