Root Growth Responses Research Articles

Response of Maize Root Growth to Residue Management Strategies

Core Ideas Efficient use of crop residues can improve circular economy in agro‐ecosystems.Amount of stover to the field explained the variation in root length density and root dry weight density in double cropping of winter wheat and summer maize.Returning stover increased the yield of summer maize.Root characteristics and the yield of summer maize improved by returning stover. A 5‐yr experiment was conducted to explore the effects of returning various amounts of stover to the field on root characteristics and yield in a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) double‐cropping system. The experiment was designed as a randomized block design with three replications for three treatments: based on all stalks of winter wheat returned to the field (i) all summer maize stalks were mechanically pulverized and returned to the field (SR); (ii) half of the summer maize stalks were mechanically pulverized and returned to the field (1/2 SR); and (iii) all summer maize stalks were fully removed (CK). Results indicated that, in the SR treatment, root fresh weight (RFW) and root dry weight (RDW) were 19.4 and 18.5% higher, respectively, compared with the CK treatment. Root length density (RLD), root surface area density (RSAD) were 13.7 and 29.4% higher in the SR treatment, compared with the CK treatment. The yield of summer maize was 15.1 and 17.1% higher in the SR and 1/2 SR treatments, respectively, compared with the CK treatment. Furthermore, RLD, RSAD, root dry weight density (RDWD), and root length in the 1/2 SR treatment were significantly higher than those in the SR treatment. These results indicated that moderate amounts of straw returned to the field had the greatest effect on root growth and development of maize. This work provides a theoretical basis for optimizing crop yield and the use of straw resources.

Identification of drought-inducible regulatory factors in Lablab purpureus by a comparative genomic approach

Physiological indices of two lines of hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet), MEIDOU 2012 and NANHUI 23, were compared during a progressive course of water-withholding treatments. MEIDOU 2012 was shown to be a superior drought-tolerant genotype. A suppressive subtractive hybridisation library was then constructed by using drought-stressed MEIDOU 2012 roots and sequenced to screen for transcripts with differential abundance variations. In total, 2792 unigenes were assembled from 4064 drought-induced expressed sequence tags. Comparative analysis with other legume genomic sequences, including soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), was performed, from which 338 unigenes associated with root growth and drought response were identified. Among these unigenes, 27 transcription factors were deduced by functional-domain prediction. The transcription levels of a GRAS and a WRKY transcription factor were confirmed to be responding sensitively to water stresses. Additionally, protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks were predicted for all drought-induced root-related unigenes with different stringency levels. A mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK4) and an EF-hand calcium-binding protein (CML24) module were pinpointed to be putative ‘master’ signalling hubs in these PPI networks. Detailed examination of these genomic resources would further reveal key regulators of Lablab drought tolerance.

Cortical Cell Length Analysis During Gravitropic Root Growth.

The typical parameter used to evaluate the root growth response to gravity is the degree of root bending in time. This employs the quantification of the root tip angle toward gravity and, hence, does not directly assess the actual differential growth process. Here, we describe the cortical cell length as a parameter to quantify cell elongation during the gravitropic response, using median longitudinal confocal sections. This analysis depicts that root organ bending is a consequence of differential cellular elongation on the upper versus lower side of the gravistimulated root. Moreover, we introduce here a simple mounting setup that is suitable to gravistimulate and subsequently image seedlings on upright microscopes.

The Interaction between Auxin and Nitric Oxide Regulates Root Growth in Response to Iron Deficiency in Rice

Fe deficiency (-Fe) is a common abiotic stress that affects the root development of plants. Auxin and nitric oxide (NO) are key regulator of root growth under -Fe. However, the interactions between auxin and NO regulate root growth in response to Fe deficiency are complex and unclear. In this study, the indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and NO levels in roots, and the responses of root growth in rice to different levels of Fe supply were investigated using wild type (WT), ospin1b and osnia2 mutants. -Fe promoted LR formation but inhibited seminal root elongation. IAA levels, [3H] IAA transport, and expression levels of PIN1a-c genes in roots were reduced under -Fe, suggesting that polar auxin transport from shoots to roots was decreased. Application of IAA to -Fe seedlings restored seminal root length, but not LR density, to levels similar to those under normal Fe (+Fe), and the seminal root length was shorter in two ospin1b mutants relative to WT under +Fe, but not under -Fe, confirming that auxin transport participates in -Fe-inhibited seminal root elongation. Moreover, -Fe-induced LR density and -Fe-inhibited seminal root elongation paralleled NO production in roots. Interestingly, similar NO accumulation and responses of LR density and root elongation were observed in osnia2 mutants compared to WT, and the higher expression of NOA gene under -Fe, suggesting that -Fe-induced NO was generated via the NO synthase-like pathway rather than the nitrate reductase pathway. However, IAA could restore the functions of NO in inhibiting seminal root elongation, but did not replace the role of NO-induced LR formation under -Fe. Overall, our findings suggested that NO functions downstream of auxin in regulating LR formation; NO-inhibited seminal root elongation by decreasing meristem activity in root tips under -Fe, with the involvement of auxin.

