A STANDARDIZATION OF TERMINOLOGY FOR THE MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF CORN SEEDLINGS

Abstract

A set of morphological terms was selected from varying terminology in the literature to serve as a model for uniform descriptions of treatment effects on growth and development of corn seedlings. In this model, the first root to emerge is termed the "primary root". Those emerging from just above specific nodes are interpreted as adventitious roots and termed "adventitious root whorls" of their respective nodes. From the second node the second apparent leaf develops, but because its foliar nature is not universally accepted it is termed the "coleoptile". The leaf developing from the third node is termed the "first leaf" and those developing from successively higher nodes are designated in ascending numerical order.