Estimating the importance of maize root hairs in low phosphorus conditions and under drought

Abstract Background and Aims Root hairs are single-cell extensions of the epidermis that face into the soil and increase the root–soil contact surface. Root hairs enlarge the rhizosphere radially and are very important for taking up water and sparingly soluble nutrients, such as the poorly soil-mobile phosphate. In order to quantify the importance of root hairs for maize, a mutant and the corresponding wild type were compared. Methods The rth2 maize mutant with very short root hairs was assayed for growth and phosphorus (P) acquisition in a slightly alkaline soil with low P and limited water supply in the absence of mycorrhization and with ample P supply. Key Results Root and shoot growth was additively impaired under P deficiency and drought. Internal P concentrations declined with reduced water and P supply, whereas micronutrients (iron, zinc) were little affected. The very short root hairs in rth2 did not affect internal P concentrations, but the P content of juvenile plants was halved under combined stress. The rth2 plants had more fine roots and increased specific root length, but P mobilization traits (root organic carbon and phosphatase exudation) differed little. Conclusions The results confirm the importance of root hairs for maize P uptake and content, but not for internal P concentrations. Furthermore, the performance of root hair mutants may be biased by secondary effects, such as altered root growth.

Download Full-text

Sex-specifically responsive strategies to phosphorus availability combined with different soil nitrogen forms in dioecious Populus cathayana

Journal of Plant Ecology ◽

10.1093/jpe/rtab025 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Xiucheng Liu ◽

Yuting Wang ◽

Shuangri Liu ◽

Miao Liu

Keyword(s):

Root Length ◽

Root Length Density ◽

Specific Root Length ◽

P Uptake ◽

Root Tip ◽

P Availability ◽

P Deficiency ◽

Populus Cathayana ◽

Leaf P ◽

P Supply

Abstract Aims Phosphorus (P) availability and efficiency are especially important for plant growth and productivity. However, the sex-specific P acquisition and utilization strategies of dioecious plant species under different N forms are not clear. Methods This study investigated the responsive mechanisms of dioecious Populus cathayana females and males based on P uptake and allocation to soil P supply under N deficiency, nitrate (NO3 −) and ammonium (NH4 +) supply. Important Findings Females had a greater biomass, root length density (RLD), specific root length (SRL) and shoot P concentration than males under normal P availability with two N supplies. NH4 + supply led to higher total root length, RLD and SRL but lower root tip number than NO3 − supply under normal P supply. Under P deficiency, males showed a smaller root system but greater photosynthetic P availability and higher leaf P remobilization, exhibiting a better capacity to adaptation to P-deficiency than females. Under P deficiency, NO3 − supply increased leaf photosynthesis and PUE but reduced RLD and SRL in females while males had higher leaf P redistribution and photosynthetic PUE than NH4 + supply. Females had a better potentiality to cope with P deficiency under NO3 − supply than NH4 + supply; the contrary was true for males. These results suggest that females may devote to increase in P uptake and shoot P allocation under normal P availability, especially under NO3 − supply, while males adopt more efficient resource use and P remobilization to maximum their tolerance to P-deficiency.

Download Full-text

Untersuchungen zur Phosphataufnahme von Zwischenfrüchten bei unterschiedlicher P-Versorgung des Bodens (Investigation of P Uptake of Catch Crops under Different P Supply)

Acta Agraria Debreceniensis ◽

10.34101/actaagrar/11/3451 ◽

2003 ◽

pp. 7-14

Author(s):

Bettina Eichler ◽

Adolf Grüner ◽

Imre Vágó

Keyword(s):

