S. Pellerin et F. Tabourel, LENGTH OF THE APICAL UNBRANCHED ZONE OF MAIZE AXILE ROOTS - ITS RELATIONSHIP TO ROOT ELONGATION RATE, Environmental and experimental botany, 35(2), 1995, pp. 193-200
The length of the apical unbranched zone was studied in maize axile ro
ots. Plants were grown in an aeroponic growth chamber allowing direct
measurements on individual axile roots. The total length of the roots
and the length of the apical unbranched zone were measured regularly.
A commonly accepted hypothesis, according to which laterals emerge at
a constant distance behind the root tip, was refuted. Conversely, a li
near relationship was found between the length of the apical unbranche
d zone and the root elongation rate. This suggests that laterals emerg
e on a root segment at a constant time interval after lateral primordi
a are differentiated.