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STUDIES OF ROOT DISTRIBUTION AND ROOT ANATOMY OF PASPALUM DISTICHUM L.

Khalid Hamid Sheikh
 

Abstract: Paspalum distichum L. is a perennial grass species which grows in water ditches or in badly water-logged soils along water courses in the West Pakistan plains. The root system of this species has been described. Reported here are the results obtained from the studies of (i) the distribution of the roots in the soil in the field, and (ii) the amount of intercellular spaces present in the cortex of the roots as they are growing at different depths in the soil. P. distichum should be regarded if not a shallow-rooting species, at least one which is intermediate between shallow-rooting and deep-rooting species. The intercellular spaces in the cortex of the old cord root have been found to increase with an increase in soil depth. The presence of these spaces should be considered as an adaptation for growth in poorly aerated media.

Department of Botany, University of the Panjab, Lahore.