Root anatomical traits contribute to deeper rooting of maize under compacted field conditions

Vanhees, Dorien J.; Loades, Kenneth W.; Glyn Bengough, A.; Mooney, Sacha J.; Lynch, Jonathan P.

doi:10.1093/jxb/eraa165

Root anatomical traits contribute to deeper rooting of maize under compacted field conditions

Vanhees, Dorien J.; Loades, Kenneth W.; Glyn Bengough, A.; Mooney, Sacha J.; Lynch, Jonathan P.

Authors

Dorien J. Vanhees

Kenneth W. Loades

A. Glyn Bengough

Professor SACHA MOONEY sacha.mooney@nottingham.ac.uk
Head of School (Professor of Soil Physics)

Jonathan P. Lynch

Abstract

© The Author(s) 2020. To better understand the role of root anatomy in regulating plant adaptation to soil mechanical impedance, 12 maize lines were evaluated in two soils with and without compaction treatments under field conditions. Penetrometer resistance was 1–2 MPa greater in the surface 30 cm of the compacted plots at a water content of 17–20% (v/v). Root thickening in response to compaction varied among genotypes and was negatively associated with rooting depth at one field site under non-compacted plots. Thickening was not associated with rooting depth on compacted plots. Genotypic variation in root anatomy was related to rooting depth. Deeper-rooting plants were associated with reduced cortical cell file number in combination with greater mid cortical cell area for node 3 roots. For node 4, roots with increased aerenchyma were deeper roots. A greater influence of anatomy on rooting depth was observed for the thinner root classes. We found no evidence that root thickening is related to deeper rooting in compacted soil; however, anatomical traits are important, especially for thinner root classes.

Citation

Vanhees, D. J., Loades, K. W., Glyn Bengough, A., Mooney, S. J., & Lynch, J. P. (2020). Root anatomical traits contribute to deeper rooting of maize under compacted field conditions. Journal of Experimental Botany, 71(14), 4243-4257. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/eraa165

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Apr 30, 2020
Online Publication Date	May 18, 2020
Publication Date	Jul 6, 2020
Deposit Date	Aug 25, 2020
Publicly Available Date	Aug 25, 2020
Journal	Journal of Experimental Botany
Print ISSN	0022-0957
Electronic ISSN	1460-2431
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	71
Issue	14
Pages	4243-4257
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/eraa165
Keywords	Plant Science; Physiology
Public URL	https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4850962
Publisher URL	https://academic.oup.com/jxb/article/71/14/4243/5838731