Early developmental plasticity of lateral roots in response to asymmetric water availability

• Published in: Nature plants Vol. 6; no. 2; pp. 73 - 77
• Main Authors: von Wangenheim, Daniel, Banda, Jason, Schmitz, Alexander, Boland, Jens, Bishopp, Anthony, Maizel, Alexis, Stelzer, Ernst H. K., Bennett, Malcolm
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.02.2020; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 14; 14/35; 14/63; 631/1647/245/2221; 631/449/2653/1359; Adaptation, Physiological; Arabidopsis - growth & development; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Brief Communication; Developmental stages; Droughts; Hydrology; Life Sciences; Plant Roots - growth & development; Plant Sciences; Plasticity; Roots; Soil environment; Water - metabolism; Water availability
• ISSN: 2055-0278; 2055-0278
• DOI: 10.1038/s41477-019-0580-z

Root branching is influenced by the soil environment and exhibits a high level of plasticity. We report that the radial positioning of emerging lateral roots is influenced by their hydrological environment during early developmental stages. New lateral root primordia have both a high degree of flexibility in terms of initiation and development angle towards the available water. Our observations reveal how the external hydrological environment regulates lateral root morphogenesis. Arabidopsis lateral root radial emergence is spatially constrained by the dual xylem poles in the main root. However, the asymmetric presence of water can modify the orientation of lateral roots at a very early stage.