Topping causes tap root to stop growing?

[BRICK HOUSE]

I came across this video on youtube on this guy is saying as soon as you top a plant the first time it's tap root will stop growing. Is there any validity to this or any other sources/information that can back up this claim?

The video in question at 2:27 in,
[video=youtube;21juexeDyBc]The video in question at 2:27 in[/video]

 

[Monsignor]

This is a great and interesting question.

I had a few 2 month old plants that I took cuttings off of and put into 12/12 to figure out the main plant's genders. I had topped all of the plants at 2 months old. They were much smaller than a normal 2 month old because I kept them at juvenile stage, intentionally, for a long time due to not having a place to put them. (BTW the cuttings WERE the tops)

This being said, when I pulled the males at 3 months, I DID notice that their tap roots were only a couple of inches long but the root ball had taken up a majority of the 4 gallon smart pot. I wish I would have taken pictures, alas; I did not.

 

[Genisis]

I topped my strawberry clugh and it wont stop growing. I think the strain has alot to do with a successfully topping your plant

Genisis

 

[SlantEye]

I'm not sure but in hydro my roots never stop growing regardless if I top them or not. They always just keep getting longer and thicker. My mom's in DWC I would actually need to trim my roots after like 8 months because they would have the hole entire reservoir filled with little room for water.

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[Icemud]

I looked into this a little bit last night but wasn't able to find an answer... .

What I found interesting from the video above though... his plants have alternating nodes and not symmetrical nodes which generally means that he is growing from clone...

Clones do NOT have a tap root...


So that raises my skeptic senses slightly in regards to his claim.....


Now what I did find is that there are studies regarding pruning and the effects on the roots, and pruning does transfer the concentration fo the plant from root growth to vegatative growth for a short period after pruning in some species of plants. Nothing was mentioned though about it ceasing the growth of the tap root.

In bonsai plants, the tap root is sometimes pruned to promote shallow root growth, but this is a direct pruning of the tap root and not the aerial plant parts.

Tap roots can also be pruned in some plant species to form 2 or more taproots that generate from the pruned point on the root, while sometimes in plants this also will stop tap root growth. Some tap roots gradually lose girth quickly and instead form lateral roots.

I wasn't able to find an answer but I think that his statement about the taproot stopping growing may only be temporary while vegatative growth takes place. I couldn't find a direct answer... but very interesting question.

 

[ohiosmoker]

Should I top my girl or should I wait?


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