Sandy Soils ◽

P Uptake ◽

Water Soluble ◽

Catch Crops ◽

P Deficiency ◽

Root Parameters ◽

P Content ◽

Added Water ◽

Total P ◽

P Supply

The P uptakes of 11 different catch crops on four soils were estimated and compared with changes of double lactate soluble Phosphorus (P(DL)) in soil within a vessel trial. Additionally a model trial with quartz sand was carried out for investigations of the influence of P supply on root parameters. The differences of P uptake in dependence of the proofed variants were significant. Under a sufficient P supply Buckwheat, Maize and Oil radish had the highest P uptake on sandy soils, on loamy soil also Buckwheat and Maize but Serradella too. Under P deficiency the withdrawals of Phosphorus for Buckwheat, Maize and Oil radish were found to be the highest. In contrast to the sandy soils for the loamy soils no significant relation between the P uptake by plants and changes in the P-DL amount in soil could be found. For all variants the P uptake by plants were higher than the reduction of the P-DL amount in soil. The rate of P-DL content on the total P content in soil reduced while the two trial years only in sandy but not in loamy soils. The P uptake, the root length and the root/shoot relationship depends significantly on the cultivated crop and the added P compound. The added water soluble KH2PO4 caused a higher P uptake but a lower root/shoot-relationship than the water insoluble P compounds.

Download Full-text

Exudation of organic acid anions by tropical grasses in response to low phosphorus availability

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-73398-1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Danilo Silva Almeida ◽

Lucas Benes Delai ◽

Alexandra Christine Helena Franklan Sawaya ◽

Ciro Antonio Rosolem

Keyword(s):

Organic Acid ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Root Surface ◽

P Uptake ◽

P Availability ◽

P Deficiency ◽

Tropical Grasses ◽

Shoot:Root Ratio ◽

Low Phosphorus ◽

Guinea Grass

Abstract It has been suggested that some tropical grasses can acquire phosphorus (P) from hematite and gypsite by exuding organic acid anions (OAs). However, it remains to be determined exactly which OAs could be involved in each case. The objective of this study was to verify the exudation OAs by ruzigrass (Urochloa ruziziensis), palisade grass (U. brizantha), and Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus) as a response to P deficiency. The grasses were grown in leachate columns with adequate and deficient P nutrient solutions. The concentration of OAs in the leacheate and root surface, as well as shoot and root dry matter, and P uptake were determined. Citrate, isocitrate, and malate concentration in leachates and root surfaces increased with P starvation, mainly for the Urochloa grasses. Oxalate exudation was similar for the grasses under adequate P supply, but was lower in Guinea grass under P starvation. Palisade grass showed a higher concentration of total OAs in the root surface than the other species due to a great production of oxalate and isocitrate. Palisade grass showed greater dry matter yields regardless of P deficiency, and Guinea grass always had the higher shoot:root ratio. Urochloa grasses have a higher capacity to cope with low P availability by exuding OAs along with a lower shoot:root ratio than Guinea grass.

Download Full-text

Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Upland-Rice Root Architecture in Relation to Phosphate: 3D Simulations Highlight the Importance of S-Type Lateral Roots for Reducing the Pay-Off Time

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.641835 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Daniel Gonzalez ◽

Johannes Postma ◽

Matthias Wissuwa

Keyword(s):

Root System ◽

Lateral Roots ◽

Root Hairs ◽

P Uptake ◽

Root Tissue ◽

Rice Root ◽

P Deficiency ◽

Nodal Roots ◽

Nodal Root ◽

Off Time

The rice root system develops a large number of nodal roots from which two types of lateral roots branch out, large L-types and fine S-types, the latter being unique to the species. All roots including S-types are covered by root hairs. To what extent these fine structures contribute to phosphate (P) uptake under P deficiency was investigated using a novel 3-D root growth model that treats root hairs as individual structures with their own Michaelis-Menten uptake kinetics. Model simulations indicated that nodal roots contribute most to P uptake followed by L-type lateral roots and S-type laterals and root hairs. This is due to the much larger root surface area of thicker nodal roots. This thickness, however, also meant that the investment in terms of P needed for producing nodal roots was very large. Simulations relating P costs and time needed to recover that cost through P uptake suggest that producing nodal roots represents a considerable burden to a P-starved plant, with more than 20 times longer pay-off time compared to S-type laterals and root hairs. We estimated that the P cost of these fine root structures is low enough to be recovered within a day of their formation. These results expose a dilemma in terms of optimizing root system architecture to overcome P deficiency: P uptake could be maximized by developing more nodal root tissue, but when P is growth-limiting, adding more nodal root tissue represents an inefficient use of the limiting factor P. In order to improve adaption to P deficiency in rice breeding two complementary strategies seem to exist: (1) decreasing the cost or pay-off time of nodal roots and (2) increase the biomass allocation to S-type roots and root hairs. To what extent genotypic variation exists within the rice gene pool for either strategy should be investigated.

