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Advances in experimental methods for root system architecture and root development

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Abstract

Plant roots play important roles in acquisition of water and nutrients, storage, anchoring, transport, and symbiosis with soil microorganisms, thus quantitative researches on root developmental processes are essential to understand root functions and root turnover in ecosystems, and at the same time such researches are the most difficult because roots are hidden underground. Therefore, how to investigate efficiently root functions and root dynamics is the core aspect in underground ecology. In this article, we reviewed some experimental methods used in root researches on root development and root system architecture, and summarized the advantages and shortages of these methods. Based on the analyses, we proposed three new ways to more understand root processes: (1) new experimental materials for root development; (2) a new observatory system comprised of multiple components, including many observatory windows installed in field, analysis software, and automatic data transport devices; (3) new techniques used to analyze quantitatively functional roots.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Soo-Un Kim in Seoul National University for reviewing the manuscript. This work is supported by the project of public benefits in China (No. 201503221) and the open fund in the Institute of Root Biology, Yangtze University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Jun-bang Wang

  2. College of Horticulture and Gardening, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 434025, Hubei, China

    Xiu-juan Zhang & Chu Wu

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  1. Jun-bang Wang
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  2. Xiu-juan Zhang
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  3. Chu Wu
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Correspondence to Chu Wu.

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Project funding: This work is supported by the project of public benefits in China (No. 201503221) and the open fund in the Institute of Root Biology, Yangtze University.

The online version is available at http://www.springerlink.com

Corresponding editor: Chai Ruihai

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Wang, Jb., Zhang, Xj. & Wu, C. Advances in experimental methods for root system architecture and root development. J. For. Res. 26, 23–32 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-015-0017-0

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