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Poorter H, Hummel GM, Nagel KA, Fiorani F, von Gillhaussen P, Virnich O, Schurr U, Postma JA, van de Zedde R, Wiese-Klinkenberg A. Pitfalls and potential of high-throughput plant phenotyping platforms. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1233794. [PMID: 37680357 PMCID: PMC10481964 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1233794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Automated high-throughput plant phenotyping (HTPP) enables non-invasive, fast and standardized evaluations of a large number of plants for size, development, and certain physiological variables. Many research groups recognize the potential of HTPP and have made significant investments in HTPP infrastructure, or are considering doing so. To make optimal use of limited resources, it is important to plan and use these facilities prudently and to interpret the results carefully. Here we present a number of points that users should consider before purchasing, building or utilizing such equipment. They relate to (1) the financial and time investment for acquisition, operation, and maintenance, (2) the constraints associated with such machines in terms of flexibility and growth conditions, (3) the pros and cons of frequent non-destructive measurements, (4) the level of information provided by proxy traits, and (5) the utilization of calibration curves. Using data from an Arabidopsis experiment, we demonstrate how diurnal changes in leaf angle can impact plant size estimates from top-view cameras, causing deviations of more than 20% over the day. Growth analysis data from another rosette species showed that there was a curvilinear relationship between total and projected leaf area. Neglecting this curvilinearity resulted in linear calibration curves that, although having a high r2 (> 0.92), also exhibited large relative errors. Another important consideration we discussed is the frequency at which calibration curves need to be generated and whether different treatments, seasons, or genotypes require distinct calibration curves. In conclusion, HTPP systems have become a valuable addition to the toolbox of plant biologists, provided that these systems are tailored to the research questions of interest, and users are aware of both the possible pitfalls and potential involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Kerstin A. Nagel
- Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Fabio Fiorani
- Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | | | - Olivia Virnich
- Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schurr
- Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | | | - Rick van de Zedde
- Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Anika Wiese-Klinkenberg
- Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
- Bioinformatics (IBG-4), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
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2
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Schmidt L, Nagel KA, Galinski A, Sannemann W, Pillen K, Maurer A. Unraveling Genomic Regions Controlling Root Traits as a Function of Nitrogen Availability in the MAGIC Wheat Population WM-800. Plants (Basel) 2022; 11:3520. [PMID: 36559632 PMCID: PMC9785272 DOI: 10.3390/plants11243520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
An ever-growing world population demands to be fed in the future and environmental protection and climate change need to be taken into account. An important factor here is nitrogen uptake efficiency (NUpE), which is influenced by the root system (the interface between plant and soil). To understand the natural variation of root system architecture (RSA) as a function of nitrogen (N) availability, a subset of the multiparent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) winter wheat population WM-800 was phenotyped under two contrasting N treatments in a high-throughput phenotyping system at the seedling stage. Fourteen root and shoot traits were measured. Subsequently, these traits were genetically analyzed using 13,060 polymorphic haplotypes and SNPs in a genome-wide association study (GWAS). In total, 64 quantitative trait loci (QTL) were detected; 60 of them were N treatment specific. Candidate genes for the detected QTL included NRT1.1 and genes involved in stress signaling under N-, whereas candidate genes under N+ were more associated with general growth, such as mei2 and TaWOX11b. This finding may indicate (i) a disparity of the genetic control of root development under low and high N supply and, furthermore, (ii) the need for an N specific selection of genes and genotypes in breeding new wheat cultivars with improved NUpE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Schmidt
- Chair of Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 3, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Kerstin A. Nagel
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Research Institute Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Anna Galinski
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Research Institute Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Wiebke Sannemann
- Chair of Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 3, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Klaus Pillen
- Chair of Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 3, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Andreas Maurer
- Chair of Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 3, 06120 Halle, Germany
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Macabuhay A, Arsova B, Watt M, Nagel KA, Lenz H, Putz A, Adels S, Müller-Linow M, Kelm J, Johnson AAT, Walker R, Schaaf G, Roessner U. Plant Growth Promotion and Heat Stress Amelioration in Arabidopsis Inoculated with Paraburkholderia phytofirmans PsJN Rhizobacteria Quantified with the GrowScreen-Agar II Phenotyping Platform. Plants (Basel) 2022; 11:2927. [PMID: 36365381 PMCID: PMC9655538 DOI: 10.3390/plants11212927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
High temperatures inhibit plant growth. A proposed strategy for improving plant productivity under elevated temperatures is the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). While the effects of PGPR on plant shoots have been extensively explored, roots-particularly their spatial and temporal dynamics-have been hard to study, due to their below-ground nature. Here, we characterized the time- and tissue-specific morphological changes in bacterized plants using a novel non-invasive high-resolution plant phenotyping and imaging platform-GrowScreen-Agar II. The platform uses custom-made agar plates, which allow air exchange to occur with the agar medium and enable the shoot to grow outside the compartment. The platform provides light protection to the roots, the exposure of it to the shoots, and the non-invasive phenotyping of both organs. Arabidopsis thaliana, co-cultivated with Paraburkholderia phytofirmans PsJN at elevated and ambient temperatures, showed increased lengths, growth rates, and numbers of roots. However, the magnitude and direction of the growth promotion varied depending on root type, timing, and temperature. The root length and distribution per depth and according to time was also influenced by bacterization and the temperature. The shoot biomass increased at the later stages under ambient temperature in the bacterized plants. The study offers insights into the timing of the tissue-specific, PsJN-induced morphological changes and should facilitate future molecular and biochemical studies on plant-microbe-environment interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allene Macabuhay
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Institute for Bio- & Geosciences (IBG-2), Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, Department of Plant Nutrition, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Borjana Arsova
- Institute for Bio- & Geosciences (IBG-2), Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Michelle Watt
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Kerstin A. Nagel
- Institute for Bio- & Geosciences (IBG-2), Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Henning Lenz
- Institute for Bio- & Geosciences (IBG-2), Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Alexander Putz
- Institute for Bio- & Geosciences (IBG-2), Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Sascha Adels
- Institute for Bio- & Geosciences (IBG-2), Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Mark Müller-Linow
- Institute for Bio- & Geosciences (IBG-2), Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Jana Kelm
- Institute for Bio- & Geosciences (IBG-2), Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | | | - Robert Walker
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Gabriel Schaaf
- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, Department of Plant Nutrition, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Ute Roessner
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia
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Pflugfelder D, Kochs J, Koller R, Jahnke S, Mohl C, Pariyar S, Fassbender H, Nagel KA, Watt M, van Dusschoten D. The root system architecture of wheat establishing in soil is associated with varying elongation rates of seminal roots: quantification using 4D magnetic resonance imaging. J Exp Bot 2022; 73:2050-2060. [PMID: 34918078 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Seedling establishment is the first stage of crop productivity, and root phenotypes at seed emergence are critical to a successful start of shoot growth as well as for water and nutrient uptake. In this study, we investigate seedling establishment in winter wheat utilizing a newly developed workflow based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Using the eight parents of the MAGIC (multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross) population we analysed the 4D root architecture of 288 individual seedlings grown in natural soils with plant neighbors over 3 d of development. Time of root and shoot emergence, total length, angle, and depth of the axile roots varied significantly among these genotypes. The temporal data resolved rates of elongation of primary roots and first and second seminal root pairs. Genotypes with slowly elongating primary roots had rapidly elongating first and second seminal root pairs and vice versa, resulting in variation in root system architecture mediated not only by root angle but also by initiation and relative elongation of axile roots. We demonstrated that our novel MRI workflow with a unique planting design and automated measurements allowed medium throughput phenotyping of wheat roots in 4D and could give new insights into regulation of root system architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Pflugfelder
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Johannes Kochs
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Robert Koller
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Siegfried Jahnke
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- University of Duisburg-Essen, Biodiversity, Universitätsstr. 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
| | - Carola Mohl
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Shree Pariyar
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Heike Fassbender
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Kerstin A Nagel
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Michelle Watt
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- School of BioSciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010Australia
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Valle SF, Giroto AS, Guimarães GGF, Nagel KA, Galinski A, Cohnen J, Jablonowski ND, Ribeiro C. Co-fertilization of Sulfur and Struvite-Phosphorus in a Slow-Release Fertilizer Improves Soybean Cultivation. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:861574. [PMID: 35620702 PMCID: PMC9127873 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.861574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
In face of the alarming world population growth predictions and its threat to food security, the development of sustainable fertilizer alternatives is urgent. Moreover, fertilizer performance should be assessed not only in terms of yield but also in root system development, as it impacts soil fertility and crop productivity. Fertilizers containing a polysulfide matrix (PS) with dispersed struvite (St) were studied for S and P nutrition due to their controlled-release behavior. Soybean cultivation in a closed system with St/PS composites provided superior biomass compared to a reference of triple superphosphate (TSP) with ammonium sulfate (AS), with up to 3 and 10 times higher mass of shoots and roots, respectively. Root system architectural changes may explain these results, with a higher proliferation of second order lateral roots in response to struvite ongoing P delivery. The total root length was between 1,942 and 4,291 cm for plants under St/PS composites and only 982 cm with TSP/AS. While phosphorus uptake efficiency was similar in all fertilized treatments (11-14%), St/PS achieved a 22% sulfur uptake efficiency against only 8% from TSP/AS. Overall, the composites showed great potential as efficient slow-release fertilizers for enhanced soybean productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella F. Valle
- Department of Chemistry, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
- Embrapa Instrumentation, São Carlos, Brazil
| | | | | | - Kerstin A. Nagel
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Anna Galinski
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Jens Cohnen
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Nicolai D. Jablonowski
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
- *Correspondence: Nicolai D. Jablonowski,
| | - Caue Ribeiro
- Embrapa Instrumentation, São Carlos, Brazil
- Caue Ribeiro,
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Liu H, Fiorani F, Jäck O, Colombi T, Nagel KA, Weih M. Shoot and Root Traits Underlying Genotypic Variation in Early Vigor and Nutrient Accumulation in Spring Wheat Grown in High-Latitude Light Conditions. Plants (Basel) 2021; 10:174. [PMID: 33477661 PMCID: PMC7831908 DOI: 10.3390/plants10010174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Plants with improved nutrient use efficiency are needed to maintain and enhance future crop plant production. The aim of this study was to explore candidate traits for pre-breeding to improve nutrient accumulation and early vigor of spring wheat grown at high latitudes. We quantified shoot and root traits together with nutrient accumulation in nine contrasting spring wheat genotypes grown in rhizoboxes for 20 days in a greenhouse. Whole-plant relative growth rate was here correlated with leaf area productivity and plant nitrogen productivity, but not leaf area ratio. Furthermore, the total leaf area was correlated with the accumulation of six macronutrients, and could be suggested as a candidate trait for the pre-breeding towards improved nutrient accumulation and early vigor in wheat to be grown in high-latitude environments. Depending on the nutrient of interest, different root system traits were identified as relevant for their accumulation. Accumulation of nitrogen, potassium, sulfur and calcium was correlated with lateral root length, whilst accumulation of phosphorus and magnesium was correlated with main root length. Therefore, special attention needs to be paid to specific root system traits in the breeding of wheat towards improved nutrient accumulation to counteract the suboptimal uptake of some nutrient elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Liu
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden; (O.J.); (M.W.)
