Evaluating mechano-transduction and touch responses in plant roots

Mechanical forces can be imposed on plants either from the environment, through factors such as the weather, mechanical properties of the soil and animal movement, or through the internal forces generated by the interplay between turgor-driven growth and the rigid plant cell wall. Such mechanical cues have profound effects on plant growth and development leading to responses ranging from directional growth patterns as seen, e.g., in tendrils coiling around supports, to the reprogramming of entire developmental programs. Thus, assays to assess mechanical sensitivity and response provide important tools for helping understand a wide range of plant physiological and developmental responses. Here, we describe simple assays to monitor mechanical response in the plant root system focusing on the quantification of root skewing, waving and obstacle avoidance.