Variation Characteristics of Root Traits of Different Alfalfa Cultivars under Saline-Alkaline Stress and their Relationship with Soil Environmental Factors

Soil salinization is the main factor that threatens the growth and development of plants and limits the increase of yield.It is of great significance to study the key soil environmental factors affecting plant root traits to reveal the adaptation strategies of plants to saline-alkaline-stressed soil environments.In this study,the root biomass,root morphological parameters and root mineral nutrient content of two alfalfa cultivars with different sensitivities to alkaline stress were analyzed with black soil as the control group and the mixed saline-alkaline soil with a ratio of 7:3 between black soil and saline-alkaline soil as the saline-alkaline treatment group.At the same time,the correlation analysis of soil salinity indexes,soil nutrient indexes and the activities of key enzymes involved in soil carbon,nitrogen and phosphorus cycles was carried out.The results showed that compared with the control group,the pH,EC,and urease(URE)of the soil surrounding the roots of two alfalfa cultivars were significantly increased,while soil total nitrogen(TN),total phosphorus(TP),organic carbon(SOC),andα-glucosidase activity(AGC)were significantly decreased under saline-alkaline stress.There was no significant difference in root biomass and root morphological parameters of saline-alkaline tolerant cultivar GN under saline-alkaline stress.The number of root tips(RT),root surface area(RS)and root volume(RV)of AG were reduced by 61.16%,44.54%,and 45.31%,respectively,compared with control group.The ratios of K^(+)/Na^(+),Ca^(2+)/Na^(+)and Mg^(2+)/Na^(+)of GN were significantly higher than those of AG(p<0.05).The root fresh weight(RFW)and dry weight(RDW),root length(RL),RV and RT of alfalfa were positively regulated by soil SOC and TN,but negatively regulated by soil pH,EC,and URE(p<0.01).Root Ca^(2+)/Na+ratio was significantly positively correlated with soil TN,TP and SOC(p<0.01).The absorption of Mg and Ca ions in roots is significantly negatively regulated by soilβ-glucosidase activity(BGC)and acid phosphatase activity(APC)(p<0.05).This study improved knowledge of the relationship between root traits and soil environmental factors and offered a theoretical framework for elucidating how plant roots adapt to saline-alkaline stressed soil environments.

QTL mapping of seedling biomass and root traits under different nitrogen conditions in bread wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)

Plant nitrogen assimilation and use efficiency in the seedling's root system are beneficial for adult plants in field condition for yield enhancement.Identification of the genetic basis between root traits and N uptake plays a crucial role in wheat breeding.In the present study,198 doubled haploid lines from the cross of Yangmai 16/Zhongmai 895 were used to identify quantitative trait loci(QTLs)underpinning four seedling biomass traits and five root system architecture(RSA)related traits.The plants were grown under hydroponic conditions with control,low and high N treatments(Ca(NO_(3))_(2)·4H_(2)O at 0,0.05 and 2.0 mmol L^(-1),respectively).Significant variations among the treatments and genotypes,and positive correlations between seedling biomass and RSA traits(r=0.20 to 0.98)were observed.Inclusive composite interval mapping based on a high-density map from the Wheat 660 K single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNP)array identified 51 QTLs from the three N treatments.Twelve new QTLs detected on chromosomes 1 AL(1)in the control,1 DS(2)in high N treatment,4 BL(5)in low and high N treatments,and 7 DS(3)and 7 DL(1)in low N treatments,are first reported in influencing the root and biomass related traits for N uptake.The most stable QTLs(RRS.caas-4 DS)on chromosome 4 DS,which were related to ratio of root to shoot dry weight trait,was in close proximity of the Rht-D1 gene,and it showed high phenotypic effects,explaining 13.1%of the phenotypic variance.Twenty-eight QTLs were clustered in 12 genetic regions.SNP markers tightly linked to two important QTLs clusters C10 and C11 on chromosomes 6 BL and 7 BL were converted to kompetitive allele-specific PCR(KASP)assays that underpin important traits in root development,including root dry weight,root surface area and shoot dry weight.These QTLs,clusters and KASP assays can greatly improve the efficiency of selection for root traits in wheat breeding programmes.

