Analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana root growth kinetics with high temporal and spatial resolution

Abstract

The high temporal resolution allows small modifications of total root elongation growth to be revealed. Furthermore, with the options to investigate growth of various mutants in diverse growth conditions the present tool allows modulations in root growth kinetics due to different biotic and abiotic stimuli to be unravelled. Measurements performed on Arabidopsis thaliana wild-type (Col0) plants revealed rhythms superimposed on root elongation. Results obtained from the starchless mutant pgm, however, present a clearly modified pattern. As expected, deviation is strongest during the dark period.

Stable diurnal growth rhythms modulate root elongation of Arabidopsis thaliana

“…1e shows the average growth rate values at each time during the 24 h cycle. These were calculated by combining measurements from the three consecutive days (Yazdanbakhsh and Fisahn 2010). These averages unequivocally substantiate diurnal features already detectable in the responses of the individual days.…”

“…Preliminary results of a small number of root growth kinetics in neutral photoperiods have been reported earlier (Yazdanbakhsh and Fisahn 2010). These diurnal root extension profiles in equal 12/12 h L/D photoperiods ( Fig.…”

“…Fig. 1c displays the average daily growth rate (Yazdanbakhsh and Fisahn 2010). This remained almost constant during the three day measurement period.…”

“…Screening of the Petri dishes was enabled by the PlaRoM imaging software application (Yazdanbakhsh and Fisahn 2010) which controlled the stepwise movement of the robot arm. As a result, each 4.58 × 3.33 mm area over the surface of the Petri dish was imaged every half hour.…”

“…The root extension profiling software application analysed the time lapse records and provided the growth velocity profiles and custom specified visualisation of root extension profiles (Yazdanbahksh and Fisahn 2010). A statistical package was included in the PlaRoM imaging software application that provided user-defined averaging and normalization of various combinations of data, together with the standard error (Yazdanbakhsh and Fisahn 2010). This package normalizes each elongation rate value to the daily mean value of the same individual on the same solar day period.…”