Root growth and spatial distribution characteristics for seedlings raised in substrate and transplanted cotton.

In this study, transplanting cotton seedlings grown in artificial substrate is considered due to recent increased interest in cotton planting labor saving approaches. The nursery methods used for growing cotton seedlings affect root growth. However, the underlying functional responses of root growth to variations in cotton seedling transplanting methods are poorly understood. We assessed the responses of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) roots to different planting methods by conducting cotton field experiments in 2012 and 2013. A one-factor random block design was used with three replications and three different cotton planting patterns (substrate seedling transplanted cotton (SSTC), soil-cube seedling transplanted cotton (ScSTC) and directly sown cotton (DSC). The distributions and variances of the root area density (RAD) and root length density (RLD) at different cotton growing stages and several yield components were determined. Overall, the following results were observed: 1) The RAD and RLD were greatest near the plants (a horizontal distance of 0 cm) but were lower at W20 and W40 cm in the absence of film mulching than at E20 and E40 cm with film mulching. 2) The roots were confined to shallow depths (20–40 cm), and the root depths of SSTC and DSC were greater than the root depths of ScSTC. 3) Strong root growth was observed in the SSTC at the cotton flowering and boll setting stages. In addition, early onset root growth occurred in the ScSTC, and vigorous root growth occurred throughout all cotton growth stages in DSC. 4) The SSTC plants had more lateral roots with higher root biomass (RB) than the ScSTC, which resulted in higher cotton yields. However, the early onset root growth in the ScSTC resulted in greater pre-frost seed cotton (PFSC) yields. These results can be used to infer how cotton roots are distributed in soils and capture nutrients.

Plant growth response and nitrate reductase activities of roots of Chromolaena odorata in a model spent lubricating oil-polluted soil

Plant growth response and nitrate reductase activities of roots of Chromolaena odorata in a model spent lubricating oil-polluted soil

Exploring Aluminum Tolerance at Seedling Stage in Rice (Oryza sativa, Linn) by Using Modified Magnavaca Nutrient Solution

<p>Aluminum (Al) toxicity is considered as one of the main constraints for crop production in acidic soil. This study was subjected to observe the response of root and shoot growth of eight rice varieties under Al stress in hydrophonic solution. A modified Magnavaca’s solution was used to compare the effect of Al stress using different variables which were relative root elongation (RRE), relative shoot length (RSL) and relative root weight (RRW). The experiment was conducted in split-plot experimental design. Eight rice varieties were screened in four Al levels (0 μM, 540 μM, 750 μM, and 1,300 μM). Root length, shoot length,<br />and root dry weight were measured after 7 days of treatment, then the RRE, RSL, and RRW were calculated. The results showed that Al significantly reduced RRE and RSL but increased RRW. RSL was reduced as the Al concentration increased while RRE reduction started only at 750 μM Al concentration. It was observed that RRW was significantly higher under 540 and 750 μM Al concentration. However, no significant difference was observed in 1,300 μM Al concentration. The increase in root weight is partly attributed by the thickening of the root wall, but this effect was diminished due to root hair inhibition under 1,300 μM Al concentration. Among these three variables observed, root and shoot lengths indicated better variables in determining Al tolerance in rice, compared to root weight. However, these variables were not sufficient to represent root and shoot growth inhibition, and not sufficient to be used solely for Al toxicity screening</p>

Self-plant perception via long-distance signaling

ABSTRACTPlant growth and development are influenced by the interactions with other organisms including bacteria, fungi, herbivores and neighboring plants. Plant density influences the phase transitions during the entire life cycle and root architecture through a mechanism involving auxin and MEDIATOR 25 in Arabidopsis thaliana, but the nature of the signals that are perceived in response to increasing number of neighbors remains elusive. Here, we report that plant-plant perception can occur distantly, since root growth and auxin response in Arabidopsis seedlings grown at high plant density into half-divided Petri plates, decreased both primary root growth and lateral root formation in comparison with single plants grown alone, which correlates with reduced auxin response at the primary root tip. It is possible that a diffusible, yet unidentified volatile can be perceived by neighbors to synchronize physiological and developmental behavior.

Characterization of the GRAS transcription factor SCARECROW-LIKE 28’s role in Arabidopsis root growth

The roles of multiple GRAS transcription factors (TFs), which play key roles in diverse processes of growth and development, have been characterized in detail. However, the regulatory functions of one third of the GRAS members remain unknown. Here, we characterized the role of SCARECROW-LIKE 28 (SCL28) in the Arabidopsis root; nuclear localization and transcriptional activity indicated that SCL28 likely acts as a TF in the root. SCL28 overexpression (SCL28-OX) promoted cell division and suppressed cell elongation in a zone-specific manner along the root axis. In the presence of the microtubule-destabilizing chemical propyzamide, SCL28-OX exhibited straight root growth, while scl28 roots showed left-handed helical growth similar to the wild type. Under salt and propyzamide treatments, scl28 roots grew straight, while SCL28-OX roots displayed exaggerated right-handed growth. Thus, SCL28 likely plays a role in the root growth response to stressinduced microtubule organization. Additionally, transcriptome analysis revealed that SCL28 regulated the transcription of diverse growth- and development-related genes in plants. In particular, SCL28 regulated the expression of various stressresponse genes. Taken together, our findings provide insight into the regulatory role of SCL28, which orchestrates the linked activity of cell division and elongation under various environmental conditions to achieve root growth plasticity.

Plant-Specific Histone Deacetylases HDT1/2 Regulate GIBBERELLIN 2-OXIDASE2 Expression to Control Arabidopsis Root Meristem Cell Number.

Root growth is modulated by environmental factors and depends on cell production in the root meristem (RM). New cells in the meristem are generated by stem cells and transit-amplifying cells, which together determine RM cell number. Transcription factors and chromatin-remodeling factors have been implicated in regulating the switch from stem cells to transit-amplifying cells. Here, we show that two Arabidopsis thaliana paralogs encoding plant-specific histone deacetylases, HDT1 and HDT2, regulate a second switch from transit-amplifying cells to expanding cells. Knockdown of HDT1/2 (hdt1,2i) results in an earlier switch and causes a reduced RM cell number. Our data show that HDT1/2 negatively regulate the acetylation level of the C19-GIBBERELLIN 2-OXIDASE2 (GA2ox2) locus and repress the expression of GA2ox2 in the RM and elongation zone. Overexpression of GA2ox2 in the RM phenocopies the hdt1,2i phenotype. Conversely, knockout of GA2ox2 partially rescues the root growth defect of hdt1,2i These results suggest that by repressing the expression of GA2ox2, HDT1/2 likely fine-tune gibberellin metabolism and they are crucial for regulating the switch from cell division to expansion to determine RM cell number. We propose that HDT1/2 function as part of a mechanism that modulates root growth in response to environmental factors.

The Biphasic Root Growth Response to Abscisic Acid in Arabidopsis Involves Interaction with Ethylene and Auxin Signalling Pathways.

Exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) is known to either stimulate or inhibit root growth, depending on its concentration. In this study, the roles of ethylene and auxin in this biphasic effect of ABA on root elongation were investigated using chemical inhibitors and mutants. Inhibitors of ethylene perception and biosynthesis and an auxin influx inhibitor were all found to block the inhibitory effect of high ABA concentrations, but not the stimulatory effect of low ABA concentrations. In addition, three ethylene-insensitive mutants (etr1-1, ein2-1, and ein3-1), two auxin influx mutants (aux1-7, aux1-T) and an auxin-insensitive mutant (iaa7/axr2-1) were all insensitive to the inhibitory effect of high ABA concentrations. In the case of the stimulatory effect of low ABA concentrations, it was blocked by two different auxin efflux inhibitors and was less pronounced in an auxin efflux mutant (pin2/eir1-1) and in the iaa7/axr2-1 auxin-insensitive mutant. Thus it appears that the stimulatory effect seen at low ABA concentrations is via an ethylene-independent pathway requiring auxin signalling and auxin efflux through PIN2/EIR1, while the inhibitory effect at high ABA concentrations is via an ethylene-dependent pathway requiring auxin signalling and auxin influx through AUX1.