Response of root traits of Reaumuria soongorica and Salsola passerina to facilitation

C3 plant Reaumuria soongorica and C4 plant Salsola passerina are super xerophytes and coexist in a mixed community in either isolated or associated growth, and interspecific facilitation occurs in associated growth. In the present study, the root traits including root distribution, root length（RL）, root surface area（RSA）, root weight（RW） and specific root length（SRL） of both species in two growth forms were investigated to clarify their response to facilitation in associated growth. Six isolated plants of each species, as well as six associated plants similar in size and development were selected during the plant growing season, and their roots were excavated at 0–10, 10–20, 20–30, 30–40 and 40–50 cm soil depths at the end of the growing season. All the roots of each plant were separated into the two categories of fine roots（2 mm diameter） and coarse roots（≥2 mm diameter）. Root traits such as RL and RSA in the fine and coarse roots were obtained by the root analyzing system WinRHIZO. Most of the coarse roots in R. soongorica and S. passerina were distributed in the top 10 cm of the soil in both growth forms, whereas the fine roots of the two plant species were found mainly in the 10–20 and 20–30 cm soil depths in isolated growth, respectively. However, the fine roots of both species were mostly overlapped in 10–20 cm soil depth in associated growth. The root/canopy ratios of both species reduced, whereas the ratios of their fine roots to coarse roots in RL increased, and both species had an increased SRL in the fine roots in associated growth. In addition, there was the increase in RL of fine roots and content of root N for S. passerina in associated growth. Taken together, the root growth of S. passerina was facilitated for water and nutrient exploration under the interaction of the overlapped roots in both species in associated growth, and higher SRL allowed both species to more effectively adapt to the infertile soil in the desert ecosystem.

Quantitative trait loci analysis for root traits in synthetic hexaploid wheat under drought stress conditions

Synthetic hexaploid wheat(SHW),possesses numerous genes for drought that can help breeding for drought-tolerant wheat varieties.We evaluated 10 root traits at seedling stage in 111 F9 recombinant inbred lines derived from a F2 population of a SHW line(SHW-L1)and a common wheat line,under normal(NC)and polyethylene glycol-simulated drought stress conditions(DC).We mapped quantitative trait loci(QTLs)for root traits using an enriched high-density genetic map containing 120370 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs),733 diversity arrays technology markers(DArT)and 119 simple sequence repeats(SSRs).With four replicates per treatment,we identified 19 QTLs for root traits under NC and DC,and 12 of them could be consistently detected with three or four replicates.Two novel QTLs for root fresh weight and root diameter under NC explained 9 and 15.7%of the phenotypic variation respectively,and six novel QTLs for root fresh weight,the ratio of root water loss,total root surface area,number of root tips,and number of root forks under DC explained 8.5–14%of the phenotypic variation.Here seven of eight novel QTLs could be consistently detected with more than three replicates.Results provide essential information for fine-mapping QTLs related to drought tolerance that will facilitate breeding drought-tolerant wheat cultivars.

Evaluation of root traits and water use efficiency of different cotton genotypes in the presence or absence of a soil-hardpan

Cotton(Gossypium spp.) is an important fiber and oil crop grown worldwide. Water and nutrient stresses are major issues affecting cotton production globally. Root traits are critical in improving water and nutrient uptake and maintaining plant productivity under optimal as well as drought conditions.However, root traits have rarely been utilized in cotton breeding programs, a major reason being the lack of information regarding genetic variability for root traits. The objective of this research was to evaluate ten selected cotton genotypes for root traits and water use efficiency. The tested genotypes included germplasm lines(PD 1 and PD 695) and cultivars that are currently grown in the southeastern USA(PHY 499 WRF, PHY 444 WRF, PHY 430 W3 FE, DP 1646 B2 XF, DP 1538 B2 XF, DP 1851 B3 XF, NG5007 B2 XF, and ST 5020 GLT). Experiments were conducted under controlled environmental conditions in 2018 and 2019. A hardpan treatment was included in the second year to evaluate the effect of a soil hardpan on root traits and water use efficiency. Genotype PHY 499 WRF ranked at the top and NG5007 B2 XF ranked at the bottom for root morphological traits(total and fine root length, surface area,and volume) and root weight. PHY 499 WRF was also one of the best biomass producers and had high water use efficiency. PHY 444 WRF, PHY 430 W3 FE, and PD-1 were the other best genotypes in terms of root traits and water use efficiency. All genotypes had higher values for root traits and water use efficiency under hardpan conditions. This trend indicates a horizontal proliferation of root systems when they incur a stress imposed by a hardpan. The genotypic differences identified in this research for root traits and water use efficiency would be valuable for selecting genotypes for cotton breeding programs.