| | - Fabio Fiorani
- Institute for Bio and Geosciences-2, Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany; (F.F.); (K.A.N.)
| | - Ortrud Jäck
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden; (O.J.); (M.W.)
| | - Tino Colombi
- Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Kerstin A. Nagel
- Institute for Bio and Geosciences-2, Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany; (F.F.); (K.A.N.)
| | - Martin Weih
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden; (O.J.); (M.W.)
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Nakhforoosh A, Nagel KA, Fiorani F, Bodner G. Deep soil exploration vs. topsoil exploitation: distinctive rooting strategies between wheat landraces and wild relatives. Plant Soil 2020; 459:397-421. [PMID: 33603255 PMCID: PMC7870630 DOI: 10.1007/s11104-020-04794-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Diversity of root systems among genetic resources can contribute to optimize water and nutrient uptake. Topsoil exploitation vs. deep soil exploration represent two contrasting ideotypes in relation to resource use. Our study reveals how rooting patterns changed between wheat wild progenitors and landraces in regard to these ideotypes. METHODS Root (partitioning, morphology, distribution, elongation, anatomy) and shoot traits (dry-matter, leaf area, assimilation) of durum landraces, wild emmer and wild einkorn from Iran, Syria, Turkey and Lebanon were phenotyped using the GrowScreen-Rhizo platform. Distinctive rooting patterns were identified via principal component analysis and relations with collection site characteristics analyzed. RESULTS Shoot trait differentiation was strongly driven by seed weight, leading to superior early vigor of landraces. Wild progenitors formed superficial root systems with a higher contribution of lateral and early-emerging nodal axes to total root length. Durum landraces had a root system dominated by seminal axes allocated evenly over depth. Xylem anatomy was the trait most affected by the environmental influence of the collection site. CONCLUSIONS The durum landrace root system approximated a deep soil exploration ideotype which would optimize subsoil water uptake, while monococcum-type wild einkorn was most similar to a topsoil exploiting strategy with potential competitive advantages for subsistence in natural vegetation. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11104-020-04794-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Nakhforoosh
- Division of Agronomy, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad Lorenz-Straße 24, A-3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria
- Global Institute of Food Security, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0W9 Canada
| | - Kerstin A. Nagel
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Fabio Fiorani
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Gernot Bodner
- Division of Agronomy, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad Lorenz-Straße 24, A-3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria
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Nagel KA, Lenz H, Kastenholz B, Gilmer F, Averesch A, Putz A, Heinz K, Fischbach A, Scharr H, Fiorani F, Walter A, Schurr U. The platform GrowScreen- Agar enables identification of phenotypic diversity in root and shoot growth traits of agar grown plants. Plant Methods 2020; 16:89. [PMID: 32582364 PMCID: PMC7310412 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-020-00631-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Root system architecture and especially its plasticity in acclimation to variable environments play a crucial role in the ability of plants to explore and acquire efficiently soil resources and ensure plant productivity. Non-destructive measurement methods are indispensable to quantify dynamic growth traits. For closing the phenotyping gap, we have developed an automated phenotyping platform, GrowScreen-Agar, for non-destructive characterization of root and shoot traits of plants grown in transparent agar medium. RESULTS The phenotyping system is capable to phenotype root systems and correlate them to whole plant development of up to 280 Arabidopsis plants within 15 min. The potential of the platform has been demonstrated by quantifying phenotypic differences within 78 Arabidopsis accessions from the 1001 genomes project. The chosen concept 'plant-to-sensor' is based on transporting plants to the imaging position, which allows for flexible experimental size and design. As transporting causes mechanical vibrations of plants, we have validated that daily imaging, and consequently, moving plants has negligible influence on plant development. Plants are cultivated in square Petri dishes modified to allow the shoot to grow in the ambient air while the roots grow inside the Petri dish filled with agar. Because it is common practice in the scientific community to grow Arabidopsis plants completely enclosed in Petri dishes, we compared development of plants that had the shoot inside with that of plants that had the shoot outside the plate. Roots of plants grown completely inside the Petri dish grew 58% slower, produced a 1.8 times higher lateral root density and showed an etiolated shoot whereas plants whose shoot grew outside the plate formed a rosette. In addition, the setup with the shoot growing outside the plate offers the unique option to accurately measure both, leaf and root traits, non-destructively, and treat roots and shoots separately. CONCLUSIONS Because the GrowScreen-Agar system can be moved from one growth chamber to another, plants can be phenotyped under a wide range of environmental conditions including future climate scenarios. In combination with a measurement throughput enabling phenotyping a large set of mutants or accessions, the platform will contribute to the identification of key genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin A Nagel
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Henning Lenz
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Bernd Kastenholz
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Frank Gilmer
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Present Address: BASF SE, 67117 Limburgerhof, Germany
| | - Andreas Averesch
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Alexander Putz
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Kathrin Heinz
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Andreas Fischbach
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Hanno Scharr
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Fabio Fiorani
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Achim Walter
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Present Address: Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 2, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ulrich Schurr
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Tracy SR, Nagel KA, Postma JA, Fassbender H, Wasson A, Watt M. Crop Improvement from Phenotyping Roots: Highlights Reveal Expanding Opportunities. Trends Plant Sci 2020; 25:105-118. [PMID: 31806535 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2019.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Root systems determine the water and nutrients for photosynthesis and harvested products, underpinning agricultural productivity. We highlight 11 programs that integrated root traits into germplasm for breeding, relying on phenotyping. Progress was successful but slow. Today's phenotyping technologies will speed up root trait improvement. They combine multiple new alleles in germplasm for target environments, in parallel. Roots and shoots are detected simultaneously and nondestructively, seed to seed measures are automated, and field and laboratory technologies are increasingly linked. Available simulation models can aid all phenotyping decisions. This century will see a shift from single root traits to rhizosphere selections that can be managed dynamically on farms and a shift to phenotype-based improvement to accommodate the dynamic complexity of whole crop systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saoirse R Tracy
- School of Agriculture & Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kerstin A Nagel
- Institute for Bio and Geosciences-2, Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52428 Juelich, Germany
| | - Johannes A Postma
- Institute for Bio and Geosciences-2, Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52428 Juelich, Germany
| | - Heike Fassbender
- Institute for Bio and Geosciences-2, Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52428 Juelich, Germany
| | - Anton Wasson
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Michelle Watt
- Institute for Bio and Geosciences-2, Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52428 Juelich, Germany.
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10
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Wasson AP, Nagel KA, Tracy S, Watt M. Beyond Digging: Noninvasive Root and Rhizosphere Phenotyping. Trends Plant Sci 2020; 25:119-120. [PMID: 31791653 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2019.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anton P Wasson
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Kerstin A Nagel
- Institute for Bio- and Geosciences (IBG-2), Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Saoirse Tracy
- University College Dublin (UCD) School of Agriculture and Food Science, UCD, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Michelle Watt
- Institute for Bio- and Geosciences (IBG-2), Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany.
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11
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Canales FJ, Nagel KA, Müller C, Rispail N, Prats E. Deciphering Root Architectural Traits Involved to Cope With Water Deficit in Oat. Front Plant Sci 2019; 10:1558. [PMID: 31850037 PMCID: PMC6892839 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Drought tolerance is a complex phenomenon comprising many physiological, biochemical and morphological changes at both aerial and below ground levels. We aim to reveal changes on root morphology that promote drought tolerance in oat in both seedling and adult plants. To this aim, we employed two oat genotypes, previously characterized as susceptible and tolerant to drought. Root phenotyping was carried out on young plants grown either in pots or in rhizotrons under controlled environments, and on adult plants grown in big containers under field conditions. Overall, the tolerant genotype showed an increased root length, branching rate, root surface, and length of fine roots, while coarse to fine ratio decreased as compared with the susceptible genotype. We also observed a high and significant correlation between various morphological root traits within and between experiments, identifying several of them as appropriate markers to identify drought tolerant oat genotypes. Stimulation of fine root growth was one of the most prominent responses to cope with gradual soil water depletion, in both seedlings and adult plants. Although seedling experiments did not exactly match the response of adult plants, they were similarly informative for discriminating between tolerant and susceptible genotypes. This might contribute to easier and faster phenotyping of large amount of plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J. Canales
- Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Spanish Research Council (CSIC), Córdoba, Spain
| | - Kerstin A. Nagel
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Carmen Müller
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Nicolas Rispail
- Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Spanish Research Council (CSIC), Córdoba, Spain
| | - Elena Prats
- Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Spanish Research Council (CSIC), Córdoba, Spain
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12
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Belachew KY, Nagel KA, Poorter H, Stoddard FL. Association of Shoot and Root Responses to Water Deficit in Young Faba Bean ( Vicia faba L.) Plants. Front Plant Sci 2019; 10:1063. [PMID: 31552067 PMCID: PMC6738164 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Water deficit may occur at any stage of plant growth, with any intensity and duration. Phenotypic acclimation and the mechanism of adaptation vary with the evolutionary background of germplasm accessions and their stage of growth. Faba bean is considered sensitive to various kinds of drought. Hence, we conducted a greenhouse experiment in rhizotrons under contrasting watering regimes to explore shoot and root traits and drought avoidance mechanisms in young faba bean plants. Eight accessions were investigated for shoot and root morphological and physiological responses in two watering conditions with four replications. Pre-germinated seedlings were transplanted into rhizotron boxes filled with either air-dried or moist peat. The water-limited plants received 50-ml water at transplanting and another 50-ml water 4 days later, then no water was given until the end of the experimental period, 24 days after transplanting. The well-watered plants received 100 ml of water every 12 h throughout the experimental period. Root, stem, and leaf dry mass, their mass fractions, their dry matter contents, apparent specific root length and density, stomatal conductance, SPAD value, and Fv/Fm were recorded. Water deficit resulted in 3-4-fold reductions in shoot biomass, root biomass, and stomatal conductance along with 1.2-1.4-fold increases in leaf and stem dry matter content and SPAD values. Total dry mass and apparent root length density showed accession by treatment interactions. Accessions DS70622, DS11320, and ILB938/2 shared relatively high values of total dry mass and low values of stomatal conductance under water deficit but differed in root distribution parameters. In both treatments, DS70622 was characterized by finer roots that were distributed in both depth and width, whereas DS11320 and ILB938/2 produced less densely growing, thicker roots. French accession Mélodie/2 was susceptible to drought in the vegetative phase, in contrast to previous results from the flowering phase, showing the importance of timing of drought stress on the measured response. Syrian accession DS70622 explored the maximum root volume and maintained its dry matter production, with the difference from the other accessions being particularly large in the water-limited treatment, so it is a valuable source of traits for avoiding transient drought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiflemariam Y. Belachew
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Plant Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | - Kerstin A. Nagel
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Hendrik Poorter
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Frederick L. Stoddard
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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13
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Nabel M, Schrey SD, Poorter H, Koller R, Nagel KA, Temperton VM, Dietrich CC, Briese C, Jablonowski ND. Coming Late for Dinner: Localized Digestate Depot Fertilization for Extensive Cultivation of Marginal Soil With Sida hermaphrodita. Front Plant Sci 2018; 9:1095. [PMID: 30131816 PMCID: PMC6090160 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Improving fertility of marginal soils for the sustainable production of biomass is a strategy for reducing land use conflicts between food and energy crops. Digestates can be used as fertilizer and for soil amelioration. In order to promote plant growth and reduce potential adverse effects on roots because of broadcast digestate fertilization, we propose to apply local digestate depots placed into the rhizosphere. We grew Sida hermaphrodita in large mesocosms outdoors for three growing seasons and in rhizotrons in the greenhouse for 3 months both filled with marginal substrate, including multiple sampling dates. We compared digestate broadcast application with digestate depot fertilization and a mineral fertilizer control. We show that depot fertilization promotes a deep reaching root system of S. hermaphrodita seedlings followed by the formation of a dense root cluster around the depot-fertilized zone, resulting in a fivefold increased biomass yield. Temporal adverse effects on root growth were linked to high initial concentrations of ammonium and nitrite in the rhizosphere in either fertilizer application, followed by a high biomass increase after its microbial conversion to nitrate. We conclude that digestate depot fertilization can contribute to an improved cultivation of perennial energy-crops on marginal soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Nabel
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Silvia D. Schrey
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Hendrik Poorter
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Robert Koller
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Kerstin A. Nagel
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | | | - Charlotte C. Dietrich
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Christoph Briese
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Nicolai D. Jablonowski
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
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14
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Belachew KY, Nagel KA, Fiorani F, Stoddard FL. Diversity in root growth responses to moisture deficit in young faba bean ( Vicia faba L.) plants. PeerJ 2018; 6:e4401. [PMID: 29492343 PMCID: PMC5826991 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Soil moisture deficiency causes yield reduction and instability in faba bean (Vicia faba L.) production. The extent of sensitivity to drought stress varies across accessions originating from diverse moisture regimes of the world. Hence, we conducted successive greenhouse experiments in pots and rhizotrons to explore diversity in root responses to soil water deficit. METHODS A set of 89 accessions from wet and dry growing regions of the world was defined according to the Focused Identification of Germplasm Strategy and screened in a perlite-sand medium under well watered conditions in a greenhouse experiment. Stomatal conductance, canopy temperature, chlorophyll concentration, and root and shoot dry weights were recorded during the fifth week of growth. Eight accessions representing the range of responses were selected for further investigation. Starting five days after germination, they were subjected to a root phenotyping experiment using the automated phenotyping platform GROWSCREEN-Rhizo. The rhizotrons were filled with peat-soil under well watered and water limited conditions. Root architectural traits were recorded five, 12, and 19 days after the treatment (DAT) began. RESULTS In the germplasm survey, accessions from dry regions showed significantly higher values of chlorophyll concentration, shoot and root dry weights than those from wet regions. Root and shoot dry weight as well as seed weight, and chlorophyll concentration were positively correlated with each other. Accession DS70622 combined higher values of root and shoot dry weight than the rest. The experiment in GROWSCREEN-Rhizo showed large differences in root response to water deficit. The accession by treatment interactions in taproot and second order lateral root lengths were significant at 12 and 19 DAT, and the taproot length was reduced up to 57% by drought. The longest and deepest root systems under both treatment conditions were recorded by DS70622 and DS11320, and total root length of DS70622 was three times longer than that of WS99501, the shortest rooted accession. The maximum horizontal distribution of a root system and root surface coverage were positively correlated with taproot and total root lengths and root system depth. DS70622 and WS99501 combined maximum and minimum values of these traits, respectively. Thus, roots of DS70622 and DS11320, from dry regions, showed drought-avoidance characteristics whereas those of WS99501 and Mèlodie/2, from wet regions, showed the opposite. DISCUSSION The combination of the germplasm survey and use of GROWSCREEN-Rhizo allowed exploring of adaptive traits and detection of root phenotypic markers for potential drought avoidance. The greater root system depth and root surface coverage, exemplified by DS70622 and DS11320, can now be tested as new sources of drought tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiflemariam Yehuala Belachew
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, South Finland, Finland
| | - Kerstin A. Nagel
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Fabio Fiorani
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Frederick L. Stoddard
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, South Finland, Finland
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15
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Zhao J, Bodner G, Rewald B, Leitner D, Nagel KA, Nakhforoosh A. Root architecture simulation improves the inference from seedling root phenotyping towards mature root systems. J Exp Bot 2017; 68:965-982. [PMID: 28168270 PMCID: PMC5441853 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erw494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Root phenotyping provides trait information for plant breeding. A shortcoming of high-throughput root phenotyping is the limitation to seedling plants and failure to make inferences on mature root systems. We suggest root system architecture (RSA) models to predict mature root traits and overcome the inference problem. Sixteen pea genotypes were phenotyped in (i) seedling (Petri dishes) and (ii) mature (sand-filled columns) root phenotyping platforms. The RSA model RootBox was parameterized with seedling traits to simulate the fully developed root systems. Measured and modelled root length, first-order lateral number, and root distribution were compared to determine key traits for model-based prediction. No direct relationship in root traits (tap, lateral length, interbranch distance) was evident between phenotyping systems. RootBox significantly improved the inference over phenotyping platforms. Seedling plant tap and lateral root elongation rates and interbranch distance were sufficient model parameters to predict genotype ranking in total root length with an RSpearman of 0.83. Parameterization including uneven lateral spacing via a scaling function substantially improved the prediction of architectures underlying the differently sized root systems. We conclude that RSA models can solve the inference problem of seedling root phenotyping. RSA models should be included in the phenotyping pipeline to provide reliable information on mature root systems to breeding research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangsan Zhao
- Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Peter-Jordan-Straße 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gernot Bodner
- Division of Agronomy, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Boris Rewald
- Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Peter-Jordan-Straße 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Leitner