The MEDIATOR genes MED12 and MED13 control Arabidopsis root system configuration influencing sugar and auxin responses.

Arabidopsis med12 and med13 mutants exhibit shoot and root phenotypes related to an altered auxin homeostasis. Sucrose supplementation reactivates both cell division and elongation in primary roots as well as auxin-responsive and stem cell niche gene expression in these mutants. An analysis of primary root growth of WT, med12, aux1-7 and med12 aux1 single and double mutants in response to sucrose and/or N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) placed MED12 upstream of auxin transport for the sugar modulation of root growth. The MEDIATOR (MED) complex plays diverse functions in plant development, hormone signaling and biotic and abiotic stress tolerance through coordination of transcription. Here, we performed genetic, developmental, molecular and pharmacological analyses to characterize the role of MED12 and MED13 on the configuration of root architecture and its relationship with auxin and sugar responses. Arabidopsis med12 and med13 single mutants exhibit shoot and root phenotypes consistent with altered auxin homeostasis including altered primary root growth, lateral root development, and root hair elongation. MED12 and MED13 were required for activation of cell division and elongation in primary roots, as well as auxin-responsive and stem cell niche gene expression. Remarkably, most of these mutant phenotypes were rescued by supplying sucrose to the growth medium. The growth response of primary roots of WT, med12, aux1-7 and med12 aux1 single and double mutants to sucrose and application of auxin transport inhibitor N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) revealed the correlation of med12 phenotype with the activity of the auxin intake permease and suggests that MED12 acts upstream of AUX1 in the root growth response to sugar. These data provide compelling evidence that MEDIATOR links sugar sensing to auxin transport and distribution during root morphogenesis.

Responses of soil properties, crop yield and root growth to improved irrigation and N fertilization, soil tillage and compost addition in a pepper crop

Two improved management packages of tillage, irrigation, and nitrogen (N) management were compared with conventional management (CM), in a sweet pepper crop, in a plastic greenhouse in southeastern Spain. Crops were grown in a layered “enarenado” soil. The two improved packages included prescriptive and corrective irrigation management using, respectively, the PrHo program and tensiometers, and prescriptive N management using the VegSyst-DSS program. In both improved packages, soil was tilled to 10cm prior to transplanting after temporarily removing the sand mulch layer. In one of the improved packages, the “reduced input and tillage plus compost” (RIT+C), compost was incorporated during tillage. In the other improved package, the “reduced input and tillage” (RIT), no compost was added; otherwise, management was identical in both improved packages. Total volumes of applied irrigation and of drainage, and the total amounts of applied N were reduced in RIT and RIT+C compared to CM. However, the RIT and RIT+C packages were associated with slightly less fruit production than CM. This was attributed to higher root zone salinity and an apparent slight N deficiency. Biomass, fruit production and root growth were lowest in RIT+C, which were attributed to salts added in the compost. Relative to the untilled CM soil, soil tillage in the RIT package reduced soil bulk density and favoured deeper root growth. Compared to RIT, compost addition in RIT+C was associated with less root growth presumably because of higher salinity. To optimize N management, the use of N monitoring during the crop (i.e. corrective management of N) is required when prescriptive N management is being used. Long term practices of tillage and organic matter addition may be required to appreciably improve soil quality in this agricultural system. Care may have to be taken to ensure that excessive quantities of salts are not added when applying compost.

A Soil-Plate Based Pipeline for Assessing Cereal Root Growth in Response to Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)-Induced Water Deficit Stress.

