Root Patterning Research Articles

Semantic prosody of deictic verbs in the Holy Qurʾān: a corpus study

Studies that examine the semantic proprsody of words in the Qurʾān focus on words with negative or positive meanings as part of their denotations (i.e., core meanings). On the other hand, a few other studies place greater importance on collocates than on concordance lines or the pragmatic function of the phrase where the word occurs. Thus, the aim of the present study is to examine the semantic prosody of three groups of frequent deictic verbs in the Holy Qurʾān: (a) verbs denoting came as dʒaːʔ , ħaˈḍara , and ʔataː , (b) those with the meaning of brought, such as dʒaːʔ (bi- ) and ʔataː (bi- ) , and (c) verbs that mean sent (i.e., ˈnazzala , ˈʔanzala , ʔarsala , baʕaθa ). Some of the examined verbs are near synonyms, while others share the same root or word pattern. The study is qualitative and quantitative based on two corpora (i.e., the Qurʾānic Arabic Corpus and the Qurʾān Annotated Corpus in Sketch Engine). For the quantitative part, I used a number of statistical measures to identify frequent collocates of deictic verbs, and for the qualitative part, I checked concordance lines to decide on the evaluative meaning associated with each deictic verb. Further, a statistical test of ANOVA was used to identify which deictic meaning is significantly associated with which attitudinal evaluation. Results reveal that more than half of the deictic verbs (e.g., dʒaːʔ and ʔataː as came and brought and ˈʔaħḍara as brought) are negative. Further, verbs based on the same root or giving the same meaning do not necessarily suggest the same semantic prosody. More importantly, accompanying words no matter how significantly they occur with certain verbs are not sufficient to impose a certain semantic prosody on the verb in a specific context. This indicates that semantic prosody is determined by intentions, contexts, pragmatic functions, collocates, and grammatical constructions. Therefore, it is recommended that researchers examine the semantic prosody of other deictic verbs and analyse the role of prepositions following deictic verbs in determining the semantic prosody of verbs in the Qurʾān.

Differential responses of root and leaf-associated microbiota to continuous monocultures

Continuous monocultures alter the composition and function of root-associated microbiota, and thus compromise crop health and productivity. In comparison, little is known about how leaf-associated microbiota respond to continuous monocultures. Here, we profiled root and leaf-associated microbiota of peanut plants under monocropping and rotation conditions. Additionally, their protective effects against root pathogen Fusarium oxysporum and leaf pathogen Alternaria alstroemeriae were evaluated. We found that monocropping increased root and leaf disease severity. Meanwhile, the peanut growth and productivity were inhibited by monocropping. Microbiota analysis revealed that monocropping reduced rhizosphere microbial population and diversity, while increased leaf epiphytic microbial population and did not influence leaf epiphytic microbial diversity. Cropping conditions had a greater impact on the microbiota composition of leaf epiphytes than that of the rhizosphere. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo experiments, combined with correlation analyses showed that monocropping weakened the antagonistic activity of rhizosphere microbiota against F. oxysporum and root rot disease. This effect may be associated with the depletion of Bacillus sp. and Sphingomonas sp.. By contrast, leaf epiphytic microbiota under monocropping exhibited greater inhibition of A. alstroemeriae growth and leaf spot control. Together, our results demonstrated a differential response pattern of root and leaf-associated microbiota to continuous monocultures.

Optimization of yield and rooting behaviour of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) in desert region through land configuration, Mycorrhiza and zinc fertilization

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis holds promise for enhancing soil phosphorus (P) efficiencycy and valuable in improving zinc uptake in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.), especially in Zn-deficient soils. The proper land configuration important for enhancing the rainfed crop performance by changing the rooting and soil moisture conservation patterns. Thus, a study was conducted in 2020 and 2021 at Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agriculture University, Bikaner, we explored the combined effects of land configuration, zinc ffertilization and Mycorrhiza on yield attributes and roots characteristics of pearl millet. We evaluated 24 treatment combinations, including flat bed (S1), ridge & furrow (S2) and pit (S3) planting techniques, Mycorrhiza control (M0) and 8 kg/ha as basal (M1), and zinc fertilization control (Z0), 0.5% ZnSO4 in two foliar sprays (Z1), ZnSO4 @10 kg/ha basal + 0.5% foliar spray (Z2), and ZnSO4 @ 20 kg/ha basal (Z3) in a split-split plot design. Our findings revealed that, the pit planting technique, combined with Mycorrhiza and zinc sulphate fertilization, significantly increased plant stand (141.2 thousand/ha), root characteristics (root volume, 42.93 cm3), and yield attributes (effective tillers: 4.75, grain yield: 30.75 q/ha, and stover yield: 71.43 q/ha) by 12.72%, 29.11%, 137.53%, 95.74% and 39.95% compared to flat bed sowing, respectively. These results underscore the immense potential of pit planting techniques for enhancing pearl millet productivity and quality by promoting robust root system development.

