Large Crown Root Number Improves Topsoil Foraging and Phosphorus Acquisition

Suboptimal phosphorus (P) availability is a primary constraint to plant growth on Earth. We tested the hypothesis that maize (Zea mays) genotypes with large crown root number (CN) will have shallower rooting depth and improved P acquisition from low-P soils. Maize recombinant inbred lines with contr...

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Published inPlant physiology (Bethesda) Vol. 177; no. 1; pp. 90 - 104
Main Authors Sun, Baoru, Gao, Yingzhi, Lynch, Jonathan P.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States American Society of Plant Biologists 01.05.2018
Subjects
Biological Availability
Cell Respiration
Genotype
Pennsylvania
Phosphorus - metabolism
Phosphorus - pharmacokinetics
Photosynthesis - physiology
Plant Leaves - physiology
Plant Roots - physiology
Plant Shoots - growth & development
Research Report
RESEARCH REPORTS
Seeds - growth & development
Soil - chemistry
Zea mays - cytology
Zea mays - physiology
Pennsylvania
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Summary:Suboptimal phosphorus (P) availability is a primary constraint to plant growth on Earth. We tested the hypothesis that maize (Zea mays) genotypes with large crown root number (CN) will have shallower rooting depth and improved P acquisition from low-P soils. Maize recombinant inbred lines with contrasting CN were evaluated under suboptimal P availability in greenhouse mesocosms and the field. Under P stress in mesocosms, the large-CN phenotype had 48% greater root respiration, 24% shallower rooting depth, 32% greater root length density in the topsoil, 37% greater leaf P concentration, 48% greater leaf photosynthesis, 33% greater stomatal conductance, and 44% greater shoot biomass than the small-CN phenotype. Under P stress in the field, the large-CN phenotype had 32% shallower rooting depth, 51% greater root length density in the topsoil, 44% greater leaf P concentration, 18% greater leaf photosynthesis, 21% greater stomatal conductance, 23% greater shoot biomass at anthesis, and 28% greater yield than the small-CN phenotype. These results support the hypothesis that large CN improves plant P acquisition from low-P soils by reducing rooting depth and increasing topsoil foraging. The large-CN phenotype merits consideration as a selection target to improve P capture in maize and possibly other cereal crops.
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B.R.S. designed and conducted the experiments, analyzed the results, and led the writing; Y.Z.G. contributed to the design and writing; J.P.L. conceived and designed the study, supervised its execution, assisted with data analysis, and contributed to the writing.
www.plantphysiol.org/cgi/doi/10.1104/pp.18.00234
The author responsible for distribution of materials integral to the findings presented in this article in accordance with the policy described in the Instructions for Authors (www.plantphysiol.org) is: Jonathan P. Lynch (jpl4@psu.edu).
ISSN:0032-0889
1532-2548
1532-2548
DOI:10.1104/pp.18.00234