Drought is a serious problem that causes losses in crop-yield every year, but the mechanisms underlying how roots respond to water deficit are difficult to study under controlled conditions. Methods for assaying root elongation and architecture, especially for seedlings, are commonly achieved on artificial media, such as agar, moistened filter paper, or in hydroponic systems. However, it has been demonstrated that measuring root characteristics under such conditions does not accurately mimic what is observed when plants are grown in soil. Morphological changes in root behavior occur because of differences in solute diffusion, mechanical impedance, exposure to light (in some designs), and gas exchange of roots grown under these conditions. To address such deficiencies, we developed a quantitative method for assaying seedling root lengths and germination in soil using a plate-based approach with wheat as a model crop. We also further developed the method to include defined water deficits stress levels using the osmotic properties of polyethylene glycol (PEG). Seeds were sown into soil-filled vertical plates and grown in the dark. Root length measurements were collected using digital photography through the transparent lid under green lighting to avoid effects of white light exposure on growth. Photographs were analyzed using the cross-platform ImageJ plugin, SmartRoot, which can detect root edges and partially automate root detection for extraction of lengths. This allowed for quick measurements and straightforward and accurate assessments of non-linear roots. Other measurements, such as root width or angle, can also be collected by this method. An R function was developed to collect exported root length data, process and reformat the data, and output plots depicting root/shoot growth dynamics. For water deficit experiments, seedlings were transplanted side-by-side into well-watered plates and plates containing PEG solutions to simulate precise water deficits.

Adaptation of root growth to increased ambient temperature requires auxin and ethylene coordination in Arabidopsis.

A fresh look at the roles of auxin, ethylene, and polar auxin transport during the plant root growth response to warmer ambient temperature (AT). The ambient temperature (AT) affects plant growth and development. Plants can sense changes in the AT, but how this change is transduced into a plant root growth response is still relatively unclear. Here, we found that the Arabidopsis ckrc1-1 mutant is sensitive to higher AT. At 27°C, the ckrc1-1 root length is significantly shortened and the root gravity defect is enhanced, changes that can be restored with addition of 1-naphthaleneacetic acid, but not indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). AUX1, PIN1, and PIN2 are involved in the ckrc1-1 root gravity response under increased AT. Furthermore, CKRC1-dependent auxin biosynthesis was critical for maintaining PIN1, PIN2, and AUX1 expression at elevated temperatures. Ethylene was also involved in this regulation through the ETR1 pathway. Higher AT can promote CKRC1-dependent auxin biosynthesis by enhancing ETR1-mediated ethylene signaling. Our research suggested that the interaction between auxin and ethylene and that the interaction-mediated polar auxin transport play important roles during the plant root growth response to higher AT.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Enhance Plant Diversity, Density and Productivity of Spring Ephemeral Community in Desert Ecosystem

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi form intimate associations with the roots of about 85% of all terrestrial plants, and can greatly increase a plant’s uptake of soil nutrients and have been shown to influence plant diversity in several ecosystems. A lot of studies have reported the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizas on plant density, species diversity, richness and productivity in desert herbland in Gurbantonggut desert, China. Here, we conduct a mycorrhizal functional study by suppressing AM fungi by applying the fungicide benomyl as a soil drench in soil cores and field in-situ experiment. The mycorrhiza-responsiveness of the dominant species Erodium oxyrrhynchum is assessed in intact soil cores containing the indigenous AM fungi. The soil-cores experiment displayed E. oxyrrhynchum to have a significant positive shoot and root growth response, and this is in response to the abundance of the indigenous AM fungal colonisation. The field experiment indicates the total aboveground dry biomass is negatively influenced by the suppression of AM fungi, though, no significant effect produced in the dominant and common plant species. The fungal suppression also affected density, species diversity and richness. The density of non-mycorrhizal plant Alyssum linifolium increases significantly in the treatment of suppressed AM fungi. The spore density decreases significantly in benomyl-treated plots. Our results showed that AM fungi were very important in desert ecosystem for the maintaining of plant biodiversity, richness and productivity.

Root Anatomy and Growth of Capsicum frutescens L. on Verticulture with Different Watering Supply

The rapid increase in human population reduces land productivity in urban areas. Verticulture is a way of planting in a vertical arrangement, such as for Capsicum frutescens L. This study aimed to examine the root anatomy and growth responses of C. frutescens L. Fourteen days old seedlings were grown in polybags on the ground and into vertical pots made of paralon pipe. Watering was given for every day, once in 3 days, and once in 6 days were apllied for 35 days, at elevation of 0 cm, 25 cm, 50 cm and 75 cm. The lower watering supply decreased the root diameter due to the thinner of cortical, xylem and stele tissues. Decreased in plant height, leaf number, length-width of leaves, and fresh and dry weight of root-shoots were also observed in low watering plants, but there were increases in roots length and leaves chlorophyll content. The xylem was less developed in plants at higher position compared to the lower positon and this was more detected in plants with less watering. Decreasing plant growth occurs in conditions of water shortage and the higher plant layout on paralon, while root vascullar tissue was less developed in less watering and higher position plants. Keywords: anatomy, biomass, roots, verticulture, watering