Optimization of yield and rooting behaviour of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) in desert region through land configuration, Mycorrhiza and zinc fertilization

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis holds promise for enhancing soil phosphorus (P) efficiencycy and valuable in improving zinc uptake in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.), especially in Zn-deficient soils. The proper land configuration important for enhancing the rainfed crop performance by changing the rooting and soil moisture conservation patterns. Thus, a study was conducted in 2020 and 2021 at Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agriculture University, Bikaner, we explored the combined effects of land configuration, zinc ffertilization and Mycorrhiza on yield attributes and roots characteristics of pearl millet. We evaluated 24 treatment combinations, including flat bed (S1), ridge & furrow (S2) and pit (S3) planting techniques, Mycorrhiza control (M0) and 8 kg/ha as basal (M1), and zinc fertilization control (Z0), 0.5% ZnSO4 in two foliar sprays (Z1), ZnSO4 @10 kg/ha basal + 0.5% foliar spray (Z2), and ZnSO4 @ 20 kg/ha basal (Z3) in a split-split plot design. Our findings revealed that, the pit planting technique, combined with Mycorrhiza and zinc sulphate fertilization, significantly increased plant stand (141.2 thousand/ha), root characteristics (root volume, 42.93 cm3), and yield attributes (effective tillers: 4.75, grain yield: 30.75 q/ha, and stover yield: 71.43 q/ha) by 12.72%, 29.11%, 137.53%, 95.74% and 39.95% compared to flat bed sowing, respectively. These results underscore the immense potential of pit planting techniques for enhancing pearl millet productivity and quality by promoting robust root system development.

Comparative Analysis of Fracture Resistance of Endodontic Sealer Types and Filling Methods.

With the advent of bioceramic sealers, sealers have become a more important filling material for endodontic treatment. When a solid sealer, rather than an elastic gutta-percha, occupies a significant portion of the root canal, it is unclear whether the tooth structure will be strengthened to withstand stress or whether the increased stiffness will transmit the load directly to the entire root, potentially causing root fracture. This study compared the fracture resistance and fracture patterns of roots filled with various root canal sealers, including bioceramic sealers, and each corresponding filling technique. Five groups (n = 10) were tested, including no endodontic treatment, no canal obturation, resin-based sealers with continuous-wave compaction, bioceramic sealers with single-cone technique, and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) orthograde obturation. The specimens were radiographed to assess the filling quality. After embedding the specimens in acrylic resin, fracture resistance was tested by a universal testing machine, and fracture features were examined microscopically. The results showed that the bioceramic sealer group using the single-cone technique had the highest fracture strength. Radiographic analysis revealed that achieving void-free filling was more difficult with MTA orthograde obturation compared to resin-based and bioceramic sealer groups. No significant variation in fracture features was observed across the groups.

Exploring Repetitive Integer Patterns in the Complex Roots of Homogeneous Polynomials

Exploring Repetitive Integer Patterns in the Complex Roots of Homogeneous Polynomials

Differential salt stress resistance in male and female Salix linearistipularis plants: insights from transcriptome profiling and the identification of the 4-hydroxy-tetrahydrodipicolinate synthase gene.