- Computational Science Center, University of Vienna, Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Kerstin A Nagel
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Alireza Nakhforoosh
- Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Peter-Jordan-Straße 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria
- Division of Agronomy, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria
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16
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Popova L, van Dusschoten D, Nagel KA, Fiorani F, Mazzolai B. Plant root tortuosity: an indicator of root path formation in soil with different composition and density. Ann Bot 2016; 118:685-698. [PMID: 27192709 PMCID: PMC5055621 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcw057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2015] [Revised: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 02/21/2016] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Background and Aims Root soil penetration and path optimization are fundamental for root development in soil. We describe the influence of soil strength on root elongation rate and diameter, response to gravity, and root-structure tortuosity, estimated by average curvature of primary maize roots. Methods Soils with different densities (1·5, 1·6, 1·7 g cm-3), particle sizes (sandy loam; coarse sand mixed with sandy loam) and layering (monolayer, bilayer) were used. In total, five treatments were performed: Mix_low with mixed sand low density (three pots, 12 plants), Mix_medium - mixed sand medium density (three pots, 12 plants), Mix_high - mixed sand high density (three pots, ten plants), Loam_low sandy loam soil low density (four pots, 16 plants), and Bilayer with top layer of sandy loam and bottom layer mixed sand both of low density (four pots, 16 plants). We used non-invasive three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging to quantify effects of these treatments. Key Results Roots grew more slowly [root growth rate (mm h-1); decreased 50 %] with increased diameters [root diameter (mm); increased 15 %] in denser soils (1·7 vs. 1·5 g cm-3). Root response to gravity decreased 23 % with increased soil compaction, and tortuosity increased 10 % in mixed sand. Response to gravity increased 39 % and tortuosity decreased 3 % in sandy loam. After crossing a bilayered-soil interface, roots grew more slowly, similar to roots grown in soil with a bulk density of 1·64 g cm-3, whereas the actual experimental density was 1·48±0·02 g cm-3. Elongation rate and tortuosity were higher in Mix_low than in Loam_low. Conclusions The present study increases our existing knowledge of the influence of physical soil properties on root growth and presents new assays for studying root growth dynamics in non-transparent media. We found that root tortuosity is indicative of root path selection, because it could result from both mechanical deflection and active root growth in response to touch stimulation and mechanical impedance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyana Popova
- Center for Micro-BioRobotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera, Italy
| | - Dagmar van Dusschoten
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Kerstin A. Nagel
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Fabio Fiorani
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Barbara Mazzolai
- Center for Micro-BioRobotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera, Italy
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17
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Hecht VL, Temperton VM, Nagel KA, Rascher U, Postma JA. Sowing Density: A Neglected Factor Fundamentally Affecting Root Distribution and Biomass Allocation of Field Grown Spring Barley (Hordeum Vulgare L.). Front Plant Sci 2016; 7:944. [PMID: 27446171 PMCID: PMC4923255 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Studies on the function of root traits and the genetic variation in these traits are often conducted under controlled conditions using individual potted plants. Little is known about root growth under field conditions and how root traits are affected by agronomic practices in particular sowing density. We hypothesized that with increasing sowing density, root length density (root length per soil volume, cm cm(-3)) increases in the topsoil as well as specific root length (root length per root dry weight, cm g(-1)) due to greater investment in fine roots. Therefore, we studied two spring barley cultivars at ten different sowing densities (24-340 seeds m(-2)) in 2 consecutive years in a clay loam field in Germany and established sowing density dose-response curves for several root and shoot traits. We took soil cores for measuring roots up to a depth of 60 cm in and between plant rows (inter-row distance 21 cm). Root length density increased with increasing sowing density and was greatest in the plant row in the topsoil (0-10 cm). Greater sowing density increased specific root length partly through greater production of fine roots in the topsoil. Rooting depth (D50) of the major root axes (root diameter class 0.4-1.0 mm) was not affected. Root mass fraction decreased, while stem mass fraction increased with sowing density and over time. Leaf mass fraction was constant over sowing density but greater leaf area was realized through increased specific leaf area. Considering fertilization, we assume that light competition caused plants to grow more shoot mass at the cost of investment into roots, which is partly compensated by increased specific root length and shallow rooting. Increased biomass per area with greater densities suggest that density increases the efficiency of the cropping system, however, declines in harvest index at densities over 230 plants m(-2) suggest that this efficiency did not translate into greater yield. We conclude that plant density is a modifier of root architecture and that root traits and their utility in breeding for greater productivity have to be understood in the context of high sowing densities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera L. Hecht
- Plant Sciences, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbHJülich, Germany
| | - Vicky M. Temperton
- Plant Sciences, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbHJülich, Germany
- Institute of Ecology, Leuphana University of LüneburgLüneburg, Germany
| | - Kerstin A. Nagel
- Plant Sciences, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbHJülich, Germany
| | - Uwe Rascher
- Plant Sciences, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbHJülich, Germany
| | - Johannes A. Postma
- Plant Sciences, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbHJülich, Germany
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18
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Avramova V, Nagel KA, AbdElgawad H, Bustos D, DuPlessis M, Fiorani F, Beemster GTS. Screening for drought tolerance of maize hybrids by multi-scale analysis of root and shoot traits at the seedling stage. J Exp Bot 2016; 67:2453-66. [PMID: 26889006 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erw055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
We studied the drought response of eight commercial hybrid maize lines with contrasting drought sensitivity together with the reference inbred line B73 using a non-invasive platform for root and shoot phenotyping and a kinematics approach to quantify cell level responses in the leaf. Drought treatments strongly reduced leaf growth parameters including projected leaf area, elongation rate, final length and width of the fourth and fifth leaf. Physiological measurements including water use efficiency, chlorophyll fluorescence and photosynthesis were also significantly affected. By performing a kinematic analysis, we show that leaf growth reduction in response to drought is mainly due to a decrease in cell division rate, whereas a marked reduction in cell expansion rate is compensated by increased duration of cell expansion. Detailed analysis of root growth in rhizotrons under drought conditions revealed a strong reduction in total root length as well as rooting depth and width. This was reflected by corresponding decreases in fresh and dry weight of the root system. We show that phenotypic differences between lines differing in geographic origin (African vs. European) and in drought tolerance under field conditions can already be identified at the seedling stage by measurements of total root length and shoot dry weight of the plants. Moreover, we propose a list of candidate traits that could potentially serve as traits for future screening strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktoriya Avramova
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Kerstin A Nagel
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Hamada AbdElgawad
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Dolores Bustos
- Instituto de Investgatión de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales, Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (CIAP), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), X5020ICA Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Magdeleen DuPlessis
- Department of Plant Production and Soil Science, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Fabio Fiorani
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Gerrit T S Beemster
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium
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19
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Gioia T, Galinski A, Lenz H, Müller C, Lentz J, Heinz K, Briese C, Putz A, Fiorani F, Watt M, Schurr U, Nagel KA. GrowScreen-PaGe, a non-invasive, high-throughput phenotyping system based on germination paper to quantify crop phenotypic diversity and plasticity of root traits under varying nutrient supply. Funct Plant Biol 2016; 44:76-93. [PMID: 32480548 DOI: 10.1071/fp16128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
New techniques and approaches have been developed for root phenotyping recently; however, rapid and repeatable non-invasive root phenotyping remains challenging. Here, we present GrowScreen-PaGe, a non-invasive, high-throughput phenotyping system (4 plants min-1) based on flat germination paper. GrowScreen-PaGe allows the acquisition of time series of the developing root systems of 500 plants, thereby enabling to quantify short-term variations in root system. The choice of germination paper was found to be crucial and paper☓root interaction should be considered when comparing data from different studies on germination paper. The system is suitable for phenotyping dicot and monocot plant species. The potential of the system for high-throughput phenotyping was shown by investigating phenotypic diversity of root traits in a collection of 180 rapeseed accessions and of 52 barley genotypes grown under control and nutrient-starved conditions. Most traits showed a large variation linked to both genotype and treatment. In general, root length traits contributed more than shape and branching related traits in separating the genotypes. Overall, results showed that GrowScreen-PaGe will be a powerful resource to investigate root systems and root plasticity of large sets of plants and to explore the molecular and genetic root traits of various species including for crop improvement programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Gioia
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Anna Galinski
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Henning Lenz
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Carmen Müller
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Jonas Lentz
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Kathrin Heinz
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Christoph Briese
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Alexander Putz
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Fabio Fiorani
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Michelle Watt
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schurr
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Kerstin A Nagel
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Nagel KA, Bonnett D, Furbank R, Walter A, Schurr U, Watt M. Simultaneous effects of leaf irradiance and soil moisture on growth and root system architecture of novel wheat genotypes: implications for phenotyping. J Exp Bot 2015; 66:5441-52. [PMID: 26089535 PMCID: PMC4585422 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erv290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Plants in the field are exposed to varying light and moisture. Agronomic improvement requires knowledge of whole-plant phenotypes expressed in response to simultaneous variation in these essential resources. Most phenotypes, however, have been described from experiments where resources are varied singularly. To test the importance of varying shoot and root resources for phenotyping studies, sister pre-breeding lines of wheat were phenotyped in response to independent or simultaneous exposure to two light levels and soil moisture profiles. The distribution and architecture of the root systems depended strongly on the moisture of the deeper soil layer. For one genotype, roots, specifically lateral roots, were stimulated to grow into moist soil when the upper zone was well-watered and were inhibited by drier deep zones. In contrast, the other genotype showed much less plasticity and responsiveness to upper moist soil, but maintained deeper penetration of roots into the dry layer. The sum of shoot and root responses was greater when treated simultaneously to low light and low soil water, compared to each treatment alone, suggesting the value of whole plant phenotyping in response to multiple conditions for agronomic improvement. The results suggest that canopy management for increased irradiation of leaves would encourage root growth into deeper drier soil, and that genetic variation within closely related breeding lines may exist to favour surface root growth in response to irrigation or in-season rainfall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin A Nagel