Overexpression of the Arginine Decarboxylase Gene Improves Tolerance to Salt Stress in Lotus tenuis Plants

To analyse the putative effects of putrescine on the plant response to salinity, micropropagated Lotus tenuis plants from wild-type and transgenic lines harbouring the pRD29A::oat arginine decarboxylase (ADC, EC 4.1.1.19) construct were subjected to a gradual increase in salinity that was applied gradually by means of sodium chloride irrigation (from 0 to 0.3 mol L−1) every 5 days up to the maximum concentration. At the end of the experiment, the transgenic lines were healthier than the wild-type plants and displayed a smaller reduction in shoot biomass and a slight increase in root growth in response to stress. The overexpression of ADC increased osmotic adjustment (5.8-fold) via the release of proline. The salinity treatment doubled the potassium uptake by roots from transgenic ADC stressed plants with a concomitant decrease in the accumulation of sodium, balancing the Na+/K+ ratio. Analysis of gene expression, enzymatic activities and hormone metabolism suggests a crosstalk between polyamines and abscisic acid in response to salinity via modulation of the abscisic acid biosynthesis-related enzyme 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (EC 1.13.11.51) at the transcriptional level.

Malate-dependent Fe accumulation is a critical checkpoint in the root developmental response to low phosphate

Low phosphate (Pi) availability constrains plant development and seed production in both natural and agricultural ecosystems. When Pi is scarce, modifications of root system architecture (RSA) enhance the soil exploration ability of the plant and lead to an increase in Pi uptake. In Arabidopsis, an iron-dependent mechanism reprograms primary root growth in response to low Pi availability. This program is activated upon contact of the root tip with low-Pi media and induces premature cell differentiation and the arrest of mitotic activity in the root apical meristem, resulting in a short-root phenotype. However, the mechanisms that regulate the primary root response to Pi-limiting conditions remain largely unknown. Here we report on the isolation and characterization of two low-Pi insensitive mutants (lpi5 and lpi6), which have a long-root phenotype when grown in low-Pi media. Cellular, genomic, and transcriptomic analysis of low-Pi insensitive mutants revealed that the genes previously shown to underlie Arabidopsis Al tolerance via root malate exudation, known as SENSITIVE TO PROTON RHIZOTOXICITY (STOP1) and ALUMINUM ACTIVATED MALATE TRANSPORTER 1 (ALMT1), represent a critical checkpoint in the root developmental response to Pi starvation in Arabidopsis thaliana Our results also show that exogenous malate can rescue the long-root phenotype of lpi5 and lpi6 Malate exudation is required for the accumulation of Fe in the apoplast of meristematic cells, triggering the differentiation of meristematic cells in response to Pi deprivation.

Root hydrotropism and thigmotropism in Arabidopsis thaliana are differentially controlled by redox status

ABSTRACTFactors that affect the direction of root growth in response to environmental signals influence crop productivity. We analyzed the root tropic responses of thioredoxin (trxs), thigmotropic (wav2-1), and hydrotropic (ahr1 and nhr1) Arabidopsis thaliana mutants treated with low concentrations of paraquat (PQ), which induces mild oxidative stress, and established a new method for evaluating root waviness (root bending effort, RBE). This method estimates root bending by measuring and summing local curvature over the whole length of the root, regardless of the asymmetry of the wavy pattern under thigmostimulation. In roots of the wav2-1 mutant, but not in those of the trxs and ahr1 mutants, RBE was significantly inhibited under mild oxidative stress. Thigmotropic stimulation of wav2-1 mutant roots, with or without PQ treatment, showed high levels of reactive oxygen species fluorescence, in contrast to roots of the ahr1 mutant. Furthermore, PQ inhibited root growth in all genotypes tested, except in the wav2-1 mutant. In a hydrotropism assay of the trxs and wav2-1 mutants, root growth behavior was similar to the wild type with and without PQ, while the root growth of ahr1 and nhr1 mutants was diminished with PQ. These results indicate that hydrotropic and thigmotropic mutants respond differently to exogenous PQ, depending on the tropic stimulus perceived. Therefore, the mechanisms underlying hydrotropism and thigmotropism may differ.