Selection for early shoot vigour in wheat increases root hair length but reduces epidermal cell size of roots and leaves.

ABSTRACT: Six cycles of recurrent selection for early shoot vigour in wheat resulted in significant increases in leaf width and shoot biomass. Here, in replicated controlled-environment studies, the effect of early shoot vigour on root biomass, rhizosheath size, root hair length, and cell size in the roots and leaves was examined across different cycles of selection. Increased shoot vigour was associated with greater root biomass, larger rhizosheath size, and longer root hairs. Our findings demonstrate that rhizosheath size was a reliable surrogate for root hair length in this germplasm. Examination of the root epidermis revealed that the 'cell body' of the trichoblasts (hair-forming cells) and the atrichoblasts (non-hair-forming cells) decreased in size as shoot vigour increased. Therefore, in high

SUBMITTER: Hendriks PW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9015806 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature