Review: The responses of root system architecture to nutrients
The arrangement of a plant’s root system in the soil (root system architecture, RSA) changes in response to nutrients through different signaling pathways. It is assumed that RSA adapts to optimize the uptake of nutrients from the environment, but strong evidence is still lacking. This review by Shahzad and Amtmann discusses the signaling pathways that describe RSA responses to nutrients such as nitrate and phosphate, as well as responses to multiple nutrients. Current research into the crosstalk between different signaling pathways is also described. Understanding RSA could lead to crops better suited for sustainable production on marginal soils. (Summary by Julia Miller) Curr. Opin. Plant Biol. 10.1016/j.pbi.2017.06.008
