MOISTURE ABSORPTION BY ROOTS OF STOLONS IN Solanum cardiophyllum Lindl.

Abstract

Function and ecological importance of wild potato (Solanum cardiophyllum) stolon roots have been scarcely studied. Therefore, this work was performed to study the contribution of such roots in water uptake. Stolon roots of plants grown under greenhouse conditions at Chapingo, México in 1986, were utilized. These roots were submerged in a 1.5% red congo solution. Results showed that stolon roots were functionally active in water uptake and that the water translocation process in the plant was similar to that of Solanum tuberosum. In plants at the tuberization stage, it was observed that the mother tuber still had physiological interaction with the plant. Some reasons for the existance of long stolons in plants under drought conditions are discussed according to these results.