- CSIRO Plant Industry, GPO Box 1600, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - David Bonnett
- CSIRO Plant Industry, GPO Box 1600, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia Present address: Bayer Crop Science, 90th Street S, Sabin, MN 56580, USA
| | - Robert Furbank
- CSIRO Plant Industry, GPO Box 1600, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia Present address: ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Achim Walter
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany Present address: Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ), Universitätstrasse 2, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ulrich Schurr
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Michelle Watt
- CSIRO Plant Industry, GPO Box 1600, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
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21
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Xu C, Tai H, Saleem M, Ludwig Y, Majer C, Berendzen KW, Nagel KA, Wojciechowski T, Meeley RB, Taramino G, Hochholdinger F. Cooperative action of the paralogous maize lateral organ boundaries (LOB) domain proteins RTCS and RTCL in shoot-borne root formation. New Phytol 2015; 207:1123-33. [PMID: 25902765 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The paralogous maize (Zea mays) LBD (Lateral Organ Boundaries Domain) genes rtcs (rootless concerning crown and seminal roots) and rtcl (rtcs-like) emerged from an ancient whole-genome duplication. RTCS is a key regulator of crown root initiation. The diversity of expression, molecular interaction and phenotype of rtcs and rtcl were investigated. The rtcs and rtcl genes display highly correlated spatio-temporal expression patterns in roots, despite the significantly higher expression of rtcs. Both RTCS and RTCL proteins bind to LBD downstream promoters and act as transcription factors. In line with its auxin inducibility and binding to auxin response elements of rtcs and rtcl promoters, ARF34 (AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 34) acts as transcriptional activator. Yeast two-hybrid screening combined with bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) experiments revealed conserved and unique interaction partners of RTCS and RTCL. The rtcl mutation leads to defective shoot-borne root elongation early in development. Cooperative action of RTCS and RTCL during shoot-borne root formation was demonstrated by rtcs-dependent repression of rtcl transcription in coleoptilar nodes. Although RTCS is instrumental in shoot-borne root initiation, RTCL controls shoot-borne root elongation early in development. Their conserved role in auxin signaling, but diverse function in shoot-borne root formation, is underscored by their conserved and unique interaction partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changzheng Xu
- INRES, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, Crop Functional Genomics, University of Bonn, 53113, Bonn, Germany
- RCBB, Research Center of Bioenergy and Bioremediation, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, 400716, Chongqing, China
| | - Huanhuan Tai
- INRES, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, Crop Functional Genomics, University of Bonn, 53113, Bonn, Germany
| | - Muhammad Saleem
- INRES, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, Crop Functional Genomics, University of Bonn, 53113, Bonn, Germany
| | - Yvonne Ludwig
- INRES, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, Crop Functional Genomics, University of Bonn, 53113, Bonn, Germany
| | - Christine Majer
- ZMBP, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, General Genetics, University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Kenneth W Berendzen
- ZMBP, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, Central Facilities, University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Kerstin A Nagel
- IBG-2, Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | | | - Robert B Meeley
- DuPont Pioneer Ag Biotech Research, Johnston, IA, 50131-1004, USA
| | - Graziana Taramino
- DuPont Crop Genetics Research, Experimental Station, Wilmington, DE, 19880-0353, USA
| | - Frank Hochholdinger
- INRES, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, Crop Functional Genomics, University of Bonn, 53113, Bonn, Germany
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22
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Barboza-Barquero L, Nagel KA, Jansen M, Klasen JR, Kastenholz B, Braun S, Bleise B, Brehm T, Koornneef M, Fiorani F. Phenotype of Arabidopsis thaliana semi-dwarfs with deep roots and high growth rates under water-limiting conditions is independent of the GA5 loss-of-function alleles. Ann Bot 2015; 116:321-31. [PMID: 26162399 PMCID: PMC4549960 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcv099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The occurrence of Arabidopsis thaliana semi-dwarf accessions carrying inactive alleles at the gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis GA5 locus has raised the question whether there are pleiotropic effects on other traits at the root level, such as rooting depth. In addition, it is unknown whether semi-dwarfism in arabidopsis confers a growth advantage under water-limiting conditions compared with wild-type plants. The aim of this research was therefore to investigate whether semi-dwarfism has a pleiotropic effect in the root system and also whether semi-dwarfs might be more tolerant of water-limiting conditions. METHODS The root systems of different arabidopsis semi-dwarfs and GA biosynthesis mutants were phenotyped in vitro using the GROWSCREEN-ROOT image-based software. Semi-dwarfs were phenotyped together with tall, near-related accessions. In addition, root phenotypes were investigated in soil-filled rhizotrons. Rosette growth trajectories were analysed with the GROWSCREEN-FLUORO setup based on non-invasive imaging. KEY RESULTS Mutations in the early steps of the GA biosynthesis pathway led to a reduction in shoot as well as root size. Depending on the genetic background, mutations at the GA5 locus yielded phenotypes characterized by decreased root length in comparison with related wild-type ones. The semi-dwarf accession Pak-3 showed the deepest root system both in vitro and in soil cultivation experiments; this comparatively deep root system, however, was independent of the ga5 loss-of-function allele, as shown by co-segregation analysis. When the accessions were grown under water-limiting conditions, semi-dwarf accessions with high growth rates were identified. CONCLUSIONS The observed diversity in root system growth and architecture occurs independently of semi-dwarf phenotypes, and is probably linked to a genetic background effect. The results show that there are no clear advantages of semi-dwarfism at low water availability in arabidopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Barboza-Barquero
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany, CIGRAS, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica and
| | - Kerstin A Nagel
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Marcus Jansen
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Jonas R Klasen
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
| | - Bernd Kastenholz
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Silvia Braun
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Birgit Bleise
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Thorsten Brehm
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Maarten Koornneef
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
| | - Fabio Fiorani
- IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
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Gioia T, Nagel KA, Beleggia R, Fragasso M, Ficco DBM, Pieruschka R, De Vita P, Fiorani F, Papa R. Impact of domestication on the phenotypic architecture of durum wheat under contrasting nitrogen fertilization. J Exp Bot 2015; 66:5519-30. [PMID: 26071535 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erv289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The process of domestication has led to dramatic morphological and physiological changes in crop species due to adaptation to cultivation and to the needs of farmers. To investigate the phenotypic architecture of shoot- and root-related traits and quantify the impact of primary and secondary domestication, we examined a collection of 36 wheat genotypes under optimal and nitrogen-starvation conditions. These represented three taxa that correspond to key steps in the recent evolution of tetraploid wheat (i.e. wild emmer, emmer, and durum wheat). Overall, nitrogen starvation reduced the shoot growth of all genotypes, while it induced the opposite effect on root traits, quantified using the automated phenotyping platform GROWSCREEN-Rhizo. We observed an overall increase in all of the shoot and root growth traits from wild emmer to durum wheat, while emmer was generally very similar to wild emmer but intermediate between these two subspecies. While the differences in phenotypic diversity due to the effects of primary domestication were not significant, the secondary domestication transition from emmer to durum wheat was marked by a large and significant decrease in the coefficient of additive genetic variation. In particular, this reduction was very strong under the optimal condition and less intense under nitrogen starvation. Moreover, although under the optimal condition both root and shoot traits showed significantly reduced diversity due to secondary domestication, under nitrogen starvation the reduced diversity was significant only for shoot traits. Overall, a considerable amount of phenotypic variation was observed in wild emmer and emmer, which could be exploited for the development of pre-breeding strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Gioia
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l'Analisi dell'Economia Agraria Centro di Ricerca per la Cerealicoltura (CRA-CER), S.S. 673 km 25,200, 71122, Foggia, Italy Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences (IBG-2): Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Kerstin A Nagel
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences (IBG-2): Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Romina Beleggia
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l'Analisi dell'Economia Agraria Centro di Ricerca per la Cerealicoltura (CRA-CER), S.S. 673 km 25,200, 71122, Foggia, Italy
| | - Mariagiovanna Fragasso
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l'Analisi dell'Economia Agraria Centro di Ricerca per la Cerealicoltura (CRA-CER), S.S. 673 km 25,200, 71122, Foggia, Italy
| | - Donatella Bianca Maria Ficco
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l'Analisi dell'Economia Agraria Centro di Ricerca per la Cerealicoltura (CRA-CER), S.S. 673 km 25,200, 71122, Foggia, Italy
| | - Roland Pieruschka
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences (IBG-2): Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Pasquale De Vita
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l'Analisi dell'Economia Agraria Centro di Ricerca per la Cerealicoltura (CRA-CER), S.S. 673 km 25,200, 71122, Foggia, Italy
| | - Fabio Fiorani
- Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences (IBG-2): Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Roberto Papa
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l'Analisi dell'Economia Agraria Centro di Ricerca per la Cerealicoltura (CRA-CER), S.S. 673 km 25,200, 71122, Foggia, Italy Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences (IBG-2): Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
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Weidenbach D, Jansen M, Bodewein T, Nagel KA, Schaffrath U. Shoot and root phenotyping of the barley mutant kcs6 (3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase6) depleted in epicuticular waxes under water limitation. Plant Signal Behav 2015; 10:1-3. [PMID: 25876181 PMCID: PMC4622470 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2014.1003752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Revised: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 12/22/2014] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Aerial parts of plants are separated from the environment by a cuticle which functions in protection against desiccation and pathogen attack. Recently, we reported on a barley mutant with defect in the 3-KETOACYL-CoA-SYNTHASE (HvKCS6) gene, resulting in reduced coverage of the cuticle with epicuticular waxes. Spores of adapted and non-adapted powdery mildew fungi germinated less frequently on mutant leaves possibly because plant derived signals are missing. We used a shoot and root phenotyping facility to test whether depletion in epicuticular waxes negatively impacts plant performance under water-limiting conditions. While shoots of mutant plants grew slower at well-watered conditions than wild-type plants, they showed an equal or slightly better growth rate at water limitation. Also for roots, differences between mutant and parental line were less prominent at water-limiting as compared to well-watered conditions. Our results challenge the intuitive belief that reduced epicuticular wax might become a drawback at water limitation.
