NONDESTRUCTIVE STEREOLOGICAL METHOD FOR ESTIMATING THE LENGTH OF RIGID ROOT SYSTEMS

A non-destructive method of total vertical projections for estimating the length of rigid root systems, not introduced yet in plant sciences , is described. It is demonstrated on measuring less and more dense ro ot systems of seedlings of Zen mag's grown at hypoxic or control condi tions. Photographs of six vertical projections (30 degrees apart) of e ach root system were taken and evaluated. The method being based on pr oved mathematical formula offers unbiased estimation of the length of a rigid root system, curved in three-dimensional space, by non-destruc tive means. Thus, it is applicable during ongoing experimentation on p lants grown in a solution culture. It was shown that less than 120 int ersections between the root projection and test lines in one photograp h ensured sufficient precision of the method and that the observer sub jectivity could be overcome by presented instructions.