Project description:In this series of experiments, we wanted to study the transcriptional responses of plants to different levels of water limitation. For mild drought stress, we controlled water potential (a scientific concept for dryness of soil) by using an automated watering system. This system adds water to soil based on the pF values reported by a pF sensor in soil. pF is a classical and widely used index of water potential that was first defined by Schofield (1935). For severe stress conditions, we withheld watering or even dried plants on a lab bench. Here, the transcriptional profiles were compared between well-watered and Sds-treated rice seedling shoot basal region.<br>Sds (Severe dehydration stress in soil containers): We designated Sds as a term that means a severe drought stress causing dehydration of plants in our experiments (The plants were dehydrated at the sampling point). The drought stress was achieved by withholding water from plants grown in soil containers.
Project description:In this series of experiments, we wanted to study the transcriptional responses of plants to different levels of water limitation. For mild drought stress, we controlled water potential (a scientific concept for dryness of soil) by using an automated watering system. This system adds water to soil based on the pF values reported by a pF sensor in soil. pF is a classical and widely used index of water potential that was first defined by Schofield (1935). For severe stress conditions, we withheld watering or even dried plants on a lab bench. Here, the transcriptional profiles were compared between well-watered and Sds-treated rice seedling shoots.<br>Sds (Severe dehydration stress in soil containers): We designated Sds as a term that means a severe drought stress causing dehydration of plants in our experiments (The plants were dehydrated at the sampling point). The drought stress was achieved by withholding water from plants grown in soil containers.
Project description:As an adaptive response to the environment, oaks have evolved long taproots that increase their ability to acquire water. Taproots penetrate deeper layers of soil and send out absorptive roots that can then uptake water from these layers. This ability enables taproots to supply trees with water better. Unfortunately, the applied agrotechnical procedures during seedlings production in container nurseries damage the oaks' taproot, leading to changes in the root system structure. That changes may make the seedlings more responsive to chronic or periodic episodes of severe drought. In turn, seedlings that containers do not restrict roots growth, i.e. grown in rhizotron, may elongate because they are not subjected to air-pruning. Despite their significant role, little is known about the internal factors (specific genes) and their interactions that regulate taproot elongation in oaks seedlings. Thus, our study aimed to determine the potential genes regulating growth, cessation and physiology of taproot and check whether there is a difference in the expression level of the genes involved in root development. For this purpose, we performed next-generation sequencing (NGS), taproots and lateral roots, which allowed us to obtain a complete picture of the transcriptomes. Our findings of taproot growth regulations can be used to improve trees production in forest nurseries.