Lysine plays an essential role in the growth differences between male and female S. linearistipularis plants under salt stress. Furthermore, SlDHDPS is identified as a vital gene contributing to the differences in saline-alkali tolerance between male and female plants of S. linearistipularis. Soil salinization is a significant problem that severely restricts agricultural production worldwide. High salinity and low nutrient concentrations consequently prevent the growth of most plant species. Salix linearistipularis is the only woody plant (shrub) naturally distributed in the saline-alkali lands of the Songnen Plain in Northeast China, and it is one of the few plants capable of thriving in soils with extremely high salt and alkaline pH (>9.0) levels. However, insufficient attention has been given to the interplay between salt and nitrogen in the growth and development of S. linearistipularis. Here, the male and female plants of S. linearistipularis were subjected to salt stress with nitrogen-starvation or nitrogen-supplement treatments, and it was found that nitrogen significantly affects the difference in salt tolerance between male and female plants, with nitrogen-starvation significantly enhancing the salt stress tolerance of female plants compared to male plants. Transcriptional analyses showed 66 differentially expressed nitrogen-responsive genes in female and male roots, with most of them showing sexual differences in expression patterns under salinity stress. RNA-seq and RT-qPCR analysis demonstrated that six genes had an opposite salt-induced expression pattern in female and male roots. The expression of the 4-hydroxy-tetrahydrodipicolinate synthase encoding gene (SlDHDPS) in female roots was higher than that in male roots. Further treatment with exogenous lysine could significantly alleviate the inhibitory effect of salt stress on the growth of female and male plants. These results indicate that the SlDHDPS in the nitrogen metabolism pathway is involved in the resistance of S. linearistipularis to salt stress, which lays a foundation for further exploring the mechanism of nitrogen on salt tolerance of S. linearistipularis, and has a significant reference value for saline-alkali land management and sustainable agricultural development.

Modeling the impact of long-term land use changes on deep soil hydrological processes in the Loess Plateau, China

Land use change can significantly affect soil hydrology in arid and semi-arid regions, making it crucial to understand the relationship between vegetation roots and soil moisture. Current models often fail to predict root growth and its impacts on water dynamics accurately. Our work presents a novel model that seamlessly integrates the Community Land Model (CLM) with the Soil & Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Furthermore, it enhances the root module within the CLM, enabling more accurate simulations of dynamic root depth and distribution across varying tree ages. This improvement particularly considers the crucial processes of dormancy and plant maturity. Soil moisture and root patterns under apple trees of varying ages and in wheat fields on the Loess Plateau was analyzed. Our findings indicate that our dynamic root depth model outperforms traditional static models, and can accurately reflect soil moisture levels with high precision (R2 = 0.80–0.81; Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) = 0.65–0.75). In contrast to methods that utilize fixed root depths, dynamic root simulation can provide new insights. As apple orchards mature, the roots of 22-year-old apple trees have been found to reach a depth of 21 m in the soil. Conversely, the maximum root depth of wheat is limited to 1.9 m. This latter finding aligns more closely with the measured root depths, highlighting the accuracy of dynamic simulations. This model reveals that older apple orchards show decreased soil moisture at greater depths (>20 m), contrasting with wheat fields that affect moisture mostly within the top 2 m. Our results underscore the crucial role of dynamic modeling in comprehending root-soil water interactions. Furthermore, they imply that extended orchard cultivation practices can lead to a substantial depletion of deep soil moisture. Specifically, over a period of 1 to 22 years, a water deficit of up to 85 mm yr−1 has been observed. For a 22-year-old forest, the D-D (dynamic distributions of coarse and fine roots) method calculates a significant cumulative deep Soil Water Storage loss. Over the course of 22 years, this loss amounts to 1664 mm, which is almost three times compare to the annual rainfall recorded. Such a large loss has the potential to significant impact on groundwater recharge. This highlights the need for careful consideration in future afforestation efforts to prevent increased soil aridity.

Morphological Traits and Biomass Allocation of Leymus secalinus along Habitat Gradient in a Floodplain Wetland of the Heihe River, China

Plant organ biomass allocation and morphological characteristics are important functional traits. The responses of plant root, stem, and leaf traits to heterogeneous habitats in floodplain wetlands are highly important for understanding the ecological adaptation strategies of riparian plants. However, the patterns of these responses remain unclear. In a floodplain wetland in the middle reaches of the Heihe River, we studied the responses of the root, stem, and leaf morphological traits and biomass allocation of Leymus secalinus to varying habitat conditions. We measured these traits in three sample plots, delineated based on distance from the riverbank: plot I (near the riparian zone, 50–150 m from the riverbank), plot II (middle riparian zone, 200–300 m from the riverbank), and plot III (far riparian zone, 350–450 m from the riverbank). The results showed that in plot I, L. secalinus tended to have slender roots and stems and small leaves, with a biomass allocation strategy that maximized the root–shoot ratio (RSR). In plot II, L. secalinus had thick stems and moderate leaf and root patterns, and the RSR values were between those of plot I and plot III. In plot III, L. secalinus had thin and short stems and large leaves; furthermore, among the root morphological structures, plot III had the shortest Rhizome length (RL) and longest Rhizome diameter (RD), and the RSR was the lowest. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between organ biomass and leaf thickness, stem length, RD, and RL in the three habitats (p < 0.05). By balancing the biomass allocation among organs, wetland plants in floodplains balance changes in root, stem, and leaf morphological characteristics to improve their environmental adaptation.

