The ROOT ENVIRONMENT Rhizosphere Water and Soils WATER

The ROOT ENVIRONMENT (Rhizosphere) Water and Soils

WATER Unique CHEMICAL and PHYSICAL properties HIGH SPECIFIC HEAT It takes a lot of energy to raise the temperature of H 20 540 calories / gram of H 20 Stabilizes plant temperatures BASIS for many PLANT PROCESSES PHOTOSYNTHESIS

WATER UNIVERSAL SOLVENT Mostly in LIQUID form High BOILING POINT and low FREEZING POINT DISSOLVES and carries NUTRIENTS (ions) due to POLARITY NUTRIENTS from SOILS easily available to plant FORMATION and MAINTENANCE of PLANT STRUCTURE TURGIDITY CELL ENLARGEMENT GUARD CELL activity

SUMMER INJURIES WATER STRESS WILT DEATH of TISSUES DEATH of PLANT PREVENTION Adequate WATER in soil Decrease TRANSPIRATION ANTI-TRANSPIRANTS Increases HUMIDITY

SUMMER INJURIES WATER and HEAT STRESS SUMMER SUNSCALD

SUMMER INJURIES WATER and HEAT STRESS SUMMER SUNSCALD PREVENTION Adequate WATER in soil MISTING plants

SUMMER INJURIES WATER and SALT INJURY SOLUBLE SALT INJURY PREVENTION Adequate WATER in soil Use the right AMOUNT of FERTILIZER Use SAND for de-icing

SOILS Provide plants with physical SUPPORT, WATER (H 2 O), NUTRIENTS and OXYGEN (O 2)

SOILS SOIL PROFILE

SOILS SOIL MATRIX

SOILS SOIL TEXTURE

SOILS SOIL ORGANISMS

SOILS SOIL STRUCTURE

SOILS SOIL NUTRIENTS – 17 essential, 14 from soils