Maximal Biomass of Arabidopsis thaliana Using a Simple, Low-Maintenance Hydroponic Method and Favorable Environmental Conditions

Abstract

The advantages of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. for genetic studies are well known, but its diminutive stature and associated low biomass at maturity make it a challenging species for complementary physiological and biochemical studies. Hydroponic culture can significantly increase plant growth and produce uniform, stress-free root and shoot material that can be harvested throughout the life span of the plant. However, many shy away from the use of hydroponic culture because of the perceived difficulties in set-up and maintenance. Although other methods for the hydroponic culture of Arabidopsis have been reported (Rodecap et al., 1994; Delhaize and Randall, 1995; Hirai et al., 1995), they suffer from various shortcomings, including poor aeration, loss of root material, overcrowding, excess manipulation, and less-than-favorable environmental conditions. In this paper we describe an easy, low-maintenance method of hydroponic culture for Arabidopsis that combines the use of rockwool culture for uniform seedling establishment and a closed system of solution culture for the duration of plant growth. In addition, some consideration is given to temperature and light conditions that favor biomass production.The most difficult part of hydroponic culture for Arabidopsis is to rstablish a good root system, because young seedlings are prone to hypoxic stress from water logging. Rockwool (GrodanHP, Agro Dynamics, East Brunswick, NJ) provides an excellent, well-aerated rooting environment that is a far superior medium for reliable and uniform seedling establishment compared with other media we have tried, including cheesecloth, blue blotter paper, brown germination paper, filter paper, fiberglass matting, agar, and soil-or vermiculite-filled straws. Rockwool is a mixture of igneous rock and limestone that is heated and spun into mats. Even when saturated, rockwool holds about 15% air space.

Heterodimers of the Arabidopsis Transcription Factors bZIP1 and bZIP53 Reprogram Amino Acid Metabolism during Low Energy Stress

“…Material for qPCR was harvested as indicated, starting at the beginning of the light period (8 AM). For hydroponic culture, the procedure described by Gibeaut et al (1997) has been modified. Three-week-old plants were grown on a mesh support under short-day conditions.…”

Variation of Herbivore-Induced Volatile Terpenes among Arabidopsis Ecotypes Depends on Allelic Differences and Subcellular Targeting of Two Terpene Synthases, TPS02 and TPS03

“…Kanamycin-or hygromycin-resistant transgenic plants were preselected on 13 Murashige and Skoog (Duchefa) plates with 1% Suc and 100 mg mL 21 kanamycin or 30 mg mL 21 hygromycin prior to being transferred to soil. Hydroponic plants of various accessions were grown from seeds on rock wool support (Gibeaut et al, 1997) under the same light and temperature conditions as described above. All plants were used in the prebolting rosette stage.…”

A Nuclear Gene Encoding the Iron-Sulfur Subunit of Mitochondrial Complex II Is Regulated by B3 Domain Transcription Factors during Seed Development in Arabidopsis

“…Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype Columbia , Landsberg erecta [Ler], or C24) seeds were cold treated for 48 h at 4°C in darkness and then germinated and grown hydroponically at 20°C to 24°C under a 16-h-light/8-hdark cycle (Gibeaut et al, 1997). Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of Arabidopsis plants was accomplished using the floral dip protocol (Clough and Bent, 1998).…”