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A novel assay for genetic and environmental changes in the architecture of intact root systems of plants grown in vitro

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Abstract

A novel and versatile in vitro assay system is presented which has considerable scope for accurate description of environmentally and/or genetically induced changes in the architecture of intact plant root systems. Use of the assay system is exemplified by the analysis of potato plants with visibly distinct root systems. These were obtained by growth of normal and transgenic potato plants, transformed with Agrobacterium Tcyt and rol genes on standard culture medium and on media supplemented with NAA and zeatin. Consequences for parameters such as root weight, root length, percentage secondary roots and root density distribution with depth were quantified. The logarithmic regression: log10(ϱ)=A+Bd, in which ϱ is the root density (root weight per media volume) at depth d, proved useful in quantifying the decline of root density with depth by the single slope parameter B. From the calculated relations for the various root systems, and their root weights, profiles of their comparable root weight distributions were drawn. A number of features and drawbacks, and possible uses of the assay system are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, AFRC Institute of Arable Crops Research, Rothamsted Experimental Station, AL5 2JQ, Harpenden, Herts., UK

    Gert Ooms & Karen Moore

  2. Statistics Department, AFRC Institute of Arable Crops Research, Rothamsted Experimental Station, AL5 2JQ, Harpenden, Herts., UK

    Gert Ooms & Karen Moore

Authors
  1. Gert Ooms
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  2. Karen Moore
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Ooms, G., Moore, K. A novel assay for genetic and environmental changes in the architecture of intact root systems of plants grown in vitro. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 27, 129–139 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00041281

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00041281

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