Lodging Resistance Related to Root Traits for Mechanized Wet-Seeding of Two Super Rice Cultivars

Mechanical hill wet-seeded rice machine is beneficial for establishing and growing uniform rows of seedlings.However,there is limited knowledge regarding the effects of the establishment of furrows on growth,lodging and yield,and their relationships with root traits.In this study,field experiments were conducted during 2012 and 2013 using two super rice varieties(hybrid rice Peizataifeng and inbred rice Yuxiangyouzhan)under three furrow establishment treatments(T1,both water and seed furrows were established by the machine;T2,only seed furrows were established by the machine;and T3,neither water nor seed furrows were established by the machine).Lodging index,lodging-related traits,grain yield,above-ground dry weight and root traits were measured.The results showed that the lodging index was significantly affected by the treatments with furrows(T1 and T2).The strongest lodging resistance was detected in the mechanical hill wet-seeded rice with furrow treatment(T1)in both 2012 and 2013.Lodging resistance was strongly related to the breaking resistance.No significant difference was found in grain yield or dry weight of the mechanical hill wet-seeded rice.Therefore,the mechanical hill wet-seeded rice with furrow treatment increased rice lodging resistance,which was related to root traits.

Effects of nutrition spatial heterogeneity on root traits and carbon usage by roots of Cercis chinensis seedlings in split root rooms

In natural ecosystems, nutrition available for plants shows great spatial heterogeneity. Much is known about plant root responses to the spatial heterogeneity of nutrition, but little is known about carbon usage in roots in nutrition-deficient patches and its effect on root longevity. In this study, split-room boxes were used for culture of Cercis chinensis seedlings, and the small rooms were supplied with different nutrition levels. The number of the first-order roots in the rooms with nutrition supply was significantly higher than that in the rooms with deficient nutrition. Specific root length （SRL） of the first-order roots in the rooms with deficient nutrition reached its peak at day 64 after nutrition treatment. There was no significant SRL differences between the two order roots during the experiment. Biomass of the first-order roots in the rooms without nutrition supply was significantly less than that of the first-order roots in the rooms with nutrition supply from day 64 to 96. The total biomass of the lateral roots in the rooms without nutrition supply decreased from day 64 to 96. The activities of the enzymes in roots in the rooms without nutrition supply increased and the activities of alkaline invertases in roots in the two sides of split box did not change significantly. The activities of the enzymes in roots in the rooms without nutrition supply increased gradually. These results suggest that nutrition spatial heterogeneity induced the changes in root traits and plants actively controlled carbon usage in roots in nutrition-deficient patches by regulating the activities of invertases and sucrose synthases, resulting in the reduction in carbon usage in the roots in nutrition-deficient patches.

Shear resistance characteristics and influencing factors of root-soil composite on an alpine metal mine dump slope with different recovery periods

Artificial vegetation restoration is the main measure for vegetation restoration and soil and water conservation in alpine mine dumps on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China.However,there are few reports on the dynamic changes and the influencing factors of the soil reinforcement effect of plant species after artificial vegetation restoration under different recovery periods.We selected dump areas of the Delni Copper Mine in Qinghai Province,China to study the relationship between the shear strength and the peak displacement of the root-soil composite on the slope during the recovery period,and the influence of the root traits and soil physical properties on the shear resistance characteristics of the root-soil composite via in situ direct shear tests.The results indicate that the shear strength and peak displacement of the rooted soil initially decreased and then increased with the increase of the recovery period.The shear strength of the rooted soil and the recovery period exhibited a quadratic function relationship.There is no significant function relationship between the peak displacement and the recovery period.Significant positive correlations(P<0.05)exists between the shear strength of the root-soil composite and the root biomass density,root volume density,and root area ratio,and they show significant linear correlations(P<0.05).There are no significant correlations(P>0.05)between the shear strength of the root-soil composite and the root length density,and the root volume ratio of the coarse roots to the fine roots.A significant negative linear correlation(P<0.05)exists between the peak displacement of the rooted soil and the coarse-grain content,but no significant correlations(P>0.05)with the root traits,other soil physical property indices(the moisture content and dry density of the soil),and slope gradient.The coarse-grain content is the main factor controlling the peak displacement of the rooted soil.

