One of the main methods of measuring the hydraulic conductivity of plant roots based on the use of compartmental models is analyzed. The paper lists the disadvantages of using models of this kind. It has been suggested to define an integral hydraulic conductivity of root as the partial derivative of the flow through the root surface by the difference in hydrostatic pressure at a fixed difference of osmotic pressures. For this purpose a multiphase continuum model of radial transport of substances in the roots is applied. The possibility of a continuum model to describe fully the experiments on the measurement of hydraulic conductivity is demonstrated. A guidance for correctly processing the results in the framework of the existing techniques is developed.
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