Ashley N Hostetler1, Lindsay Erndwein1, Elahe Ganji2,3,4, Jonathan W Reneau1, Megan L Killian2,3, Erin E Sparks1. 1. Department of Plant and Soil Sciences and the Delaware Biotechnology Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA. 2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA. 3. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. 4. Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Root lodging is responsible for significant crop losses worldwide. During root lodging, roots fail by breaking, buckling or pulling out of the ground. In maize, above-ground roots, called brace roots, have been shown to reduce susceptibility to root lodging. However, the underlying structural-functional properties of brace roots that prevent root lodging are poorly defined. In this study, we quantified structural mechanical properties, geometry and bending moduli for brace roots from different whorls, genotypes and reproductive stages. METHODS: Using 3-point bend tests, we show that brace root mechanics are variable by whorl, genotype and reproductive stage. KEY RESULTS: Generally, we find that within each genotype and reproductive stage, the brace roots from the first whorl (closest to the ground) had higher structural mechanical properties and a lower bending modulus than brace roots from the second whorl. There was additional variation between genotypes and reproductive stages. Specifically, genotypes with higher structural mechanical properties also had a higher bending modulus, and senesced brace roots had lower structural mechanical properties than hydrated brace roots. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively these results highlight the importance of considering whorl-of-origin, genotype and reproductive stage for the quantification of brace root mechanics, which is important for mitigating crop loss due to root mechanical failure.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Root lodging is responsible for significant crop losses worldwide. During root lodging, roots fail by breaking, buckling or pulling out of the ground. In maize, above-ground roots, called brace roots, have been shown to reduce susceptibility to root lodging. However, the underlying structural-functional properties of brace roots that prevent root lodging are poorly defined. In this study, we quantified structural mechanical properties, geometry and bending moduli for brace roots from different whorls, genotypes and reproductive stages. METHODS: Using 3-point bend tests, we show that brace root mechanics are variable by whorl, genotype and reproductive stage. KEY RESULTS: Generally, we find that within each genotype and reproductive stage, the brace roots from the first whorl (closest to the ground) had higher structural mechanical properties and a lower bending modulus than brace roots from the second whorl. There was additional variation between genotypes and reproductive stages. Specifically, genotypes with higher structural mechanical properties also had a higher bending modulus, and senesced brace roots had lower structural mechanical properties than hydrated brace roots. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively these results highlight the importance of considering whorl-of-origin, genotype and reproductive stage for the quantification of brace root mechanics, which is important for mitigating crop loss due to root mechanical failure.
Authors: Johannes Schindelin; Ignacio Arganda-Carreras; Erwin Frise; Verena Kaynig; Mark Longair; Tobias Pietzsch; Stephan Preibisch; Curtis Rueden; Stephan Saalfeld; Benjamin Schmid; Jean-Yves Tinevez; Daniel James White; Volker Hartenstein; Kevin Eliceiri; Pavel Tomancak; Albert Cardona Journal: Nat Methods Date: 2012-06-28 Impact factor: 28.547
Authors: Ashley N Hostetler; Lindsay Erndwein; Jonathan W Reneau; Adam Stager; Herbert G Tanner; Douglas Cook; Erin E Sparks Journal: Plant Cell Environ Date: 2022-02-22 Impact factor: 7.228
Authors: Jinrui Shi; Bruce J Drummond; Jeffrey E Habben; Norbert Brugire; Ben P Weers; Salim M Hakimi; H Renee Lafitte; Jeffrey R Schussler; Hua Mo; Mary Beatty; Gina Zastrow-Hayes; Dennis O'Neill Journal: Plant J Date: 2018-11-27 Impact factor: 6.417