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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Imaging and Analysis for Quantifying Maize (Zea mays) Abiotic Stress Phenotypes

Imaging and Analysis for Quantifying Maize (Zea mays) Abiotic Stress Phenotypes

Published on: March 28, 2025

Root cortical burden influences drought tolerance in maize.

Raúl E Jaramillo¹, Eric A Nord, Joseph G Chimungu

¹Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16803, USA.

Annals of Botany

|April 27, 2013

Summary

Living cortical area (LCA) is a better indicator of root respiration and drought tolerance in maize than root cortical aerenchyma (RCA). Reduced LCA improves drought resilience by lowering metabolic costs for water acquisition in drying soils.

Keywords:

Root Zea mays aerenchyma cortex drought respiration

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Kinematic Analysis of Cell Division and Expansion: Quantifying the Cellular Basis of Growth and Sampling Developmental Zones in Zea mays Leaves

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Published on: December 2, 2016

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Last Updated: May 12, 2026

Imaging and Analysis for Quantifying Maize (Zea mays) Abiotic Stress Phenotypes

Imaging and Analysis for Quantifying Maize (Zea mays) Abiotic Stress Phenotypes

Published on: March 28, 2025

Kinematic Analysis of Cell Division and Expansion: Quantifying the Cellular Basis of Growth and Sampling Developmental Zones in Zea mays Leaves

Kinematic Analysis of Cell Division and Expansion: Quantifying the Cellular Basis of Growth and Sampling Developmental Zones in Zea mays Leaves

Published on: December 2, 2016

Area of Science:

Plant physiology
Root biology
Agricultural science

Background:

Root cortical aerenchyma (RCA) enhances water and nutrient uptake by lowering metabolic costs.
Living cortical area (LCA) represents the metabolically active root tissue.

Purpose of the Study:

To test if LCA is a superior predictor of root respiration, soil exploration, and drought tolerance compared to RCA or root diameter.
To investigate the adaptive significance of LCA in maize under drought stress.

Main Methods:

Maize recombinant inbred lines were grown under adequate and suboptimal irrigation.
Root respiration, LCA, RCA, root length, and biomass loss were quantified.
Measurements were taken in soil mesocosms.

Main Results:

Root respiration strongly correlated with LCA, which outperformed RCA and root diameter as a predictor.
RCA decreased respiration in larger roots, but LCA was the primary driver of metabolic costs.
Reduced LCA was linked to enhanced drought tolerance, with complex effects on root length.

Conclusions:

LCA significantly influences root metabolic costs, supporting its role in water acquisition under drought.
The findings highlight LCA's adaptive importance for plant survival in drying environments.