Importance of adventitious roots to growth of floodedPlatanus occidentalis seedlings

Summary Flooding of soil with standing water for 50 or 110 days drastically reduced growth of 178-day-oldPlatanus occidentalis seedlings, with growth inhibited more as the duration of flooding was increased. Flooding reduced the rate of height and diameter growth, leaf initiation and expansion, and dry weight increment and relative growth rates of leaves, stems, and roots. Flooding also induced leaf epinasty, leaf necrosis, and formation of hypertrophied lenticels and many adventitious roots on submerged portions of stems. Severing of adventitious roots after 50 and 95 days from the submerged portions of stems of continuously flooded seedlings reduced several growth parameters including height and stem diameter growth and relative growth rates of leaves and roots. Evidence for the physiological importance of flood induced adventitious roots is discussed.Research supported by College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison and by Yamagata University, Tsuruoka, Japan. The technical assistance of John Shanklin is appreciated.