Download Full-text

Warming drives sustained plant phosphorus demand in a humid tropical forest

10.22541/au.162322960.08819813/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Zhiyang Lie ◽

Wenjuan Huang ◽

kadowaki Kohmei ◽

Guoyi Zhou ◽

Junhua Yan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tropical Forests ◽

High Elevation ◽

P Uptake ◽

P Deficiency ◽

Soil P ◽

P Content ◽

Multiple Processes ◽

P Mineralization ◽

Highly Weathered Soils ◽

Continuous Field

Phosphorus (P) is often one of the most limiting nutrients in highly weathered soils of humid tropical forests, which may regulate the responses of carbon (C) feedback to climate warming. Based on a 7-year continuous field warming experiment conducted by translocating microcosm forest ecosystems from a high-elevation site to low-elevation sites, we detected changes in the ecosystem P cycle in response to warming. We report that warming drives sustained plant P demand by increasing P uptake and thus decreasing foliar N:P. This increased plant P content is supplied by multiple processes including enhanced plant P resorption, soil P mineralization and dissolution without changing litter P mineralization and leachate P. These findings suggest that warming may alleviate initial P deficiency and/or limitation of plant growth and contribute to sustaining plant C fixation in these tropical forests.

Download Full-text

In situ Root Phenotypes of Cotton Seedlings Under Phosphorus Stress Revealed Through RhizoPot

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.716691 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Zichen Zhang ◽

Lingxiao Zhu ◽

Dongxiao Li ◽

Nan Wang ◽

Hongchun Sun ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growth Rate ◽

Root Length ◽

Root Length Density ◽

Root Hairs ◽

Specific Root Length ◽

Dry Weight ◽

P Deficiency ◽

Branch Density ◽

P Absorption

Phosphorus (P) deficiency is a common challenge in crop production because of its poor mobility through the soil. The root system plays a significant role in P absorption from the soil and is the initial indicator of low P levels. However, the phenotypic dynamics and longevity of cotton roots under P stress remain unknown. In this study, RhizoPot, an improvised in situ root observation device, was used to monitor the dynamics of root phenotypes of cotton seedlings under P-deficient (PD) and P-replete (PR) conditions. Low P stress reduced P absorption and accumulation in the roots, leading to low dry weight accumulation. Cotton seedlings responded to low P stress by increasing the number of lateral roots, specific root length, branch density, root length density, and length of root hairs. Additionally, the life span of root hairs was prolonged. Low P stress also reduced the average diameter of roots, promoted root extension, expanded the root coverage area, and increased the range of P acquisition. Principal component analysis revealed that the net root growth rate, root length density, root dry weight, P absorption efficiency, average root hair length, and taproot daily growth significantly influenced the cotton root architecture. Collectively, these results show that low P stress reduces the net growth rate of cotton seedling roots and restricts plant growth. Plants respond to P deficiency by extending the life span of root hairs and increasing specific root length and lateral root branch density. This change in root system architecture improves the adaptability of plants to low P conditions. The findings of this study may guide the selection of cotton varieties with efficient P utilization.

Download Full-text

PHOSPHORUS DEFICIENCY IMPAIRS SHOOT REGROWTH OF SUGARCANE VARIETIES

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479715000290 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 53 (1) ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

FERNANDO C. BACHIEGA ZAMBROSI ◽

RAFAEL VASCONCELOS RIBEIRO ◽

EDUARDO CARUSO MACHADO ◽

JÚLIO CÉSAR GARCIA

Keyword(s):

