X-Ray Computed Tomography Reveals the Response of Root System Architecture to Soil Texture.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
Root system architecture (RSA) impacts plant fitness and crop yield by facilitating efficient nutrient and water uptake from the soil. A better understanding of the effects of soil on RSA could improve crop productivity by matching roots to their soil environment. We used x-ray computed tomography to perform a detailed three-dimensional quantification of changes in rice (Oryza sativa) RSA in response to the physical properties of a granular substrate. We characterized the RSA of eight rice cultivars in five different growth substrates and determined that RSA is the result of interactions between genotype and growth environment. We identified cultivar-specific changes in RSA in response to changing growth substrate texture. The cultivar Azucena exhibited low RSA plasticity in all growth substrates, whereas cultivar Bala root depth was a function of soil hardness. Our imaging techniques provide a framework to study RSA in different growth environments, the results of which can be used to improve root traits with agronomic potential.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Rogers, ED; Monaenkova, D; Mijar, M; Nori, A; Goldman, DI; Benfey, PN
Published Date
- July 2016
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 171 / 3
Start / End Page
- 2028 - 2040
PubMed ID
- 27208237
Pubmed Central ID
- PMC4936573
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1532-2548
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0032-0889
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1104/pp.16.00397
Language
- eng