Rhizosphere microbe populations but not root traits induced by drought in Populus euphratica males

How sex-related root traits and soil microbes and their interactions respond to drought remains unclear.Here,we investigated how fine root traits and the composition of rhizosphere microbial communities in Populus euphratica females and males respond to drought in concert in 17-year-old plantations.Females increased specific root length(SRL)in response to drought.However,males showed no changes in their roots but significant increases in arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphal biomass and population of Gram-negative bacteria in the rhizosphere.Also,fungal symbiotroph communities associated with root systems in males differed from those in females under drought.We further demonstrated that the Gram-positive to Gram-negative bacteria ratios positively correlated with the SRL,while fungi to bacteria ratios were negatively correlated.Meanwhile,the relative abundance of symbiotrophs was negatively correlated with the SRL,while saprotroph abundance was positively correlated.Nevertheless,the relative abundance of symbiotrophs was positively correlated with the root carbon content(RCC).These findings indicate that microbial responses to drought depend highly upon the sex of the plant and microbial group and are related to root trait adjustments to drought.This discovery also highlights the role of plant-microbial interactions in the ecosystems of P.euphratica forest plantations.

Effects of warming and fertilization interacting with intraspecific competition on fine root traits of Picea asperata

Aims Competition,temperature and nutrient are the most important determinants of tree growth in the cold climate on the eastern Tibetan Plateau.Although many studies have reported their individual effects on tree growth,little is known about how the interactions of competition with fertilization and temperature affect root growth.We aim to test whether climate warming and fertilization promote competition and to explore the functional strategies of Picea asperata in response to the interactions of these factors.Methods We conducted a paired experiment including competition and non-competition treatments under elevated temperature(ET)and fertilization.We measured root traits,including the root tip number over the root surface(RTRS),the root branching events over the root surface(RBRS),the specific root length(SRL),the specific root area(SRA),the total fine root length and area(RL and RA),the root tips(RTs)and root branching(RB)events.These root traits are considered to be indicators of plant resource uptake capacity and root growth.The root biomass and the nutrient concentrations in the roots were also determined.Important Findings The results indicated that ET,fertilization and competition individually enhanced the nitrogen(N)and potassium(K)concentrations in fine roots,but they did not affect fine root biomass or root traits,including RL,RT,RA and RB.However,both temperature and fertilizationz as well as their interaction,interacting with competition increased RL,RA,RT,RB and nutrient uptake.In addition,the SRL,SRA,RTRS and RBRS decreased un der fertilization,the interaction between temperature and competition decreased SRL and SRA,while the other parameters were not affected by temperature or competition.These results indicate that P.asperata maintains a conservative nutrient strategy in response to competition,climate warming,fertilization and their interactions.Our results improve our understanding of the physiological and ecological adaptability of trees to global change.

Changes in root growth and relationships between plant organs and root hydraulic traits in American elm(Ulmus americana L.) and red oak(Quercus rubra L.) seedlings due to elevated CO_2 level

The relationships between plant organs and root hydrological traits are not well known and the question arises whether elevated CO2 changes these relationships. This study attempted to answer this question. A pseudo-replicated experiment was conducted with two times 24 American elm （Ulmus americana L.） and 23 and 24 red oak （Quercus rubra L.） seedlings growing in ambient CO2 （around 360 μmol.L^-1） and 540 ± 7.95 μmol.L^-1 CO2 in a greenhouse. After 71 days of treatment for American elm and 77 days for red oak, 14 American elm and 12 red oak seedlings from each of the two CO2 levels were randomly selected in order to examine the flow rate of root xylem sap, root hydraulic conductance, total root hydraulic conductivity, fine root and coarse root hydraulic conductivity. All seedlings were harvested to investigate total plant biomass, stem biomass and leaf biomass, leaf area, height, basal diameter, total root biomass, coarse root biomass and fine root biomass. The following conclusions are reached： 1） plant organs respond to the elevated CO2 level earlier than hydraulic traits of roots and may gradually lead to changes in hydraulic traits; 2） plant organs have different relationships with hydraulic traits of roots and elevated CO2 changes these relationships; the changes may be of importance for plants as means to acclimatize to changing environments; 3） biomass of coarse roots increased rather more than that of fine roots; 4） Lorentzian and Caussian models are better in estimating the biomass of seedlings than single-variable models. Key words American elm, biomass, elevated CO2, modeling, red oak, root hydraulic traits