Role of ectomycorrhizal colonization in enhancement of nutrients for survival of plants collected from mountainous cold stress areas

BackgroundEctomycorrhizal (ECM and ECM-like) structures associated with plant root systems are a challenge for scientists. The dispersion pattern of roots within the soil profile and the nutritional conditions are both favourable factors to motivate the plants to make ECM associations.ResultsThis study discusses the colonization of mycorrhizal associations in Kobresia and Polygonum species including Polygonum viviparum, Kobresia filicina, K. myosuroides, Alnus nitida, Betula pendula, Pinus sylvestris, and Trifolium repens grown naturally in cold stressed soils of Gilgit-Baltistan (high-altitude alpine Deosai plains), Hazara, Swat, Dir, and Bajaur. Sieved soil batches were exposed to +5 °C (control), -10, -20, -30, -40, -50, -125 °C for 5 h, and selected plants were sown to these soils for 10 weeks under favourable conditions for ECM colonization. Ectomycorrhizal associations were examined in the above mentioned plants. Some ECM fungi have dark mycelia that look like the mantle and Hartig net. Examples of these are Kobresia filicina, K. myosuroides, and Polygonum viviparum. Findings of this study revealed that K. myosuroides excelled in ECM root tip length, dry mass, and NH4 concentration at -125 °C. Contrarily, A. nitida demonstrated the lower values, indicated its minimum tolerance. Notably, T. repens boasted the highest nitrogen concentration (18.7 ± 1.31 mg/g), while P. sylvestris led in phosphorus (3.2 ± 0.22 mg/g). The B. pendula showed the highest potassium concentration (9.4 ± 0.66 mg/g), emphasising species-specific nutrient uptake capabilities in extreme cold conditions. The PCA analysis revealed that the parameters, e.g., NH4 in soil mix (NH4), NO3 in soil mix (NO3), phosphorus in soil in species of Polygonum viviparum, Kobresia filicina, K. myosuroides, Alnus nitida, Betula pendula, Pinus sylvestris, and Trifolium repens are most accurately represented in cases of + 5 °C, -10 °C, and -20 °C temperatures. On the other hand, the parameters for ECM root tips (ECM) and Dry Mass (DM) are best described in -40 °C, -50 °C, and − 125 °C temperatures. All parameters have a strong influence on the variability of the system indicated the efficiency of ECM. The heatmap supported the nutrients positively correlated with ECM colonization with the host plants.ConclusionAt lower temperatures, hyphae and spores in roots were reduced, while soluble phosphorus concentrations of leaves were increased in cold stress soils. Maximum foliar nutrient concentrations were found in K. myosuroides at the lowest temperature treatments due to efficient functioning and colonization of ECM.

Environmental aridity driving latitudinal pattern of biomass allocation fractions in root systems of 63 shrub species in dry valleys.

Fine roots and absorptive roots play key roles in acquiring resources throughout soil profiles and determining plant functions along environmental gradients. Yet, the geographical pattern of carbon allocation in fine roots, particularly in absorptive roots, and their relations with plant sizes and evironment are less understood. We sampled 243 xerophytic shrubs from 63 species distributed along the latitudinal gradient (23°N to 32°N) in dry valleys of southwest China and synthetically measured biomass fractions of plant organs, especially fine roots and absorptive roots (1st to 3rd root order). We identified latitudinal patterns of biomass allocation fractions of organs and their relationships with plant sizes and environmental factors. The latitudinal patterns of both absorptive root and fine-root fractions followed weak unimodal distributions; stem biomass fraction increased with the latitude, while the leaf biomass fraction decreased. The fraction of fine-root biomass had negative relationships with plant height and root depth. The fractions of root, fine root, and absorptive root biomass were largely explained by soil moisture. Furthermore, fraction of fine-root biomass increased in a relatively humid environment. Overall, soil moisture was the most important factor in driving latitudinal patterns of biomass fraction. Our study highlighted that functional redistribution of root system biomass was the critical adaptive strategy along a latitudinal gradient.

