Recent Posts

Three-dimensional time-lapse analysis of maize root system archictecture (Plant Cell)

Root system architecture (RSA) profoundly affects plant nutritent uptake and response to drought, and is also famously extremely developmental plastic, which makes it difficult to identify genes that control root growth traits. Here, Jiang et al. analyzed 3D growth patterns over time of three maize lines…

GRANAR, a new computational tool to better understand the functional importance of root anatomy (bioRxiv)

Uptake of water by plants depends on root conductivity, which in turn is determined by hydraulic properties of individual cells and cell anatomy. Quantification of radial root anatomy is a time-consuming process, limiting our understanding of root anatomical features contributing to water uptake. Heymans…

β-cyclocitral is a conserved root growth regulator (bioRxiv)

Enhancing root growth can aid plant survival in challenging environments such as salty soils. Dickinson et al. built upon a previous study that identified D15, an inhibitor of lateral root development. They treated roots with D15 and also components of a small-molecule library to search for suppressors…