Root morphological traits and their relations with yield components of dry-raised mid-season indica rice

Research on root morphological traits of dry-raised seedlings (D-RS) at different growth stages of rice have so far attracted less attention. In this study, using mid-season indica hy-

Relative position of seeds driven the seedling growth are mediated by root-leaf traits

Variations in plant traits are indicative of plant adaptations to forest environments,and studying their relationships with tree growth provides valuable insights into forest regeneration.The spatial arrangement of plant seeds within the forest litter or soil critically infuences the variations of root-leaf traits,thereby affecting the adaptive strategies of emerging seedlings.However,our current understanding of the impacts of individual root-leaf traits on seedling growth in different relative position,and whether these traits together affect growth,remains limited.This study focuses on the dominant tree species,Castanopsis kawakamii,within the Sanming C.kawakamii Nature Reserve of China.The present experiment aimed to examine the variations in root-leaf traits of seedling,focus on the relative positions of seeds within different layers:beneath or above the litter layer,or within the bare soil layer(without litter).Our fndings provided evidence supporting a coordinated relationship between root and leaf traits,wherein leaf traits varied in conjunction with root traits in the relative positions of seeds.Specifcally,we observed that seedlings exhibited higher values for specifc leaf area and average root diameter,while displaying lower root tissue density.The mixed model explained 86.1%of the variation in root-leaf traits,surpassing the variation explained by the relative positions.Furthermore,soil nitrogen acted as a mediator,regulating the relationship between seedling growth and root-leaf traits,specifcally leaf dry matter content and root tissue density.Therefore,future studies should consider artifcially manipulating tree species diversity based on root-leaf traits characteristics to promote forest recovery.

Tolerance to low phosphorus in rice varieties is conferred by regulation of root growth

Phosphorus use efficiency(PUE)can be improved through cultivation techniques and breeding.However,little is known about rice(Oryza sativa L.)agronomic and physiological traits associated with high PUE.We characterized the agronomic and physiological traits of rice varieties with different tolerances to low phosphorus in nutrient solution.Two varieties with strong tolerance to low phosphorus(STVs)and two with weak tolerance(WTVs)were grown at normal(NP,control)and low phosphorus(LP,1/20 of NP)concentrations.Plants grown at LP produced significantly lower grain yield than those grown at NP.WTVs yields were lower than STVs yields.Compared to NP,LP significantly increased phosphorus translocation efficiency(PTE),internal phosphorus efficiency(IPE)and phosphorus harvest index(PHI).Under the LP condition,PTE and IPE were higher for STVs than for WTVs.LP also reduced tiller number,shoot biomass,leaf area index(LAI),leaf photosynthetic rate,and mean root diameter of both kinds of varieties at the main growth stages,but to a lower extent in STVs.LP significantly increased the number of productive tillers,root biomass,root-shoot ratio,root bleeding rate,and root acid phosphatase(RAP)activity.Total root length,root oxidation activity(ROA),and root total and active absorbing surface areas for STVs were significantly increased under LP,whereas the opposite responses were observed for WTVs.Total root length,ROA,root bleeding rate,root active absorbing surface area,and RAP activity were positively and significantly correlated with grain yield,PTE,and IPE.These results suggest that the tolerance of rice varieties to a low-phosphorus growth condition is closely associated with root growth with higher biomass and activity.

