Reduced Root Cortical Cell File Number Improves Drought Tolerance in Maize

• Published in: Plant physiology (Bethesda) Vol. 166; no. 4; pp. 1943 - 1955
• Main Authors: Chimungu, Joseph G., Brown, Kathleen M., Lynch, Jonathan P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Society of Plant Biologists 01.12.2014
• Subjects: Agricultural soils; Biomass; Cell Count; Cell Respiration; Corn; Crops, Agricultural; Dehydration; Drought; drought tolerance; Droughts; ECOPHYSIOLOGY AND SUSTAINABILITY; Genetic Variation; Genotype; Genotypes; Plant Leaves - genetics; Plant Leaves - growth & development; Plant Leaves - physiology; Plant roots; Plant Roots - genetics; Plant Roots - growth & development; Plant Roots - physiology; Plant Stems - genetics; Plant Stems - growth & development; Plant Stems - physiology; Planting; Plants; root growth; Soil; Soil resources; Soil water; Stress, Physiological; Water; Zea mays - genetics; Zea mays - growth & development; Zea mays - physiology

We tested the hypothesis that reduced root cortical cell file number (CCFN) would improve drought tolerance in maize (Zea mays) by reducing the metabolic costs of soil exploration. Maize genotypes with contrasting CCFN were grown under wellwatered and water-stressed conditions in greenhouse mesocosm...