GROWTH-RESPONSES OF TOBACCO TO FLOODING

The effects of flooding injury to tobacco plants were quantitatively i nvestigated. Total, root, and leaf dry weights, leaf area, relative gr owth rate, and net assimilation rate were significantly lower in tobac co plants flooded for 4 days than in the corresponding controls. Howev er, stem dry weight was not affected by flooding. None of the growth p arameters, except stem dry weight, were restored during the recovery p eriod. Flooding treatment resulted in an increase in stem dry weight r atio, and a decrease in root dry weight ratio. However, leaf dry weigh t ratio was not changed by flooding. These results indicate that flood ing causes an accumulation of assimilates in the stem.