Phytoremediation Potential of Crotalaria pumila (Fabaceae) in Soils Polluted with Heavy Metals: Evidence from Field and Controlled Experiments.

Phytoremediation is a useful, low-cost, and environmentally friendly alternative for the rehabilitation of heavy-metal-contaminated (HM) soils. This technology takes advantage of the ability of certain plant species to accumulate HMs in their tissues. Crotalaria pumila is a herbaceous plant with a wide geographical distribution that grows naturally in environments polluted with HMs. In this work, the bioaccumulation capacity of roots and leaves in relation to five HMs (Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn) was evaluated, as well as the morphological changes presented in C. pumila growing in control substrate (without HMs) and mine-tailing substrate (with HMs) under greenhouse conditions for 150 days. Four metals with the following concentration pattern were detected in both tissues and substrates: Fe > Pb > Cu > Zn. Fe, Pb, and Zn concentrations were significantly higher in the roots and leaves of individuals growing on mine-tailing substrate compared to the control substrate. In contrast, Cu concentration increased over time in the exposed individuals. The bioconcentration factor showed a similar pattern in root and leaf: Cu > Fe > Pb > Zn. Around 87.5% of the morphological characters evaluated in this species decreased significantly in individuals exposed to HMs. The bioconcentration factor shows that C. pumila is efficient at absorbing Cu, Fe, and Pb from the mine-tailing substrate, in the root and leaf tissue, and the translocation factor shows its efficiency in translocating Cu from the roots to the leaves. Therefore, C. pumila may be considered as a HM accumulator plant with potential for phytoremediation of polluted soils with Cu, Pb, and Fe, along with the ability to establish itself naturally in contaminated environments, without affecting its germination rates. Also, it exhibits wide geographical distribution, it has a short life cycle, exhibits rapid growth, and can retain the mine-tailing substrate, extracting HMs in a short time.

Root patterns and exact surface energy of the spin-1 Heisenberg model with generic open boundaries

We investigate the thermodynamic limit and exact surface energy of the isotropic spin-1 Heisenberg chain with integrable generic open boundary conditions by a novel Bethe ansatz method. We obtain the homogeneous (or two-term) Bethe ansatz like equations for the zero roots of the transfer matrix. Based on the patterns of the zero roots, we analytical calculate the densities of zero roots and the surface energies of the model in all regimes of the boundary parameters.

Nutritional Practices, Quality of Life and, Health Status of Elderly in Rural Communities in Owo Local Government Area, Ondo State, Nigeria

The study investigates the nutrition practices, health status, and quality of life of elderly individuals in Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria. It involves a descriptive cross-sectional design with 346 elderly participants aged 60-90, systematically sampled from six rural communities. Data were collected via structured, interviewer-administered questionnaires on demographics, medical and lifestyle histories, daily activities, health-seeking behaviors, food consumption, and nutritional care practices. Nutritional status and high blood pressure were assessed using anthropometric indices and a digital sphygmomanometer. Key findings indicate that 37.6% of participants were aged 60-64. Significant differences were noted between sexes in socio-demographic variables. Alcohol consumption, tobacco sniffing, and cigarette smoking were reported by 15.3%, 11.0%, and 4.6% respectively. Additionally, 23.1% were on hypertensive drugs and 20.1% were confirmed diabetics. Meal frequency varied, with 16.5% eating less than three times daily and 59.2% eating three times daily. Lunch (58.0%) and breakfast (36.6%) were the most skipped meals, and 15% ate outside the home. Dietary diversity scores revealed 66.5% with medium and 27.5% with good diversity. Significant gender differences were observed in dietary diversity and consumption patterns of cereals, roots, tubers, and fruits. Nutritional care practices and daily living activities scores showed 90.2% and 80.6% with fair practices and good activity scores, respectively, while 46.2% demonstrated good health-seeking behavior. Common health complaints included body and joint pain. Central obesity rates were 33.8% (WC), 30.3% (WHtR), and 30.6% (WHR). Elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure were found in 36.7% and 23% of participants, respectively. Only 31.2% reported a good quality of life. Significant positive correlations were found between nutritional status, quality of life, nutritional care practices, and functionality. Malnutrition, poor quality of life, and inadequate care practices among the elderly in rural areas highlight a public health challenge requiring targeted interventions.

The community of root fungi is associated with the growth rate of Norway spruce (Picea abies).

