Tap roots

[Lotto]

I started two Golden Pineapple seeds in my aquaponics system. Both seeds germinated quickly, but the tap roots grew up tall instead of down, and the seed casings stuck. Both died. I have a Golden Goat plant that I started the same way and she grew fine. Any comments or suggestions?

[Bluey]

Don't feel bad.

I think I've killed 5 so far this grow and got three more in coco that appear to have stalled. First time using H²O². Fastest germination ever, even faster death once in coco. Never seen this before so I'm tossing the H²O² and back to just water from now on. Badly twisted taps too...

[shadycon]

Maybe the seed was upside down when planted!

[Bluey]

Or perhaps H²O² germination?

It seems to produce badly twisted tap roots occasionally

[Orggrwr]

One possible explanation is a damaged or defective root cap. The cells in the root cap have special organelles called statoliths that are small and relatively heavy. The inner cell walls are pressure sensitive so they know where the statolith is resting against the cell wall. Picture a marble inside a water balloon. This is how a root knows up from down. If the cap is damaged the root doesn't know which direction is down until the root cap grows back. There are similar cells in the growing tips so they know which way is up. My source is " Teaming with Nutrients" by Jeff Lowenfels. A great read for anyone interested in the fascinating things going on inside plants.

[dirtymike]

I just soak in H2O 24 hours then stick pointy side in soil first and wait a day and she pops Everytime. But I'm a leprechaun!!

[Rootsruler]

I use a vertical germinator so that the seeds know which way is up.