Leaf Area ◽

Biomass Production ◽

Critical Role ◽

P Uptake ◽

Utilization Efficiency ◽

P Availability ◽

P Deficiency ◽

Soil P ◽

Sugarcane Varieties ◽

P Supply

SUMMARYThe shoot regrowth vigour of sugarcane varieties having contrasting phosphorus (P) efficiency was evaluated under varying soil P availability. The P-inefficient (IAC91–1099 and IACSP94–2101) and -efficient (IACSP94–2094 and IACSP95–5000) sugarcane varieties were grown under low (25 mg P kg−1 soil) or high (400 mg P kg−1 soil) P supply at planting. After 90 days (first cycle of growth), the shoots were harvested and regrowth was studied 70–75 days later by evaluating photosynthesis, leaf area formation, biomass production and P uptake. The shoot dry matter (DM) of sugarcane regrowth subjected to a low P supply was genotype-dependent, with the P-efficient varieties exhibiting greater values than the inefficient ones. This result was explained by the greater efficiency of IACSP94–2094 and IACSP95–5000 in acquiring P rather than P utilization efficiency for shoot biomass production. The root P stored during the first cycle of growth would represent only a minor fraction (< 20%) of the total P content in the shoots at the end of the regrowth period. Thus, we argue that the improved shoot P uptake of the P-efficient varieties was related to their ability to sustain P acquisition after harvesting rather than to the remobilization of root P reserves. Moreover, our data revealed that net CO2 assimilation per leaf area was not associated with differential performance among varieties under P deficiency, suggesting a more critical role of total leaf area in photosynthate supply for sugarcane regrowth. In conclusion, sugarcane regrowth is improved in P-efficient varieties under P deficiency conditions, a finding of practical relevance as such ability might benefit the productivity and the longevity of sugarcane ratoons in low P tropical soils.

Download Full-text

Low Specific Phosphorus Uptake Affinity of Epilithon in Three Oligo- to Mesotrophic Post-mining Lakes

Frontiers in Microbiology ◽

10.3389/fmicb.2021.735498 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Eliška Konopáčová ◽

Jiří Nedoma ◽

Kateřina Čapková ◽

Petr Čapek ◽

Petr Znachor ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Phosphorus Uptake ◽

Sampling Period ◽

P Uptake ◽

P Deficiency ◽

Molar Ratios ◽

Half Saturation Constant ◽

P Content ◽

Mining Lakes ◽

Order Of Magnitude ◽

Uptake Velocity

Epilithon contributes to phosphorus (P) cycling in lakes, but its P uptake traits have been rarely studied. We measured the chemical composition of epilithon and its inorganic P uptake kinetics using isotope 33P in three deep oligo- to mesotrophic post-mining lakes in April, July, and October 2019. Over the sampling period, epilithon biomass doubled, while the P content in biomass dropped to 60% of the April values, and the seasonal changes in P content expressed per epilithon area were only marginal and statistically not significant. High epilithic C:P molar ratios (677 on average) suggested strong P deficiency in all investigated lakes. Regarding the kinetic parameters of phosphorus uptake, maximum uptake velocity (Vmax, seasonal range 1.9–129 mg P g OM–1 h–1) decreased by an order of magnitude from April to October, while half-saturation constant (KS, seasonal range 3.9–135 mg P L–1) did not show any consistent temporal trend. Values of epilithic specific P uptake affinity (SPUAE, seasonal range 0.08–3.1 L g OM–1 h–1) decreased from spring to autumn and were two to four orders of magnitude lower than the corresponding values for seston (SPUAsest), which showed an opposite trend. Considering our results, we suggest a possible mechanism underlying a stable coexistence of planktonic and epilithic microorganisms, with plankton prospering mostly in summer and autumn and epilithon in winter and spring season. Additionally, a phenomenon of reversible abiotic P adsorption on epilithon was observed.

Download Full-text

Uptake of phosphorus by epilithon in three oligo- to mesotrophic post-mining lakes

10.21203/rs.3.rs-319967/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Eliška Konopáčová ◽

Jiří Nedoma ◽

Kateřina Čapková ◽

Petr Čapek ◽

Petr Znachor ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Phosphorus Uptake ◽

