Abstract
Improving the root system favors better plant growth, since it promotes water and nutrient absorption, resulting in higher plant yield. In this respect, the use of products for this purpose has become promising. Applying amino acids has benefitted the root system of Arabidopsis and in some vegetables; however, little is known about their influence on soybean plants. As such, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of applying amino acids to seeds and leaves on the root architecture of soybean plants. Effects of amino acids such as glutamate, cysteine, glycine and phenylalanine on the main root length (MRL), total root length (TRL), projected area (PA), root volume (RV), number of secondary roots (NSR), secondary root length (SRL) and number of tertiary roots (NTR) were evaluated. All the amino acids studied improved root architecture. Seed-applied cysteine increased TRL by 55%, in relation to control. When applied on leaves, it raised TRL by 27% and MRL by 69%, compared to control. Applying glycine to seeds increased MRL by 54%, PA by 69%, RV by 96% and NTR by 119%, all in relation to control. Thus, amino acids enhanced the architecture of soybean roots. However, glutamate, glycine and phenylalanine produced better responses when applied to seeds, and cysteine, when applied to leaves. All of these changes may help roots absorb more water and nutrients, thereby raising crop yield.
Highlights
Plant growth depends on water and the nutrients absorbed from the soil, substrate or nutrient solution
It is determined from a set of traits, morphology, topology and root distribution (Lynch, 1995), which establish how efficiently plants use the resources of the crop environment (Shahzad & Amtmann, 2017)
The use of glutamate, cysteine, phenylalanine and glycine promoted an increase in all the parameters related to root growth in stage V4 (Figures 1 and 2)
Summary
Plant growth depends on water and the nutrients absorbed from the soil, substrate or nutrient solution. They are commonly grown in areas at risk of water deficit, due to unstable rainfall (FAO, 2011), and in environments with low levels of some nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorous, zinc and boron (IPNI, 2016; Prochnow et al, 2018). Root system architecture is defined as the spatial arrangement of its individual parts (Shahzad and Amtmann, 2017) As such, it is determined from a set of traits, morphology, topology and root distribution (Lynch, 1995), which establish how efficiently plants use the resources of the crop environment (Shahzad & Amtmann, 2017). In a review, Li et al (2016) found that a rise in efficient nutrient use by plants is related to better root system architecture
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