Loïc Pagès1. 1. INRA, Centre PACA, UR 1115 PSH, Domaine Saint-Paul, Site Agroparc, 84914 Avignon cedex 9, France Loic.Pages@avignon.inra.fr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Root branching, and in particular acropetal branching, is a common and important developmental process for increasing the number of growing tips and defining the distribution of their meristem size. This study presents a new method for characterizing the results of this process in natura from scanned images of young, branched parts of excavated roots. The method involves the direct measurement or calculation of seven different traits. METHODS: Young plants of 45 species of dicots were sampled from fields and gardens with uniform soils. Roots were separated, scanned and then measured using ImageJ software to determine seven traits related to root diameter and interbranch distance. RESULTS: The traits exhibited large interspecific variations, and covariations reflecting trade-offs. For example, at the interspecies level, the spacing of lateral roots (interbranch distance along the parent root) was strongly correlated to the diameter of the finest roots found in the species, and showed a continuum between two opposite strategies: making dense and fine lateral roots, or thick and well-spaced laterals. CONCLUSIONS: A simple method is presented for classification of branching patterns in roots that allows relatively quick sampling and measurements to be undertaken. The feasibilty of the method is demonstrated for dicotyledonous species and it has the potential to be developed more broadly for other species and a wider range of enivironmental conditions.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Root branching, and in particular acropetal branching, is a common and important developmental process for increasing the number of growing tips and defining the distribution of their meristem size. This study presents a new method for characterizing the results of this process in natura from scanned images of young, branched parts of excavated roots. The method involves the direct measurement or calculation of seven different traits. METHODS: Young plants of 45 species of dicots were sampled from fields and gardens with uniform soils. Roots were separated, scanned and then measured using ImageJ software to determine seven traits related to root diameter and interbranch distance. RESULTS: The traits exhibited large interspecific variations, and covariations reflecting trade-offs. For example, at the interspecies level, the spacing of lateral roots (interbranch distance along the parent root) was strongly correlated to the diameter of the finest roots found in the species, and showed a continuum between two opposite strategies: making dense and fine lateral roots, or thick and well-spaced laterals. CONCLUSIONS: A simple method is presented for classification of branching patterns in roots that allows relatively quick sampling and measurements to be undertaken. The feasibilty of the method is demonstrated for dicotyledonous species and it has the potential to be developed more broadly for other species and a wider range of enivironmental conditions.
Authors: Joshua S Caplan; Bram W G Stone; Cara A Faillace; Jonathan J Lafond; Joni M Baumgarten; Thomas J Mozdzer; John Dighton; Scott J Meiners; Jason C Grabosky; Joan G Ehrenfeld Journal: Ann Bot Date: 2017-04-01 Impact factor: 4.357
Authors: Grégoire T Freschet; Loïc Pagès; Colleen M Iversen; Louise H Comas; Boris Rewald; Catherine Roumet; Jitka Klimešová; Marcin Zadworny; Hendrik Poorter; Johannes A Postma; Thomas S Adams; Agnieszka Bagniewska-Zadworna; A Glyn Bengough; Elison B Blancaflor; Ivano Brunner; Johannes H C Cornelissen; Eric Garnier; Arthur Gessler; Sarah E Hobbie; Ina C Meier; Liesje Mommer; Catherine Picon-Cochard; Laura Rose; Peter Ryser; Michael Scherer-Lorenzen; Nadejda A Soudzilovskaia; Alexia Stokes; Tao Sun; Oscar J Valverde-Barrantes; Monique Weemstra; Alexandra Weigelt; Nina Wurzburger; Larry M York; Sarah A Batterman; Moemy Gomes de Moraes; Štěpán Janeček; Hans Lambers; Verity Salmon; Nishanth Tharayil; M Luke McCormack Journal: New Phytol Date: 2021-11 Impact factor: 10.323