How changing root system architecture can help tackle a reduction in soil phosphate (<scp>P</scp>) levels for better plant <scp>P</scp> acquisition

Heppell, James; Talboys, Peter J.; Payvandi, Sevil; Zygalakis, Konstantinos C.; Fliege, Jörg; Withers, Paul J. A.; Jones, Davey L.; Roose, Tiina

doi:10.1111/pce.12376

Cited by 46 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…Greater lateral root branching increases the rate at which a soil domain is depleted of resources, especially for immobile resources like P. For example, results from a recent modeling study showed that a greater density of lateral branches in the topsoil can improve P uptake from low-P soil in wheat (Triticum aestivum) by 142% (Heppell et al, 2015). However, for highly mobile resources, like N and water, depletion zones are larger and the greater lateral root branching creates overlapping resource depletion zones around roots of the same plant, thereby decreasing resource capture efficiency (Ge et al, 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced Lateral Root Branching Density Improves Drought Tolerance in Maize

2015

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An emerging paradigm is that root traits that reduce the metabolic costs of soil exploration improve the acquisition of limiting soil resources. Here, we test the hypothesis that reduced lateral root branching density will improve drought tolerance in maize (Zea mays) by reducing the metabolic costs of soil exploration, permitting greater axial root elongation, greater rooting depth, and thereby greater water acquisition from drying soil. Maize recombinant inbred lines with contrasting lateral root number and length (few but long [FL] and many but short [MS]) were grown under water stress in greenhouse mesocosms, in field rainout shelters, and in a second field environment with natural drought. Under water stress in mesocosms, lines with the FL phenotype had substantially less lateral root respiration per unit of axial root length, deeper rooting, greater leaf relative water content, greater stomatal conductance, and 50% greater shoot biomass than lines with the MS phenotype. Under water stress in the two field sites, lines with the FL phenotype had deeper rooting, much lighter stem water isotopic signature, signifying deeper water capture, 51% to 67% greater shoot biomass at flowering, and 144% greater yield than lines with the MS phenotype. These results entirely support the hypothesis that reduced lateral root branching density improves drought tolerance. The FL lateral root phenotype merits consideration as a selection target to improve the drought tolerance of maize and possibly other cereal crops.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced Lateral Root Branching Density Improves Drought Tolerance in Maize

2015

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“…In addition, P promotes the development of roots; thus, the growth of Chinese cabbage roots was significantly improved after the application of YL6 (Chen et al, 2017). The root is the main organ for absorbing minerals and water and participates in material transport (Shane et al, 2003; Heppell et al, 2015). Therefore, it is easy to understand that the fresh and dry plant weight and plant height were significantly increased with the improved root system.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Isolation and Characterization of a Phosphorus-Solubilizing Bacterium from Rhizosphere Soils and Its Colonization of Chinese Cabbage (Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis)

Wang

et al. 2017

Front. Microbiol.

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Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) can promote the dissolution of insoluble phosphorus (P) in soil, enhancing the availability of soluble P. Thus, their application can reduce the consumption of fertilizer and aid in sustainable agricultural development. From the rhizosphere of Chinese cabbage plants grown in Yangling, we isolated a strain of PSB (YL6) with a strong ability to dissolve P and showed that this strain promoted the growth of these plants under field conditions. However, systematic research on the colonization of bacteria in the plant rhizosphere remains deficient. Thus, to further study the effects of PSB on plant growth, in this study, green fluorescent protein (GFP) was used to study the colonization of YL6 on Chinese cabbage roots. GFP expression had little effect on the ability of YL6 to grow and solubilize P. In addition, the GFP-expressing strain stably colonized the Chinese cabbage rhizosphere (the number of colonizing bacteria in the rhizosphere soil was 4.9 lg CFU/g). Using fluorescence microscopy, we observed a high abundance of YL6-GFP bacteria at the Chinese cabbage root cap and meristematic zone, as well as in the root hairs and hypocotyl epidermal cells. High quantities of GFP-expressing bacteria were recovered from Chinese cabbage plants during different planting periods for further observation, indicating that YL6-GFP had the ability to endogenously colonize the plants. This study has laid a solid and significant foundation for further research on how PSB affects the physiological processes in Chinese cabbage to promote plant growth.

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“…To run the adapted mathematical model a set of parameters were taken from Roose and Fowler (2004b), Heppell et al (2014Heppell et al ( , 2015 and Sylvester-Bradley et al (1997), consisting of values for plant root dynamics and soil characteristics, Table 2.…”

Section: From the Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Roose and Fowler (2004b) advanced the model by tracking the movement of water and P spatially. In this paper, for the first time, we extend the model of Roose and Fowler (2004b) and Heppell et al (2015) by adding the effect of climate, via surface water flux and xylem pressures as in Heppell et al (2014). This extension allows comparison of the model output, plant P uptake (kg P ha −1 ), against two sets of field trial data for barley, for different environmental conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Modelling the optimal phosphate fertiliser and soil management strategy for crops

et al. 2015

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12Aims The readily available global rock phosphate (P) reserves may be depleted within the next 50-13 130 years warranting careful use of this finite resource. We develop a model that allows us to assess 14 a range of P fertiliser and soil management strategies for Barley in order to find which one 15 maximises plant P uptake under certain climate conditions. 16Methods Our model describes the development of the P and water profiles within the soil. Current 17 cultivation techniques such as ploughing and reduced till gradient are simulated along with fertiliser 18 options to feed the top soil or the soil right below the seed. 19Results Our model was able to fit data from two barley field trials, achieving a good fit at early 20 growth stages but a poor fit at late growth stages, where the model underestimated plant P uptake. 21A well-mixed soil (inverted and 25 cm ploughing) is important for optimal plant P uptake and 22 provides the best environment for the root system. 23Conclusions The model is sensitive to the initial state of P and its distribution within the soil profile; 24 experimental parameters which are sparsely measured. The combination of modelling and 25 experimental data provides useful agricultural predictions for site specific locations. 26 27

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How changing root system architecture can help tackle a reduction in soil phosphate (P) levels for better plant P acquisition

Cited by 46 publications

References 50 publications

Reduced Lateral Root Branching Density Improves Drought Tolerance in Maize

Reduced Lateral Root Branching Density Improves Drought Tolerance in Maize

Isolation and Characterization of a Phosphorus-Solubilizing Bacterium from Rhizosphere Soils and Its Colonization of Chinese Cabbage (Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis)

Modelling the optimal phosphate fertiliser and soil management strategy for crops

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