Melatonin mitigates cold-induced damage to pepper seedlings by promoting redox homeostasis and regulating antioxidant profiling

This study assessed the influence of exogenous ME in the mitigation of cold damage in pepper seedlings. Melatonin(ME) is a dynamic molecule that helps plants cope with stress in several ways. Cold stress(CS) is one of the most important environmental factors that restrict plant growth and yield. Pepper(Capsicum annuum L.) is a valuable commercial crop, highly sensitive to CS. Thus, identifying an efficient strategy to mitigate cold damage is critical for long-term pepper production. For this purpose, the roots of pepper seedlings were pretreated with ME(5 μmol · L^(-1)) and exposed to CS for 7 d. The results indicated that CS suppressed pepper growth, hampered photosynthetic capacity, and damaged root architecture in pepper plants. In contrast, the production of reactive oxygen species(ROS), malondialdehyde(MDA), electrolyte leakage(EL), proline, and soluble sugars were enhanced in plants under CS. ME(5 μmol · L^(-1)) pretreatment reduced the negative effects of CS by recovering plant growth, root traits, gas exchange elements, and pigment molecules compared to CS control treatment. Furthermore, ME application efficiently reduced oxidative stress markers [hydrogen peroxide(H_(2)O_(2)), superoxide ion(O_(2)^(·-)), EL, and MDA] while increasing proline and soluble sugar content in pepper leaves. ME application combined with CS further increased antioxidant enzymes and related gene expression. Collectively, our results confirmed the mitigating potential of ME supplementation for CS by maintaining pepper seedling growth,improving the photosynthesis apparatus, regulating pigments, and osmolyte content.

Exploring plant adaptation strategies to phosphorus limitation induced by nitrogen addition:foliar phosphorus allocation and root functional traits analysis in two dominant subalpine tree species

Plants adapt to the limitation of soil phosphorus(P)induced by nitrogen(N)deposition through a complex interaction of various root and leaf functional traits.In this study,a pot experiment was conducted to explore the effects of different levels of N addition(control,low N[LN]:25 kg N ha^(-1) yr^(-1),high N[HN]:50 kg N ha^(-1) yr^(-1))on tree growth,leaf nutrient content,foliar P fractions and root characteristics of two dominant tree species,the pioneer species Salix rehderiana Schneid and the climax species Abies fabri(Mast.)Craib,in a subalpine forest in southwestern China.The results demonstrated that LN addition had a minimal impact on leaf N and P contents.Conversely,HN addition significantly decreased the leaf P content in both species.Salix rehderiana exhibited more pronounced increases in specific root length and specific root area under P deficiency triggered by HN addition when compared with A.fabri.In contrast,A.fabri showed weaker morphological responses to N addition but had a higher proportion of foliar P to metabolic P,as well as higher root exudates rate and root phosphatase activity in response to HN addition.Abies fabri employs a synergistic approach by allocating a greater amount of leaf P to metabolite P and extracting P from the soil through P-mobilizing exudates and root phosphatase activity,while S.rehderiana exhibits higher flexibility in modifying its root morphology in response to P limitation induced by HN addition.This study provides insights into subalpine tree species adaptation to N-induced P limitation,emphasizing its significance for guiding forest management and conservation in the context of global climate change.

Genome-wide and candidate gene association studies identify BnPAP17 as conferring the utilization of organic phosphorus in oilseed rape

Phosphorus(P)is essential for living plants,and P deficiency is one of the key factors limiting the yield in rapeseed production worldwide.As the most important organ for plants,root morphology traits(RMTs)play a key role in P absorption.To investigate the genetic variability of RMT under low P availability,we dissected the genetic structure of RMTs by genome-wide association studies(GWAS),linkage mapping and candidate gene association studies(CGAS).A total of 52 suggestive loci were associated with RMTs under P stress conditions in 405 oilseed rape accessions.The purple acid phosphatase gene BnPAP17 was found to control the lateral root number(LRN)and root dry weight(RDW)under low P stress.The expression of BnPAP17 was increased in shoot tissue in P-efficient cultivars compared to root tissue and P-inefficient cultivars in response to low P stress.Moreover,the haplotype of BnPAP17^(Hap3)was detected for the selective breeding of P efficiency in oilseed rape.Over-expression of the BnPAP17^(Hap3)could promote the shoot and root growth with enhanced tolerance to low P stress and organic phosphorus(Po)utilization in oilseed rape.Collectively,these findings increase our understanding of the mechanisms underlying BnPAP17-mediated low P stress tolerance in oilseed rape.