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Key Words
- C, carbon chain length; CER, ECERIFERUM; CUT, REQUIRED FOR CUTICILAR WAX PRODUCTION
- DAS, days after sowing
- GC-MS, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
- Hv, Hordeum vulgare
- IBG-2, Institute of Biosciences and Geosciences-2 (Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH)
- KCS, KETOACYL-CoA SYNTHASE
- KETOACYL-CoA SYNTHASE
- VLCFA, very long-chain fatty acid.
- drought stress
- epicuticular wax, cuticle, Hordeum vulgare, phenotyping
- germination
- mlo, mildew resistance locus O
- powdery mildew
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Weidenbach
- Department of Plant Physiology; RWTH Aachen University; Aachen, Germany
| | - Marcus Jansen
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences; IBG-2: Plant Sciences; Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH; Jülich, Germany
| | - Thomas Bodewein
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences; IBG-2: Plant Sciences; Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH; Jülich, Germany
| | - Kerstin A Nagel
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences; IBG-2: Plant Sciences; Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH; Jülich, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schaffrath
- Department of Plant Physiology; RWTH Aachen University; Aachen, Germany
- Correspondence to: Ulrich Schaffrath;
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Pfeifer J, Faget M, Walter A, Blossfeld S, Fiorani F, Schurr U, Nagel KA. Spring barley shows dynamic compensatory root and shoot growth responses when exposed to localised soil compaction and fertilisation. Funct Plant Biol 2014; 41:581-597. [PMID: 32481015 DOI: 10.1071/fp13224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2013] [Accepted: 01/05/2014] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The impact of heterogeneous soil compaction in combination with nutrient availability on root system architecture and root growth dynamics has scarcely been investigated. We quantified changes of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) root and shoot growth during the first 3 weeks of growth in a controlled-environment chamber. Vertically divided split-root rhizotrons were filled either uniformly with loose or compacted peat, or heterogeneously with loose peat in one compartment and compacted peat in the other. We investigated the following questions. (a) Can growth processes affected by soil compaction be mimicked in our system? (b) Do plants show compensatory growth effects when exposed to heterogeneous soil compaction? (c) Does localised fertiliser application affect root systems' responses to compaction? We observed compensatory effects regarding root system architecture and root growth dynamics due to vertically heterogeneous soil compaction. Roots grew deeper and lateral roots emerged earlier in the loose compartment of the split-root treatment compared with uniform treatments. When fertiliser was applied only via the compacted compartment in the split-root treatment, more lateral roots were initiated in the compacted compartment and lateral root formation started a few days earlier than in the uniform treatments. Consequently, the first days after exposure to heterogeneous soil conditions are critical for the analysis of underlying physiological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Pfeifer
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Marc Faget
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Achim Walter
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ), Universitätsstrasse 2, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Blossfeld
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Fabio Fiorani
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schurr
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Kerstin A Nagel
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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26
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Faget M, Nagel KA, Walter A, Herrera JM, Jahnke S, Schurr U, Temperton VM. Root-root interactions: extending our perspective to be more inclusive of the range of theories in ecology and agriculture using in-vivo analyses. Ann Bot 2013; 112:253-66. [PMID: 23378521 PMCID: PMC3698385 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcs296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2012] [Accepted: 11/23/2012] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a large body of literature on competitive interactions among plants, but many studies have only focused on above-ground interactions and little is known about root-root dynamics between interacting plants. The perspective on possible mechanisms that explain the outcome of root-root interactions has recently been extended to include non-resource-driven mechanisms (as well as resource-driven mechanisms) of root competition and positive interactions such as facilitation. These approaches have often suffered from being static, partly due to the lack of appropriate methodologies for in-situ non-destructive root characterization. SCOPE Recent studies show that interactive effects of plant neighbourhood interactions follow non-linear and non-additive paths that are hard to explain. Common outcomes such as accumulation of roots mainly in the topsoil cannot be explained solely by competition theory but require a more inclusive theoretical, as well as an improved methodological framework. This will include the question of whether we can apply the same conceptual framework to crop versus natural species. CONCLUSIONS The development of non-invasive methods to dynamically study root-root interactions in vivo will provide the necessary tools to study a more inclusive conceptual framework for root-root interactions. By following the dynamics of root-root interactions through time in a whole range of scenarios and systems, using a wide variety of non-invasive methods, (such as fluorescent protein which now allows us to separately identify the roots of several individuals within soil), we will be much better equipped to answer some of the key questions in root physiology, ecology and agronomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Faget
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52428 Jülich, Germany.
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27
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Nagel KA, Putz A, Gilmer F, Heinz K, Fischbach A, Pfeifer J, Faget M, Blossfeld S, Ernst M, Dimaki C, Kastenholz B, Kleinert AK, Galinski A, Scharr H, Fiorani F, Schurr U. GROWSCREEN-Rhizo is a novel phenotyping robot enabling simultaneous measurements of root and shoot growth for plants grown in soil-filled rhizotrons. Funct Plant Biol 2012; 39:891-904. [PMID: 32480839 DOI: 10.1071/fp12023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2012] [Accepted: 04/14/2012] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Root systems play an essential role in ensuring plant productivity. Experiments conducted in controlled environments and simulation models suggest that root geometry and responses of root architecture to environmental factors should be studied as a priority. However, compared with aboveground plant organs, roots are not easily accessible by non-invasive analyses and field research is still based almost completely on manual, destructive methods. Contributing to reducing the gap between laboratory and field experiments, we present a novel phenotyping system (GROWSCREEN-Rhizo), which is capable of automatically imaging roots and shoots of plants grown in soil-filled rhizotrons (up to a volume of ~18L) with a throughput of 60 rhizotrons per hour. Analysis of plants grown in this setup is restricted to a certain plant size (up to a shoot height of 80cm and root-system depth of 90cm). We performed validation experiments using six different species and for barley and maize, we studied the effect of moderate soil compaction, which is a relevant factor in the field. First, we found that the portion of root systems that is visible through the rhizotrons' transparent plate is representative of the total root system. The percentage of visible roots decreases with increasing average root diameter of the plant species studied and depends, to some extent, on environmental conditions. Second, we could measure relatively minor changes in root-system architecture induced by a moderate increase in soil compaction. Taken together, these findings demonstrate the good potential of this methodology to characterise root geometry and temporal growth responses with relatively high spatial accuracy and resolution for both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous species. Our prototype will allow the design of high-throughput screening methodologies simulating environmental scenarios that are relevant in the field and will support breeding efforts towards improved resource use efficiency and stability of crop yields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin A Nagel
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Alexander Putz
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Frank Gilmer
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Kathrin Heinz
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Andreas Fischbach
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Johannes Pfeifer
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Marc Faget
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Stephan Blossfeld
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Michaela Ernst
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Chryssa Dimaki
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Bernd Kastenholz
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Ann-Katrin Kleinert
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Anna Galinski
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Hanno Scharr
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Fabio Fiorani
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schurr
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Babé A, Lavigne T, Séverin JP, Nagel KA, Walter A, Chaumont F, Batoko H, Beeckman T, Draye X. Repression of early lateral root initiation events by transient water deficit in barley and maize. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2012; 367:1534-41. [PMID: 22527396 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation of lateral roots (LRs) is a key driver of root system architecture and developmental plasticity. The first stage of LR formation, which leads to the acquisition of founder cell identity in the pericycle, is the primary determinant of root branching patterns. The fact that initiation events occur asynchronously in a very small number of cells inside the parent root has been a major difficulty in the study of the molecular regulation of branching patterns. Inducible systems that trigger synchronous lateral formation at predictable sites have proven extremely valuable in Arabidopsis to decipher the first steps of LR formation. Here, we present a LR repression system for cereals that relies on a transient water-deficit treatment, which blocks LR initiation before the first formative divisions. Using a time-lapse approach, we analysed the dynamics of this repression along growing roots and were able to show that it targets a very narrow developmental window of the initiation process. Interestingly, the repression can be exploited to obtain negative control root samples where LR initiation is absent. This system could be instrumental in the analysis of the molecular basis of drought-responsive as well as intrinsic pathways of LR formation in cereals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Babé
- Earth and Life Institute, Agronomy, Université Catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 2, L7.05.11, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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Rascher U, Blossfeld S, Fiorani F, Jahnke S, Jansen M, Kuhn AJ, Matsubara S, M Rtin LLA, Merchant A, Metzner R, M Ller-Linow M, Nagel KA, Pieruschka R, Pinto F, Schreiber CM, Temperton VM, Thorpe MR, Dusschoten DV, Van Volkenburgh E, Windt CW, Schurr U. Non-invasive approaches for phenotyping of enhanced performance traits in bean. Funct Plant Biol 2011; 38:968-983. [PMID: 32480955 DOI: 10.1071/fp11164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2011] [Accepted: 10/15/2011] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Plant phenotyping is an emerging discipline in plant biology. Quantitative measurements of functional and structural traits help to better understand gene-environment interactions and support breeding for improved resource use efficiency of important crops such as bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Here we provide an overview of state-of-the-art phenotyping approaches addressing three aspects of resource use efficiency in plants: belowground roots, aboveground shoots and transport/allocation processes. We demonstrate the capacity of high-precision methods to measure plant function or structural traits non-invasively, stating examples wherever possible. Ideally, high-precision methods are complemented by fast and high-throughput technologies. High-throughput phenotyping can be applied in the laboratory using automated data acquisition, as well as in the field, where imaging spectroscopy opens a new path to understand plant function non-invasively. For example, we demonstrate how magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can resolve root structure and separate root systems under resource competition, how automated fluorescence imaging (PAM fluorometry) in combination with automated shape detection allows for high-throughput screening of photosynthetic traits and how imaging spectrometers can be used to quantify pigment concentration, sun-induced fluorescence and potentially photosynthetic quantum yield. We propose that these phenotyping techniques, combined with mechanistic knowledge on plant structure-function relationships, will open new research directions in whole-plant ecophysiology and may assist breeding for varieties with enhanced resource use efficiency varieties.
