Principles of soil and plant water relations / by M.B. Kirkham, Kansas State University, 2004 Throckmorton Plant Science Center, Manhattan

Includes bibliographical references and index

Introduction -- Definitions of physical units and the international system -- Structure and properties of water -- Soil -- water terminology and applications -- Tensiometers -- Static water in soil -- Water movement in saturated soil -- Time domain reflectometry -- Dual thermal probes -- Field capacity, wilting point, available water, and the nonlimiting water range -- Penetrometers -- Oxygen diffusion rate -- Infiltration -- Pore volume -- Root anatomy and Poiseuille's law for water flow in roots -- Gardner's equation for water movement to plant roots -- Stem anatomy and pressure -- volume curves -- Thermocouple psychrometers -- Pressure chambers -- The ascent of water in plants -- Sap flow -- Electrical analogs for water movement through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum -- Leaf anatomy and leaf elasticity -- Stomatal anatomy and stomatal resistance -- Solar radiation, black bodies, heat budget, and radiation balance -- Infrared thermometers -- Stress-degree-day concept and crop water stress index -- Potential evapotranspiration -- Water and yield -- Solar time and interception of direct-beam solar radiation

Combines biology and physics to illustrate water movement through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. This revised edition of an essential text describes the principles of water relations within soils, followed by the uptake of water and its subsequent movement throughout and from the plant body. This is presented as a progressive series of physical and biological interrelations, and each topic is treated in detail on its own. This book also describes the equipment used to measure water in the soil-plant-atmosphere system. At the end of each chapter is a biography of a scientist whose principles are discussed in the chapter. In addition to new information on the concept of celestial time, this new edition also includes chapters on methods to determine sap flow in plants and the dual-probe heat-pulse technique to monitor water in the root zone.--COVER