Keywords
Brachypodium distachyonParticle chemistry Particle size Pseudomonas fluorescens Rhizosphere Root exudation Root morphology Abstract Root morphology and exudation define a plants sphere of influence in soils, and are in turn shaped by the physiochemical characteristics of soil. We explored how particle size and chemistry of growth substrates affect root morphology and exudation of the model grass Brachypodium distachyon. Root fresh weight and root lengths were correlated with particle size, whereas root number and shoot weight remained constant. Mass spectrometry imaging suggested that both, root length and number shape root exudation. Exudate metabolite profiles detected with liquid chromatography / mass spectrometry were comparable for plants growing in glass beads or sand with various particles sizes, but distinct for plants growing in clay. However, when exudates of clay-grown plants were collected by removing the plants from the substrate, their exudate profile was similar to sand-or glass beads-grown plants. Clay particles sorbed 20% of compounds exuded by clay-grown plants, and 70% of compounds of a defined exudate medium. The sorbed compounds belonged to a range of chemical classes, among them nucleosides/nucleotides, organic acids, sugars, and amino acids. Some of the sorbed compounds could be de-sorbed by a rhizobacterium (Pseudomonas fluorescens WCS415), supporting its growth. We show that root morphology is affected by substrate size, and that root exudation in contrast is not affected by substrate size or chemistry. The availability of exuded compounds, however, depends on the substrate present. These findings further support the critical importance of the physiochemical properties of soils are crucial to consider when investigating plant morphology, exudation, and plantmicrobe interactions. Plant roots shape their environment in various ways, and are in turn shaped by physiochemical properties of the surrounding soil. Roots shape soil by dislocating particles, by polymer production, and by release of a wide variety of compounds (root exudation). Root exudates alter pH and the chemical composition around roots. Overall, root presence in soils results in formation of larger soil aggregates and increases water-holding capacity (Six et al., 2004). The plant-induced changes in chemistry can lead to weathering of minerals (Uroz et al., 2015), and alter the composition of microbial communities (Carson et al., 2007).Soils are often characterized by their particle size and mineralogy. Typical soil particles range from small (< 50 ”m) to large (> 2 mm), determining physical parameters such as water binding capacity (Six et al., 2004; Six and Paustian, 2014; RellĂĄn-Ălvarez et al., 2016). Differently sized sandstones are associated with different microbial numbers, with small sandstones (2 mm) being more densely populated by microbes than larger rocks (Certini et al., 2004). Minerals differ in their structure (e.g. accessible surface), and in their surface charge, determining if and how they interact wi...