Abstract
Phosphorus is one of the second most important nutrients for plant growth and development, and its importance has been realised from its role in various chains of reactions leading to better crop dynamics accompanied by optimum yield. However, the injudicious use of phosphorus (P) and non-renewability across the globe severely limit the agricultural production of crops, such as rice. The development of P-efficient cultivar can be achieved by screening genotypes either by destructive or non-destructive approaches. Exploring image-based phenotyping (shoot and root) and tolerant indices in conjunction under low P conditions was the first report, the epicentre of this study. Eighteen genotypes were selected for hydroponic study from the soil-based screening of 68 genotypes to identify the traits through non-destructive (geometric traits by imaging) and destructive (morphology and physiology) techniques. Geometric traits such as minimum enclosing circle, convex hull, and calliper length show promising responses, in addition to morphological and physiological traits. In 28-day-old seedlings, leaves positioned from third to fifth played a crucial role in P mobilisation to different plant parts and maintained plant architecture under P deficient conditions. Besides, a reduction in leaf angle adjustment due to a decline in leaf biomass was observed. Concomitantly, these geometric traits facilitate the evaluation of low P-tolerant rice cultivars at an earlier stage, accompanying several stress indices. Out of which, Mean Productivity Index, Mean Relative Performance, and Relative Efficiency index utilising image-based traits displayed better responses in identifying tolerant genotypes under low P conditions. This study signifies the importance of image-based phenotyping techniques to identify potential donors and improve P use efficiency in modern rice breeding programs.
Highlights
Phosphorus, a macronutrient placed in phosphorus (P) block, maintains overall plant morphometry, regulates metabolic processes, and is a fundamental element of several essential biomolecules involved in reproduction, pointing to its indispensability in crop growth and development
Sixty-five popular rice genotypes developed for Odisha province and three checks (Dular, Kasalath, and IC459373) (Supplementary Table 1) were collected from Regional Research and Technology Transfer Station (RRTTS), Coastal zone, Bhubaneswar; Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT); and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Rice Research Institute (NRRI), Cuttack, Odisha
The analysis of variance suggests leaf angle as an adaptive trait, as it is greatly influenced by P concentration and unravels geometric traits such as calliper length, minimum enclosing circle (MEC), and eccentricity significantly differed at the genotype level
Summary
Phosphorus, a macronutrient placed in phosphorus (P) block, maintains overall plant morphometry, regulates metabolic processes, and is a fundamental element of several essential biomolecules (nucleic acid, ATP, NADPH, and phospholipids) involved in reproduction, pointing to its indispensability in crop growth and development. Image-Based Phenotyping for P-Use Efficiency concentration in the soil rhizosphere of about 0.05–0.3 μg P ml−1 (Bolan, 1991) severely limit crop yield. Statistics shows that 20 million hectares of world rice cultivation area are Pi-deficient (Neue et al, 1990), and that 61.02% of Indian soil is low in P (Muralidharudu et al, 2011). To alleviate this issue, the idea of developing P use-efficient rice cultivars has been introduced as an efficient strategy, especially in India, to reduce the cost of production, import demand, and effect of eutrophication (Mahender et al, 2017)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
