“…Plants exposed to abiotic stress typically develop recognizable morphological changes, called stress-induced morphogenesis responses (SIMS), to root systems that include re-differentiation of the pericycle and formation of lateral roots, inhibition of root cell elongation, formation of root hairs in the apex, and blocked cell division in the primary meristem ( Patakas, 2011 ). In many reports, application of HA has resulted in increases in numbers of lateral roots, lateral root length, and density ( Aguiar et al, 2009 ; Canellas et al, 2009 , 2010 , 2011 , 2012 ; Dobbss et al, 2010 ; Muscolo et al, 2010 ; Aguiar et al, 2013 ; David et al, 2014 ; Garcia et al, 2016 ; van Tol de Castro et al, 2021 ). However, in some cases, increases in lateral roots have been accompanied by increases in the principal root length ( Aguiar et al, 2009 ; Canellas et al, 2009 ; van Tol de Castro et al, 2021 ), root diameter ( Aguiar et al, 2013 ; Garcia et al, 2016 ), or both ( Canellas et al, 2010 ).…”