Methods of Testing Seed and Seedling Physiological Traits for the Improvement of Rapeseed Yield Stability

The presented work is based on laboratory testing of seed germination speed, emergence and seedling growth under different stress conditions simulated by subnormal water revel, extreme high and low temperatures. It allows one to eliminate the plant materials （initial breeding materials and cultivars） which do not tolerate extreme temperatures and temperature changes during germination, have low water use efficiency and is intolerant to abiotic stressors all right at the seed level. It was confirmed that these genotypes also have poor t^eld emergence and initial root growth implications for further vegetation periods, mainly for over wintering and spring regeneration which has significant influence on the yield. The method also represents the tool for screening genetic resources with the resistance to the abiotic stressors and this technology process is also acceptable for other crops. The results confirm the importance of the seed and root characteristics for crop production. The deteriorating quality of soil in recent years, increasing variability of weather and long periods of drought directly support the need to intensify activities in this research. Obtained results also show the influence of seed quality characteristics on roots and above ground parts of the plant. A relationship exists also vice versa.

Growth traits and nitrogen assimilation-associated physiological parameters of wheat(Triticum aestivum L.) under low and high N conditions

In this study, 14 wheat cultivars with contrasting yield and N use efficiency （NUE） were used to investigate the agronomic and NUE-related traits, and the N assimilation-associated enzyme activities under low and high N conditions. Under deficient-N, the cultivars with high N uptake efficiency （UpE） and high N utilization efficiency （UtE） exhibited higher plant biomass, yields, and N contents than those with medium and low NUEs. The high UpE cultivars accumulated more N than other NUE type cultivars. Under sufficient-N, the tested cultivars showed similar patterns in biomass, yield, and N content to those under deficient-N, but the varietal variations in above traits were smaller. In addition, the high UpE cultivars displayed much more of root biomass and larger of root length, surface area, and volume than other NUE type cultivars, indicating that the root morphological traits under N deprivation are closely associated with the plant biomass through its improvement of the N acquisition. The high UtE cultivars showed higher activities of nitrate reductase （NR）, nitrite reductase （NIR）, and gluta- mine synthetase （GS） at stages of seediling, heading and filling than other NUE type cultivars under both low and high N conditions. Moreover, the high UpE and UtE cultivars also displayed higher photosynthetic rate under deficient-N than the medium and low NUE cultivars. Together, our results indicated that the tested wheat cultivars possess dramatically genetic variations in biomass, yield, and NUE. The root morphological traits and the N assimilation enzymatic acitivities play critical roles in regulating N accumulation and internal N translocation under the N-starvation stress, respectively. They can be used as morphological and biochemical references for evaluation of UpE and UtE in wheat.

Deciphering the morpho–physiological traits for high yield potential in nitrogen efficient varieties(NEVs):A japonica rice case study

The use of nitrogen(N)-efficient rice(Oryza sativa L.) varieties could reduce excessive N input without sacrificing yields. However, the plant traits associated with N-efficient rice varieties have not been fully defined or comprehensively explored. Here, three japonica N-efficient varieties(NEVs) and three japonica N-inefficient varieties(NIVs) of rice were grown in a paddy field under N omission(0 N, 0 kg N ha^(-1)) and normal N(NN, 180 or 200 kg N ha^(-1)) treatments. Results showed that NEVs exhibited higher grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency(NUE) than NIVs under both treatments, due to improved sink size and filled-grains percentage in the former which had higher root oxidation activity and greater root dry weight, root length and root diameter at panicle initiation(PI), as well as higher spikelet-leaf ratio and more productive tillers during the grain-filling stage. Compared with NIVs, NEVs also exhibited enhanced N translocation and dry matter accumulation after heading and improved flag leaf morpho-physiological traits, including greater leaf thickness and specific leaf weight and higher contents of ribulose^(-1),5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, chlorophyll, nitrogen, and soluble sugars, leading to better photosynthetic performance. Additionally, NEVs had a better canopy structure, as reflected by a higher ratio of the extinction coefficient for effective leaf N to the light extinction coefficient, leading to enhanced canopy photosynthesis and dry matter accumulation. These improved agronomic and physiological traits were positively and significantly correlated with grain yield and internal NUE, which could be used to select and breed N-efficient rice varieties.