Our study delved into the relationship between root-associated fungi, gene expression and plant morphology in Norway spruce cuttings derived from both slow-and fast-growing trees. We found no clear link between the gene expression patterns of adventitious roots and the growth phenotype, suggesting no fundamental differences in the receptiveness to fungal symbionts between the phenotypes. Interestingly, saplings from slow-growing parental trees exhibited a higher richness of ectomycorrhizal species and larger roots. Some ectomycorrhizal species, typically found on mature spruces, were more prevalent on saplings from slow-growing spruces. The ericoid mycorrhizal fungus, Hyaloscypha hepaticola, showed a stronger association with saplings from fast-growing spruces. Moreover, saplings from slow-growing spruces had a greater number of Ascomycete taxa and free-living saprotrophic fungi. Aboveground sapling stems displayed some phenotypic variation; saplings from fast-growing phenotypes had longer branches but fewer whorls in their stems compared to those from the slow-growing group. In conclusion, the observed root-associated fungi and phenotypic characteristics in young Norway spruces may play a role in their long-term growth rate. This suggests that the early interactions between spruces and fungi could potentially influence their growth trajectory.

Response of root production to different restoration measures in a degraded meadow

Abstract Belowground parameters, e.g. root production and dynamics, play a pivotal role in evaluating the restoration degree of degraded grasslands. However, it remains unclear how roots respond to the combined restoration measures. To investigate root responses to different restoration treatments, a field experiment was conducted in a degraded Songnen meadow from 2013 to 2014. The treatments included: free grazing (FG), no ploughing (NP), only ploughing (OP), ploughing and fertilizer (PF), ploughing and mulching (PM), ploughing with fertilizer and mulching (PFM). Our results showed the seasonal dynamics pattern of roots was a unimodal pattern, which mainly was influenced by precipitation rather than restoration measures. The impacts of different restoration measures on root production were dependent on precipitation. In 2013, compared with FG, only PFM significantly increased root production by 242.34% (0–10 cm) and 90.8% (10–20 cm), which was mainly attributed to the increase of aboveground net primary production, soil moisture and root numbers. However, restoration measures had minor effects on root production in 2014. Root turnover ranged from 0.47 to 0.78 yr−1 and was not significantly changed by different restored measures. This is because the dominant annual species, Chloris virgata, exhibited relatively small changes in root turnover across different plots. Moreover, PFM improved soil conditions, leading to increased root lifespan and survival rate. Our results suggest that the combined measures are an effective way to accelerate belowground restoration in the degraded Songnen meadow.

Improving grape fruit quality through soil conditioner: Insights from RNA-seq analysis of Cabernet Sauvignon roots.

The application of fertilizers and soil quality are crucial for grape fruit quality. However, the molecular data linking different fertilizer (or soil conditioner [SC]) treatments with grape fruit quality is still lacking. In this study, we investigated three soil treatments, namely inorganic fertilizer (NPK, 343.5 kg/hm2 urea [N ≥ 46%]; 166.5 kg/hm2 P2O5 [P2O5 ≥ 64%]; 318 kg/hm2 K2O [K2O ≥ 50%]), organic fertilizer (Org, 9 t/hm2 [organic matter content ≥ 35%, N + P2O5 + K2O ≥ 13%]), and SC (SC, 3 t/hm2 [humic acid ≥ 38.5%; C, 56.1%; H, 3.7%; N, 1.5%; O, 38%; S, 0.6%]), on 4-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines. Compared with the NPK- and Org-treated groups, the SC significantly improved the levels of soluble solids, tannins, anthocyanins, and total phenols in the grape berries, which are important biochemical indicators that affect wine quality. Furthermore, we conducted RNA-seq analysis on the grapevine roots from each of the three treatments and used weighted gene co-expression network analysis to identify five hub genes that were associated with the biochemical indicators of the grape berries. Furthermore, we validated the expression levels of three hub genes (ERF, JP, and SF3B) and five selected genes related to anthocyanin biosynthesis (UFGT1, UFGT2, UFGT3, GST, and AT) by using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Compared to the NPK and Org treatment groups, the SC treatment resulted in a significant increase in the transcription levels of three hub genes as well as VvUFGT1, VvUFGT3, VvGST, and VvAT. These results suggest that the SC can improve grape fruit quality by altering gene transcription patterns in grapevine roots and further influence the biochemical indices of grape fruits, particularly anthocyanin content. This study reveals that the application of SC can serve as an important measure for enhancing vineyard SC and elevating grape quality.

