Root proliferation and seed yield in response to spatial heterogeneity of below‐ground competition

O’Brien, Erin; Gersani, Mordechai; Brown, Joel S.

doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.2005.01520.x

Cited by 203 publications

(184 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…We found that root systems of plants grown in small pots are smaller than those of plants grown in large containers. Several other studies (35)(36)(37)(38) have reported similar results. Gersani et al (37) and O'Brien et al (38) reported that the root system was larger when grown in two connected pots shared with the other plant than when grown alone in one pot.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

“…Several other studies (35)(36)(37)(38) have reported similar results. Gersani et al (37) and O'Brien et al (38) reported that the root system was larger when grown in two connected pots shared with the other plant than when grown alone in one pot. Our results showing that the size of the root system increases when a small number of roots physically contact an obstacle, but overall root size decreases as greater numbers of root tips touch the object, suggest that root impedance may be one factor in this phenomenon.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Genotypic recognition and spatial responses by rice roots

Fang

Clark

Zheng

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

136

146

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Root system growth and development is highly plastic and is influenced by the surrounding environment. Roots frequently grow in heterogeneous environments that include interactions from neighboring plants and physical impediments in the rhizosphere. To investigate how planting density and physical objects affect root system growth, we grew rice in a transparent gel system in close proximity with another plant or a physical object. Root systems were imaged and reconstructed in three dimensions. Root-root interaction strength was calculated using quantitative metrics that characterize the extent to which the reconstructed root systems overlap each other. Surprisingly, we found the overlap of root systems of the same genotype was significantly higher than that of root systems of different genotypes. Root systems of the same genotype tended to grow toward each other but those of different genotypes appeared to avoid each other. Shoot separation experiments excluded the possibility of aerial interactions, suggesting root communication. Staggered plantings indicated that interactions likely occur at root tips in close proximity. Recognition of obstacles also occurred through root tips, but through physical contact in a size-dependent manner. These results indicate that root systems use two different forms of communication to recognize objects and alter root architecture: root-root recognition, possibly mediated through root exudates, and root-object recognition mediated by physical contact at the root tips. This finding suggests that root tips act as local sensors that integrate rhizosphere information into global root architectural changes.3D reconstruction | imaging | kin recognition P lants interact with the environment in a number of ways (1, 2).Aboveground tissues may identify volatile cues that provide information about their neighbors (3, 4) and detect irradiance, directional light, and light quality (5), whereas belowground tissues, such as roots, can detect changes in soil moisture, nutrient availability, and physical obstacles (6-8). Plants not only detect but also respond to changes in their environment, exhibiting adaptation in their morphology and physiology in response to environmental stimuli (9-14), such as alteration in total root length, root system volume, and root depth (15,16). Phenotypic plasticity of plants in response to environmental heterogeneity may have consequences for plant fitness.Communication among plants is mediated by interactions that take place aboveground (17, 18) and belowground (2,(19)(20)(21). Aboveground interactions have been studied in greater detail, in part because of the accessibility of aerial tissue. However, there is growing interest in root-system architecture and its effect on plant function and fitness (12, 15). Studies of root-system architecture suggest that root systems develop differently in the presence of other root systems. For example, when exposed to the roots of a neighboring plant, common bean plants altered the vertical and horizontal distribution of roo...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Genotypic recognition and spatial responses by rice roots

Fang

Clark

Zheng

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

136

146

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…[12][13][14]). Allocation to plant height in competition over light may be similarly costly (reviewed by Schmitt [15]), and in fact, artificial selection to minimize height in agricultural crops clearly demonstrates a collective benefit of reduced selfishness [16,17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence for competition and cooperation among climbing plants

Biernaskie

2010

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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A plant's best strategy for acquiring resources may often depend on the identity of neighbours. Here, I ask whether plants adjust their strategy to local relatedness: individuals may cooperate (reduce competitiveness) with kin but compete relatively intensely with non-kin. In a greenhouse experiment with Ipomoea hederacea, neighbouring siblings from the same inbred line were relatively uniform in height; groups of mixed lines, however, were increasingly variable as their mean height increased. The reproductive yield of mixed and sibling groups was similar overall, but when adjusted to a common mean height and height inequality, the yield of mixed groups was significantly less. Where this difference in yield was most pronounced (among groups that varied most in height), mixed groups tended to allocate more mass to roots than comparable sibling groups, and overall, mixed groups produced significantly fewer seeds per unit mass of roots. These results suggest that, from the group perspective, non-kin may have wasted resources in below-ground competition at the expense of reproduction; kin groups, on the other hand, displayed the relative efficiency that is expected of reduced competitiveness.

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“…As the competition on the root region is perceived, the plant invests on roots, aiming at occupying the soil spaces more quickly and increasing the allocation of biomass to the root system (O'Brien et al, 2005). The high production of MSPR when the TEC 5718 cultivar competed only for soil resources may be associated to the perception of future competition and, consequently, it must promote a greater allocation of biomass to the root system when in the presence of competing corn plants.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Partitioning of Competition for Resources Between Soybean and Corn as Competitor Plant

et al. 2016

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-Plants compete for resources present below and above the soil surface. The objective of this work was to separate the individual effects of the competition for resources between soybean and corn as competitor plants. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, in 2014/2015. The treatments consisted of soybean cultivars (TEC 5718 and TEC 6029) in competition conditions with corn (no competition, competition for soil resources, competition for solar radiation and total competition). The variables evaluated were plant height at 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 days after emergence (DAE), stem/culm diameter, leaf area, shoot dry mass, root dry mass and the chlorophyll index, at 42 (DAE). The competition for soil resources between soybean and corn is pronounced, being that short cultivars with determinate growth habit, such as TEC 5718, invest more in root biomass, specific leaf area and leaf area ratio when in competition. The soybean cultivars do not suppress corn, but allow it to benefit when associated to its root system, increasing the shoot and root dry mass, leaf area and chlorophyll index.Keywords: Glycine max, Zea mays, water, competitiveness, solar radiation, competitor plant. de plantas, aos 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 RESUMO -As plantas competem por recursos presentes abaixo e acima da superfície do solo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi separar os efeitos individuais da competição por recursos entre a soja e o milho como planta competidora. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação, em 2014/15. Os tratamentos consistiram de cultivares de soja (TEC 5718 e TEC 6029) sob condições de competição com milho (ausência de competição, competição por recursos do solo, competição por radiação solar e competição total). As variáveis avaliadas foram estatura

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Root proliferation and seed yield in response to spatial heterogeneity of below‐ground competition

Cited by 203 publications

References 27 publications

Genotypic recognition and spatial responses by rice roots

Genotypic recognition and spatial responses by rice roots

Evidence for competition and cooperation among climbing plants

Partitioning of Competition for Resources Between Soybean and Corn as Competitor Plant

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