A mechanical theory of competition between plant root growth and soil pressure reveals a potential mechanism of root penetration.

ABSTRACT: Root penetration into the soil is essential for plants to access water and nutrients, as well as to mechanically support aboveground structures. This requires a combination of healthy plant growth, adequate soil mechanical properties, and compatible plant-soil interactions. Despite the current knowledge of the static rheology driving the interactions at the root-soil interface, few theoretical approaches have attempted to describe root penetration with dynamic rheology. In this work, we experimentally showed that radish roots in contact with soil of specific density during a specific growth stage fail to penetrate the soil. To explore the mechanism of root penetration into the soil, we constructed a theoretical model to explore the relevant conditions amenable to root entry into the soil.

SUBMITTER: Tomobe H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10170176 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature