The Effect of Root Aeration on Plant Growth

Abstract Rates of oxygen diffusion were measured in soil contained in 3‐foot‐cube lysimeters in field installations. Water tables were maintained by subsurface watering at 6‐ to 30‐inch depths below the soil surface. Some lysimeters were sheltered from rain. Soybeans, cabbage, grain sorghum, sweet corn, and dwarf field corn were grown in these lysimeters. The highest yields were obtained at oxygen diffusion rates of approximately 15 g. X 10 ‐8 per cm. 2 per minute. The maximum yields were high in comparison with yields obtained in most field experiments. Oxygen diffusion rates at 6‐inch water table depths were below 5 g. X 10 ‐8 per cm. 2 per minute. Under these conditions of extremely poor aeration, yields of grain sorghum, soybeans, cabbage, sweet corn, and dwarf field corn were reduced 25, 35, 40, 65, and 75%, respectively.