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Plant Root Interactions

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Biocommunication of Plants

Part of the book series: Signaling and Communication in Plants ((SIGCOMM,volume 14))

Abstract

The modular structure of plant root systems enables a high degree of flexibility (or plasticity) in responding to prevailing conditions in the soil, including resource distribution. However, more recently, it has been suggested that root-root interactions are more sophisticated than simply being driven by resource availability alone. Some evidence suggests that plant roots may be able to recognise their own roots from those of other plants even when the other plant is a genetically identical individual, while other studies suggest plants may be able to identify related individuals (kin) from non-related individuals and modify their competitive interactions as a result. The results of these studies together with their limitations will be reviewed here.

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Acknowledgement

I thank Alastair Fitter for his insightful comments on an earlier draft of this text.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK

    Angela Hodge

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  1. Angela Hodge
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Correspondence to Angela Hodge .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Telos - Philosophische Praxis, Vogelsangstr. 18c, Bürmoos, 5111, Austria

    Günther Witzany

  2. Inst. Zelluläre und Molekulare, Botanik (IZMB), Universität Bonn, Kirschallee 1, Bonn, 53115, Germany

    František Baluška

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Hodge, A. (2012). Plant Root Interactions. In: Witzany, G., Baluška, F. (eds) Biocommunication of Plants. Signaling and Communication in Plants, vol 14. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-23524-5_9

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