Shaping 3D root system architecture

Morris, Emily C.; Griffiths, Marcus; Golebiowska, Agata; Mairhofer, Stefan; Burr-Hersey, Jasmine; Goh, Tatsuaki; von Wangenheim, Daniel; Atkinson, Brian; Sturrock, Craig J.; Lynch, Jonathan P.; Vissenberg, Kris; Ritz, Karl; Wells, Darren M.; Mooney, Sacha J.; Bennett, Malcolm J.

Abstract

Plants are sessile organisms rooted in one place. The soil resources that plants require are often distributed in a highly heterogeneous pattern. To aid foraging, plants have evolved roots whose growth and development are highly responsive to soil signals. As a result, 3D root architecture is shaped by myriad environmental signals to ensure resource capture is optimised and unfavourable environments are avoided. The first signals sensed by newly germinating seeds — gravity and light — direct root growth into the soil to aid seedling establishment. Heterogeneous soil resources, such as water, nitrogen and phosphate, also act as signals that shape 3D root growth to optimise uptake. Root architecture is also modified through biotic interactions that include soil fungi and neighbouring plants. This developmental plasticity results in a ‘custom-made’ 3D root system that is best adapted to forage for resources in each soil environment that a plant colonises.

Citation

Morris, E. C., Griffiths, M., Golebiowska, A., Mairhofer, S., Burr-Hersey, J., Goh, T., von Wangenheim, D., Atkinson, B., Sturrock, C. J., Lynch, J. P., Vissenberg, K., Ritz, K., Wells, D. M., Mooney, S. J., & Bennett, M. J. (2017). Shaping 3D root system architecture. Current Biology, 27(17), R919-R930. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.06.043

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 18, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Sep 11, 2017
• Publication Date: Sep 11, 2017
• Deposit Date: Sep 15, 2017
• Journal: Current Biology
• Print ISSN: 0960-9822
• Electronic ISSN: 1879-0445
• Publisher: Cell Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 27
• Issue: 17
• Article Number: R919-R930
• Pages: R919-R930
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.06.043
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/881892
• Publisher URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982217307807
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Shaping 3D Root System Architecture; Journal Title: Current Biology; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.06.043; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2017 Elsevier Ltd.
• Contract Date: Sep 15, 2017