Deep N acquisition in cultivated grasslands: Uptake of slow-release 15N-labeled ammonium in hemiboreal monospecific leys

AimsTo develop a methodology to study uptake and redistribution by plants of NH4+ from deep soil, applying it to investigate deep root N uptake by cultivated grassland species.MethodsA slow-release 15NH4+ label adsorbed to clinoptilolite was placed into soil (depth 42 cm) well below the densest root zone in well-established monospecific stands of five grass and two clover species. Species showing a variety of deep rooting patterns, N acquisition strategy, forage qualities, and persistence in hemiboreal conditions were chosen. The label was placed in early spring and tracked throughout one or two growing seasons in two repeated experiments.ResultsAfter two growing seasons ~ 90% of the label was tracked in the soil and harvested herbage of grasses, less in clovers. Deep N uptake was limited in spring, increased during mid-season, and was strongest in autumn in all species, despite lower herbage yield in autumn. Species differed in ability to recover and maintain 15N in the soil–plant system. In one growing season, Lolium perenne L., Phleum pratense L., Schedonorus pratensis (Huds.) P.Beauv. and Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort herbage recovered ~ 65% of the label, Poa pratensis L. 54%, and Trifolium pratense L. and Trifolium repens L. 36–48%. Label transport to topsoil was observed, mainly attributable to plant nutrient redistribution rather than physical diffusion.ConclusionsThe innovative slow-release 15N label enabled tracing species differences and seasonal changes in uptake of NH4+ from deep soil. Among the tall-growing grasses, growth vigor appeared as important for deep N uptake as expected root depth.

Do DEEPER ROOTING 1 Homologs Regulate the Lateral Root Slope Angle in Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)?

The architecture of the root system is fundamental to plant productivity. The rate of root growth, the density of lateral roots, and the spatial structure of lateral and adventitious roots determine the developmental plasticity of the root system in response to changes in environmental conditions. One of the genes involved in the regulation of the slope angle of lateral roots is DEEPER ROOTING 1 (DRO1). Its orthologs and paralogs have been identified in rice, Arabidopsis, and several other species. However, nothing is known about the formation of the slope angle of lateral roots in species with the initiation of lateral root primordia within the parental root meristem. To address this knowledge gap, we identified orthologs and paralogs of the DRO1 gene in cucumber (Cucumis sativus) using a phylogenetic analysis of IGT protein family members. Differences in the transcriptional response of CsDRO1, CsDRO1-LIKE1 (CsDRO1L1), and CsDRO1-LIKE2 (CsDRO1L2) to exogenous auxin were analyzed. The results showed that only CsDRO1L1 is auxin-responsive. An analysis of promoter-reporter fusions demonstrated that the CsDRO1, CsDRO1L1, and CsDRO1L2 genes were expressed in the meristem in cell files of the central cylinder, endodermis, and cortex; the three genes displayed different expression patterns in cucumber roots with only partial overlap. A knockout of individual CsDRO1, CsDRO1L1, and CsDRO1L2 genes was performed via CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. Our study suggests that the knockout of individual genes does not affect the slope angle formation during lateral root primordia development in the cucumber parental root.

SHR and SCR coordinate root patterning and growth early in the cell cycle

Precise control of cell division is essential for proper patterning and growth during the development of multicellular organisms. Coordination of formative divisions that generate new tissue patterns with proliferative divisions that promote growth is poorly understood. SHORTROOT (SHR) and SCARECROW (SCR) are transcription factors that are required for formative divisions in the stem cell niche of Arabidopsis roots1,2. Here we show that levels of SHR and SCR early in the cell cycle determine the orientation of the division plane, resulting in either formative or proliferative cell division. We used 4D quantitative, long-term and frequent (every 15 min for up to 48 h) light sheet and confocal microscopy to probe the dynamics of SHR and SCR in tandem within single cells of living roots. Directly controlling their dynamics with an SHR induction system enabled us to challenge an existing bistable model3 of the SHR–SCR gene-regulatory network and to identify key features that are essential for rescue of formative divisions in shr mutants. SHR and SCR kinetics do not align with the expected behaviour of a bistable system, and only low transient levels, present early in the cell cycle, are required for formative divisions. These results reveal an uncharacterized mechanism by which developmental regulators directly coordinate patterning and growth.