Soil Compaction and Texture Effects on the Growth of Roots and Shoots of Wheat

In order to study the effect of soil compaction on root and shoot growth of wheat plants (Shahriar variety)، a greenhouse pot experiment was conducted in Guilan University. The study design was factorial with completely randomized in three replications. Treatments included three compaction levels; (normal compaction، compaction of ten percent and twenty percent) and two type of soil texture (clay and sand) will include 18 pots. Soil mechanical resistance index measured with the device influence the resistance gauge significant differences among treatments indicated. Root and shoot traits measured included plant fresh weight and total shoot dry weight، leaf dry weight (LDW)، stem dry weight (SDW)، root fresh weight (RFW)، root dry weight (RDW)، leaf area (LA)، root area (RA)، root volume (RV)، root length (TL)، root dry weight ratio of shoots، leaf area to root ratio (LA/RA)، root length density (RLD)، root surface area density (RSD)، root mass density (RMD)، dry root mass density (DRMD) and nitrogen content of roots، significant difference in the levels indicated treatments. The results showed that increasing the compaction of soil are affected characteristics related to the shoot and root of wheat plants، and twenty percent of the compaction (influence resistance 1200 KPa in the clay soil and 762. 76 Kpa in the sandy soil) is limited roots and shoots growth than the natural soil.