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Luo FL, Nagel KA, Scharr H, Zeng B, Schurr U, Matsubara S. Recovery dynamics of growth, photosynthesis and carbohydrate accumulation after de-submergence: a comparison between two wetland plants showing escape and quiescence strategies. Ann Bot 2011; 107:49-63. [PMID: 21041230 PMCID: PMC3002471 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcq212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2010] [Revised: 09/07/2010] [Accepted: 09/27/2010] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The capacity for fast-growth recovery after de-submergence is important for establishment of riparian species in a water-level-fluctuation zone. Recovery patterns of two wetland plants, Alternanthera philoxeroides and Hemarthria altissima, showing 'escape' and 'quiescence' responses, respectively, during submergence were investigated. METHODS Leaf and root growth and photosynthesis were monitored continuously during 10 d of recovery following 20 d of complete submergence. Above- and below-ground dry weights, as well as carbohydrate concentrations, were measured several times during the experiment. KEY RESULTS Both species remobilized stored carbohydrate during submergence. Although enhanced internode elongation depleted the carbohydrate storage in A. philoxeroides during submergence, this species resumed leaf growth 3 d after de-submergence concomitant with restoration of the maximal photosynthetic capacity. In contrast, some sucrose was conserved in shoots of H. altissima during submergence, which promoted rapid re-growth of leaves 2 d after de-submergence and earlier than the full recovery of photosynthesis. The recovery of root growth was delayed by 1-2 d compared with leaves in both species. CONCLUSIONS Submergence tolerance of the escape and quiescence strategies entails not only the corresponding regulation of growth, carbohydrate catabolism and energy metabolism during submergence but also co-ordinated recovery of photosynthesis, growth and carbohydrate partitioning following de-submergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Li Luo
- Institut für Chemie und Dynamik der Geosphäre, ICG-3, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Kerstin A. Nagel
- Institut für Chemie und Dynamik der Geosphäre, ICG-3, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Hanno Scharr
- Institut für Chemie und Dynamik der Geosphäre, ICG-3, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Bo Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratoryof Plant Ecology and Resources in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Science, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, P.R. China
| | - Ulrich Schurr
- Institut für Chemie und Dynamik der Geosphäre, ICG-3, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Shizue Matsubara
- Institut für Chemie und Dynamik der Geosphäre, ICG-3, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Nagel KA, Kastenholz B, Gilmer F, Schurr U, Walter A. Novel detection system for plant protein production of pharmaceuticals and impact on conformational diseases. Protein Pept Lett 2010; 17:723-31. [PMID: 20015023 DOI: 10.2174/092986610791190282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2009] [Accepted: 12/20/2009] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
tate-of-the-art biochemistry methods in combination with an automated phenotyping method demonstrate the high potential of transgenic tobacco plants in producing properly-folded therapeutic proteins for the treatment of protein-misfolding diseases (e.g., Alzheimer's disease). This molecular farming approach led to highest protein production of hydroponically-grown tobacco compared to other growth substrates generally used in plant cultivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- K A Nagel
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3: Phytosphere, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany.
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Luo FL, Nagel KA, Zeng B, Schurr U, Matsubara S. Photosynthetic acclimation is important for post-submergence recovery of photosynthesis and growth in two riparian species. Ann Bot 2009; 104:1435-44. [PMID: 19854720 PMCID: PMC2778401 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcp257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2009] [Revised: 08/19/2009] [Accepted: 09/14/2009] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Concomitant increases in O(2) and irradiance upon de-submergence can cause photoinhibition and photo-oxidative damage to the photosynthetic apparatus of plants. As energy and carbohydrate supply from photosynthesis is needed for growth, it was hypothesized that post-submergence growth recovery may require efficient photosynthetic acclimation to increased O(2) and irradiance to minimize photo-oxidative damage. The hypothesis was tested in two flood-tolerant species: a C(3) herb, Alternanthera philoxeroides; and a C(4) grass, Hemarthria altissima. The impact of low O(2) and low light, typical conditions in turbid floodwater, on post-submergence recovery was assessed by different flooding treatments combined with shading. METHODS Experiments were conducted during 30 d of flooding (waterlogging or submergence) with or without shading and subsequent recovery of 20 d under growth conditions. Changes in dry mass, number of branches/tillers, and length of the longest internodes and main stems were recorded to characterize growth responses. Photosynthetic parameters (photosystem II efficiency and non-photochemical quenching) were determined in mature leaves based on chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements. KEY RESULTS In both species growth and photosynthesis recovered after the end of the submergence treatment, with recovery of photosynthesis (starting shortly after de-submergence) preceding recovery of growth (pronounced on days 40-50). The effective quantum yield of photosystem II and non-photochemical quenching were diminished during submergence but rapidly increased upon de-submergence. Similar changes were found in all shaded plants, with or without flooding. Submerged plants did not suffer from photoinhibition throughout the recovery period although their growth recovery was retarded. CONCLUSIONS After sudden de-submergence the C(3) plant A. philoxeroides and the C(4) plant H. altissima were both able to maintain the functionality of the photosynthetic apparatus through rapid acclimation to changing O(2) and light conditions. The ability for photosynthetic acclimation may be essential for adaptation to wetland habitats in which water levels fluctuate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Li Luo
- Institut für Phytosphäre, ICG-3, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Kerstin A. Nagel
- Institut für Phytosphäre, ICG-3, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Bo Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, P.R. China
| | - Ulrich Schurr
- Institut für Phytosphäre, ICG-3, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Shizue Matsubara
- Institut für Phytosphäre, ICG-3, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Jansen M, Gilmer F, Biskup B, Nagel KA, Rascher U, Fischbach A, Briem S, Dreissen G, Tittmann S, Braun S, De Jaeger I, Metzlaff M, Schurr U, Scharr H, Walter A. Simultaneous phenotyping of leaf growth and chlorophyll fluorescence via GROWSCREEN FLUORO allows detection of stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana and other rosette plants. Funct Plant Biol 2009; 36:902-914. [PMID: 32688701 DOI: 10.1071/fp09095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2009] [Accepted: 08/03/2009] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Stress caused by environmental factors evokes dynamic changes in plant phenotypes. In this study, we deciphered simultaneously the reaction of plant growth and chlorophyll fluorescence related parameters using a novel approach which combines existing imaging technologies (GROWSCREEN FLUORO). Three different abiotic stress situations were investigated demonstrating the benefit of this approach to distinguish between effects related to (1) growth, (2) chlorophyll-fluorescence, or (3) both of these aspects of the phenotype. In a drought stress experiment with more than 500 plants, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) deficient lines of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh showed increased relative growth rates (RGR) compared with C24 wild-type plants. In chilling stress, growth of PARP and C24 lines decreased rapidly, followed by a decrease in Fv/Fm. Here, PARP-plants showed a more pronounced decrease of Fv/Fm than C24, which can be interpreted as a more efficient strategy for survival in mild chilling stress. Finally, the reaction of Nicotiana tabacum L. to altered spectral composition of the intercepted light was monitored as an example of a moderate stress situation that affects chlorophyll-fluorescence related, but not growth-related parameters. The examples investigated in this study show the capacity for improved plant phenotyping based on an automated and simultaneous evaluation of growth and photosynthesis at high throughput.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Jansen
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3 (Phytosphere), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Frank Gilmer
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3 (Phytosphere), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Bernhard Biskup
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3 (Phytosphere), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Kerstin A Nagel
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3 (Phytosphere), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Uwe Rascher
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3 (Phytosphere), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Andreas Fischbach
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3 (Phytosphere), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Sabine Briem
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3 (Phytosphere), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Georg Dreissen
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3 (Phytosphere), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Susanne Tittmann
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3 (Phytosphere), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Silvia Braun
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3 (Phytosphere), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Iris De Jaeger
- Bayer BioScience N.V., Technologiepark 38, 9052 Gent, Belgium
| | | | - Ulrich Schurr
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3 (Phytosphere), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Hanno Scharr
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3 (Phytosphere), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Achim Walter
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3 (Phytosphere), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Nagel KA, Kastenholz B, Jahnke S, van Dusschoten D, Aach T, Mühlich M, Truhn D, Scharr H, Terjung S, Walter A, Schurr U. Temperature responses of roots: impact on growth, root system architecture and implications for phenotyping. Funct Plant Biol 2009; 36:947-959. [PMID: 32688706 DOI: 10.1071/fp09184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2009] [Accepted: 09/11/2009] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Root phenotyping is a challenging task, mainly because of the hidden nature of this organ. Only recently, imaging technologies have become available that allow us to elucidate the dynamic establishment of root structure and function in the soil. In root tips, optical analysis of the relative elemental growth rates in root expansion zones of hydroponically-grown plants revealed that it is the maximum intensity of cellular growth processes rather than the length of the root growth zone that control the acclimation to dynamic changes in temperature. Acclimation of entire root systems was studied at high throughput in agar-filled Petri dishes. In the present study, optical analysis of root system architecture showed that low temperature induced smaller branching angles between primary and lateral roots, which caused a reduction in the volume that roots access at lower temperature. Simulation of temperature gradients similar to natural soil conditions led to differential responses in basal and apical parts of the root system, and significantly affected the entire root system. These results were supported by first data on the response of root structure and carbon transport to different root zone temperatures. These data were acquired by combined magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). They indicate acclimation of root structure and geometry to temperature and preferential accumulation of carbon near the root tip at low root zone temperatures. Overall, this study demonstrated the value of combining different phenotyping technologies that analyse processes at different spatial and temporal scales. Only such an integrated approach allows us to connect differences between genotypes obtained in artificial high throughput conditions with specific characteristics relevant for field performance. Thus, novel routes may be opened up for improved plant breeding as well as for mechanistic understanding of root structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin A Nagel
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3: Phytosphere, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Bernd Kastenholz
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3: Phytosphere, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Siegfried Jahnke
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3: Phytosphere, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Dagmar van Dusschoten
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3: Phytosphere, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Til Aach
- Lehrstuhl für Bildverarbeitung, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Matthias Mühlich
- Lehrstuhl für Bildverarbeitung, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Daniel Truhn
- Lehrstuhl für Bildverarbeitung, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Hanno Scharr
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3: Phytosphere, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Stefan Terjung
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3: Phytosphere, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Achim Walter
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3: Phytosphere, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schurr
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-3: Phytosphere, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Abstract
Dys-homeostasis of copper metabolism and oxidative stress are major hallmarks in the brains of Alzheimer patients. Therefore, metal bioavailability and mechanisms of copper ion homeostasis throughout the body are crucial and potential targets for therapeutic agents. Many of the medications used or suggested, respectively, at present time, may either be toxic, reveal a lack of specificity or have unknown mechanisms of action in vivo. Metal chaperones from medicinal plants are proposed as medications that are relatively free from these disadvantages. Furthermore, these agents are a promising class of molecules for studies aimed at developing innovative and etiological treatments for protein-misfolding diseases, especially Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd Kastenholz
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institut Phytosphäre (ICG-3), 52425 Jülich, Germany.
