Effects of PEG-Induced Water Deficit in Solanum nigrum on  Zn and Ni Uptake and Translocation in Split Root Systems

Abstract Background The root system plays a major role in plant growth and development and root system architecture is reported to be the main trait related to plant adaptation to drought. However, phenotyping root systems in situ is not suited to high-throughput methods, leading to the development of non-destructive methods for evaluations in more or less controlled root environments. This study used a root phenotyping platform with a panel of 20 japonica rice accessions in order to: (i) assess their genetic diversity for a set of structural and morphological root traits and classify the different types; (ii) analyze the plastic response of their root system to a water deficit at reproductive phase and (iii) explore the ability of the platform for high-throughput phenotyping of root structure and morphology. Results High variability for the studied root traits was found in the reduced set of accessions. Using eight selected traits under irrigated conditions, five root clusters were found that differed in root thickness, branching index and the pattern of fine and thick root distribution along the profile. When water deficit occurred at reproductive phase, some accessions significantly reduced root growth compared to the irrigated treatment, while others stimulated it. It was found that root cluster, as defined under irrigated conditions, could not predict the plastic response of roots under drought. Conclusions This study revealed the possibility of reconstructing the structure of root systems from scanned images. It was thus possible to significantly class root systems according to simple structural traits, opening up the way for using such a platform for medium to high-throughput phenotyping. The study also highlighted the uncoupling between root structures under non-limiting water conditions and their response to drought.

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Reprint of “Contrasting stomatal regulation and leaf ABA concentrations in wheat genotypes when split root systems were exposed to terminal drought”

Field Crops Research ◽

10.1016/j.fcr.2014.06.025 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 165 ◽

pp. 5-14 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Renu Saradadevi ◽

Helen Bramley ◽

Kadambot H.M. Siddique ◽

Everard Edwards ◽

Jairo A. Palta

Keyword(s):

Root Systems ◽

Wheat Genotypes ◽

Stomatal Regulation ◽

Terminal Drought ◽

Split Root

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Water uptake regulation in peach trees with split-root systems

Plant Cell & Environment ◽

10.1111/j.1365-3040.1994.tb00306.x ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 17 (4) ◽

pp. 379-388 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

T. SIMONNEAU ◽

R. HABIB

Keyword(s):

Water Uptake ◽

Root Systems ◽

Split Root ◽

Peach Trees

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Plant phosphorus status has a limited influence on the concentration of phosphorus-mobilising carboxylates in the rhizosphere of chickpea

Functional Plant Biology ◽

10.1071/fp04084 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 153 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Madeleine Wouterlood ◽

Hans Lambers ◽

Erik J. Veneklaas

Keyword(s):

Root Systems ◽

External Factors ◽

Sand Culture ◽

P Deficiency ◽

Cicer Arietinum L ◽

Split Root ◽

Chickpea Cultivar ◽

Phosphorus Status ◽

Carboxylate Exudation ◽

P Supply

Two experiments were conducted to investigate whether carboxylate exudation by chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a response to phosphorus (P) deficiency or a constitutive trait. The effect of P supply on carboxylate concentrations in the plant and in the rhizosphere of chickpea cultivar Heera was studied in a sand culture. Plants were grown in pots supplied with 200 mL of solution containing 0–500 μm P every 3 d. Malonate was the main carboxylate exuded, and the main carboxylate in roots; shoots contained mainly citrate and malate. Contrary to what has been reported for other species, carboxylate concentrations in the rhizosphere decreased only slightly at high P supply, but they were still substantial. The effect of P supply on the rate of exudation was studied in a split-root sand culture. Root systems were split into two pots, one root half received no P and the other half received 200 mL of solution containing 0–500 μm P. The rhizosphere of both root halves contained similar concentrations of carboxylates, even when the plants received a different supply of P. Our results indicate that carboxylate exudation is determined by internal P rather than external factors. The fact that chickpea roots always exude carboxylates indicates that exudation in this species is largely constitutive.

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Dry Mass and Nitrogen Distribution in Papaya Seedlings in Response to Varied Fertilization of Divided Root Systems

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.32.3.428d ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 32 (3) ◽

pp. 428D-428

Author(s):

Thomas E. Marler ◽

Haluk M. Discekici

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Content ◽

Root System ◽

Total Nitrogen ◽

Root Systems ◽

Dry Mass ◽

Root Mass ◽

Constant Mass ◽

Nitrogen Distribution ◽

Split Root ◽

Total Plant

`Known You 1' papaya seedlings were grown in split-root containers and fertilizer was applied to one (1/2) or two (2/2) halves of the root system to determine the influence on transport of assimilates from canopy to roots and transport of nitrogen from fertilized roots to non-fertilized roots and canopy. Following 6 weeks of growth, the plants were bare-rooted and the root system halves and canopy were dried to constant mass at 70°C. Tissue was then analyzed for total nitrogen content. Fertilization increased root mass more than 250% and total plant mass 300% compared with control plants, which received no fertilization during the 6 weeks. Total root or plant mass did not differ between the 1/2 and 2/2 plants. Roots were evenly distributed between the two halves for 2/2 plants, but the fertilized half in the 1/2 plants accounted for 60% of the total root mass. Nitrogen content of roots and canopy were increased by fertilization. Nitrogen content of the non-fertilized roots of 1/2 plants was not different from that of the fertilized roots. These results indicate that fertilizing a portion of the papaya root system increased the sink activity of that portion and that the absorbed nitrogen from that portion is efficiently transported throughout the plant.

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