Sampling Period ◽

P Uptake ◽

P Deficiency ◽

Molar Ratios ◽

Half Saturation Constant ◽

P Content ◽

Mining Lakes ◽

Order Of Magnitude ◽

Uptake Velocity

Abstract Epilithon contributes to phosphorus (P) cycling in lakes, but its P uptake traits have been rarely studied. We measured the chemical composition of epilithon and its inorganic P uptake kinetics using isotope 33P in three deep oligo- to mesotrophic post-mining lakes in April, July, and October 2019. Over the sampling period, epilithon biomass doubled, while the P content in biomass dropped to 60% of the April values. High epilithic C:P molar ratios (677 on average) suggested strong P deficiency in all investigated lakes. Regarding the kinetic parameters of phosphorus uptake, maximum uptake velocity (Vmax, seasonal range 0.9–101 mg P g OM–1 h–1) decreased by an order of magnitude from April to October, while half-saturation constant (KS, 1.6–103 mg P L–1) did not show any consistent temporal trend. We found a general decrease in the specific P uptake affinity (0.1–2.2 L g OM–1 h–1) and the estimated in-situ P uptake (0.04–2.3 µg P g OM–1 h–1) of epilithon over the season, which might have resulted from changes in epilithon community composition, a decreasing ratio of living biomass to extracellular polymers and detritus, rapid internal recycling, and/or thickening of the epilithic biofilm. Additionally, we observed a phenomenon of reversible abiotic P adsorption on epilithon.

Download Full-text

Relationships of Gibberellic Acid to Water and Phosphorus in the Growth, Sugar Production, and Enzyme Behavior of Sugarcane

The Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico ◽

10.46429/jaupr.v53i3.11154 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 53 (3) ◽

pp. 149-166

Author(s):

Alex G. Alexander

Keyword(s):

Gibberellic Acid ◽

Water Supply ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Maximum Growth ◽

Sand Culture ◽

Growth Responses ◽

P Deficiency ◽

P Content ◽

Variable Water ◽

P Supply

Immature sugarcane was subjected to variable water and phosphorus (P) supply and then treated with foliar gibberellic acid (GA). All plants were grown in sand culture and received initial water and P treatments at 88 days of age. Water regimes of inadequate, adequate, and abundant supply were established with 1, 2, and 4 liters of water per day, respectively. Variable P included 0, 6, and 30 meq./liter. Foliar GA was given as 0-, 0.01-, and 0.10-percent solutions. There were three objectives: 1 To determine the effectiveness of GA as a growth stimulant and regulator of sugar-enzyme relationships under conditions of water and P stress; 2, to explore physiological limits within which GA-enzyme relationships persist; and 3, to explore the enzyme basis of water and P performance under extreme conditions of GA-stimulated growth. The following results were recorded: 1. Both water and GA had greatly increased stalk weight and intemode length 5 weeks after GA treatment. 2. Water supply strongly affected GA-growth responses. Water-deficient plants were proportionately more stimulated by GA than water-rich plants. However, maximum growth required both GA and abundant water. 3. GA appeared to increase the efficiency of water utilization, regardless of the amount of water supplied. 4. Variable water supply severely transformed the behavior patterns of ATP-ase, amylase, invertase and polyphenol oxidase. 5. GA treatment of low-water plants appeared to increase the severity of water shortage. Hydrolytic enzymes were severely retarded by GA when water supply was low, but not when adequate or abundant water was available. On the basis of growth and enzyme data it was proposed that GA caused an internal redeployment of water so that the net quantity available for enzymatic functions was reduced. It was also proposed that GA might decrease the internal water supply while increasing growth, in contrast to the commercial practice of externally withholding water which decreases growth. 6. Low P was inadequate for maximum growth, but severe P deficiency was not achieved. GA was proportionally more effective in promoting fresh weights and internode elongation when P supply was low. 7. GA moderately increased leaf P content when P supply was low. The increase was primarily organic P (PO) and this was attributed to GA suppression of phosphatase and ATP-ase. The significance of GA alteration of PO is discussed. 8. Evidence was found of a GA-induced PO decline mediated by increased amylase activity. 9. Leaf peroxidase was extremely sensitive to P supply, and to GA in P-hungry plants. The enzyme was excessively active in low-P X low-GA plants. 10. It is shown that cane growth and enzymology is far more sensitive to P than field experiments have indicated. The importance of PO, phosphatases and phosphorylase, as contrasted to total P content, is stressed.

Download Full-text