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Chavarría-Krauser A, Nagel KA, Palme K, Schurr U, Walter A, Scharr H. Spatio-temporal quantification of differential growth processes in root growth zones based on a novel combination of image sequence processing and refined concepts describing curvature production. New Phytol 2008; 177:811-821. [PMID: 18069960 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02299.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Differential growth processes in root and shoot growth zones are governed by the transport kinetics of auxin and other plant hormones. While gene expression and protein localization of hormone transport facilitators are currently being unraveled using state-of-the-art techniques of live cell imaging, the quantitative analysis of growth reactions is lagging behind because of a lack of suitable methods. A noninvasive technique, based on digital image sequence processing, for visualizing and quantifying highly resolved spatio-temporal root growth processes was applied in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and was adapted to provide precise information on differential curvature production activity within the root growth zone. Comparison of root gravitropic curvature kinetics in wild-type and mutant plants altered in a facilitator for auxin translocation allowed the determination of differences in the location and in the temporal response of curvature along the growth zone between the investigated plant lines. The findings of the quantitative growth analysis performed here confirm the proposed action of the investigated transport facilitator. The procedure developed here for the investigation of differential growth processes is a valuable tool for characterizing the phenomenology of a wide range of shoot and root growth movements and hence facilitates elucidation of their molecular characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Chavarría-Krauser
- ICG-3 (Phytosphäre), Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Angewandte Mathematik, Universität Heidelberg, INF 294, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Gravitationsbiologie, Institut fur Molekulare Physiologie und Biotechnologie der Pflanzen, Universitat Bonn, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Kerstin A Nagel
- ICG-3 (Phytosphäre), Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Klaus Palme
- Institut für Biologie II, Universität Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schurr
- ICG-3 (Phytosphäre), Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Achim Walter
- ICG-3 (Phytosphäre), Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Hanno Scharr
- ICG-3 (Phytosphäre), Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
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Walter A, Scharr H, Gilmer F, Zierer R, Nagel KA, Ernst M, Wiese A, Virnich O, Christ MM, Uhlig B, Jünger S, Schurr U. Dynamics of seedling growth acclimation towards altered light conditions can be quantified via GROWSCREEN: a setup and procedure designed for rapid optical phenotyping of different plant species. New Phytol 2007; 174:447-455. [PMID: 17388907 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02002.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Using a novel setup, we assessed how fast growth of Nicotiana tabacum seedlings responds to alterations in the light regime and investigated whether starch-free mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana show decreased growth potential at an early developmental stage. Leaf area and relative growth rate were measured based on pictures from a camera automatically placed above an array of 120 seedlings. Detection of total seedling leaf area was performed via global segmentation of colour images for preset thresholds of the parameters hue, saturation and value. Dynamic acclimation of relative growth rate towards altered light conditions occurred within 1 d in N. tabacum exposed to high nutrient availability, but not in plants exposed to low nutrient availability. Increased leaf area was correlated with an increase in shoot fresh and dry weight as well as root growth in N. tabacum. Relative growth rate was shown to be a more appropriate parameter than leaf area for detection of dynamic growth acclimation. Clear differences in leaf growth activity were also observed for A. thaliana. As growth responses are generally most flexible in early developmental stages, the procedure described here is an important step towards standardized protocols for rapid detection of the effects of changes in internal (genetic) and external (environmental) parameters regulating plant growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Achim Walter
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-III: Phytosphere, Research Center Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Hanno Scharr
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-III: Phytosphere, Research Center Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Frank Gilmer
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-III: Phytosphere, Research Center Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Rainer Zierer
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-III: Phytosphere, Research Center Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Kerstin A Nagel
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-III: Phytosphere, Research Center Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Michaela Ernst
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-III: Phytosphere, Research Center Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Anika Wiese
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-III: Phytosphere, Research Center Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Olivia Virnich
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-III: Phytosphere, Research Center Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Maja M Christ
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-III: Phytosphere, Research Center Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Beate Uhlig
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-III: Phytosphere, Research Center Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Sybille Jünger
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-III: Phytosphere, Research Center Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
| | - Uli Schurr
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-III: Phytosphere, Research Center Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
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Abstract
Light intensity is crucial for plant growth. In this study, the hypothesis was tested whether a sudden increase in light intensity leads to an immediate increase of root growth. Seedlings of Nicotiana tabacum grown in agar-filled Petri dishes were subjected to light intensities of 60 and 300 micromol m(-2) s(-1), respectively. Seedling biomass, sucrose, glucose and fructose concentration as well as primary root growth increased significantly with light intensity. The dynamics of the increase in root growth were analysed here in more detail. In transition experiments from low to high light intensities, root growth increased by a factor of four within 4 d, reaching the steady-state level measured in plants that were cultivated in high-light conditions. The distribution of relative elemental growth rates along the root growth zone retained a constant shape throughout this transition. During the first three hours after light increase, strong growth fluctuations were repeatedly observed with the velocity of the root tip cycling in a sinusoidal pattern between 120 and 180 microm h(-1). These dynamic patterns are discussed in the context of hydraulic and photosynthetic acclimation to the altered conditions. Experiments with externally applied sucrose and with transgenic plants having reduced capacities for sucrose synthesis indicated clearly that increasing light intensity rapidly enhanced root growth by elevating sucrose export from shoot to root.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin A Nagel
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-III, Phytosphere, Research Center Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich, Germany
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Walter A, Nagel KA. Root growth reacts rapidly and more pronounced than shoot growth towards increasing light intensity in tobacco seedlings. Plant Signal Behav 2006; 1:225-6. [PMID: 19704663 PMCID: PMC2634121 DOI: 10.4161/psb.1.5.3447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2006] [Accepted: 09/29/2006] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Light intensity is crucial for plant growth and often fluctuates on a small time scale due to altering climate conditions or sunflecks. Recently, we performed a study that looked into the growth effect of a sudden elevation of light intensity on Nicotiana tabacum seedlings.1 It was shown that an increase in light intensity leads to a pronounced increase of root-shoot-ratio as root growth reacts strongly and rapidly to an increase of light intensity. In transition experiments from low (60 micromol m(-2) s(-1)) to high (300 micromol m(-2) s(-1)) light intensity, root growth increased by a factor of four within four days, reaching the steady-state level measured in plants that were cultivated in high-light conditions. During the first three hours after light increase, strong fluctuations of the velocity of the root tip were observed that were putatively caused by a superposition of hydraulic and photosynthetic acclimation to the altered conditions. Experiments with externally applied sucrose and with transgenic plants having reduced capacity for sucrose synthesis indicated clearly that increasing light intensity rapidly enhanced root growth by elevating sucrose export from shoot to root.
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Affiliation(s)
- Achim Walter
- Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere ICG-III: Phytosphere, Research Center Juelich GmbH; Juelich, Germany
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