Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Responses to Gravity and Touch

Responses to Gravity and Touch

Gravitropism: Plant Responses to Gravity

Primary and Secondary Growth in Roots and Shoots

Primary and Secondary Growth in Roots and Shoots

Vascular plants, which account for over 90% of the Earth’s vegetation, all undergo primary growth—which lengthens roots and shoots. Many land plants, notably woody plants, also undergo secondary growth—which thickens roots and shoots.

Morphogenesis

Morphogenesis

Plant morphogenesis—the development of a plant’s form and structure—involves several overlapping developmental processes, including growth and cell differentiation. Precursor cells differentiate into specific cell types, which are organized into the tissues and organ systems that make up the functional plant.

Meristems and Plant Growth

Meristems and Plant Growth

Plants grow throughout their lives; this is called indeterminate growth, and it distinguishes plants from most animals. Although certain parts of plants stop growing (e.g., leaves and flowers), others grow continuously—like roots and stems.

Water and Mineral Acquisition

Water and Mineral Acquisition

Specialized tissues in plant roots have evolved to capture water, minerals, and some ions from the soil. Roots exhibit a variety of branching patterns that facilitate this process. The outermost root cells have specialized structures called root hairs that increase the root surface, thus increasing soil contact. Water can passively cross into roots, as the concentration of water in the soil is higher than that of the root tissue. Minerals, in contrast, are actively transported into root cells.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Shared Genetic Architecture and Multidimensional Modifiable Correlates between Myopia and Retinal-Optic Nerve Diseases.

Ophthalmology science·2026

Same author

Roots navigate around decay regions by sensing local pH gradients.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same author

Association of baseline brain care score with the incidence of age-related eye diseases.

Eye (London, England)·2026

Same author

Monoclonal nephritic factors reveal insights into C3 convertase dynamics and dysregulation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

Association between secondhand smoke exposure and ocular microbiome changes in children.

Current research in microbial sciences·2026

Same author

Associations of Multiomics Biological Aging With Diabetic Retinopathy and Life Expectancy.

Investigative ophthalmology & visual science·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 1, 2026

A Simple Protocol for Mapping the Plant Root System Architecture Traits

A Simple Protocol for Mapping the Plant Root System Architecture Traits

Published on: February 10, 2023

Adaptive Growth: Shaping Auxin-Mediated Root System Architecture.

Guanghui Xiao¹, Yuzhou Zhang²

¹Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Plant Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Crude Drugs in the Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China; Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.

Trends in Plant Science

|December 18, 2019

Summary

Plant root system architecture (RSA), regulated by auxin, is key for environmental adaptation. Two new components influencing auxin-mediated RSA and plant fitness in diverse habitats were recently identified in Arabidopsis thaliana.

More Related Videos

Lateral Root Inducible System in Arabidopsis and Maize

Lateral Root Inducible System in Arabidopsis and Maize

Published on: January 14, 2016

Imaging the Root Hair Morphology of Arabidopsis Seedlings in a Two-layer Microfluidic Platform

Imaging the Root Hair Morphology of Arabidopsis Seedlings in a Two-layer Microfluidic Platform

Published on: August 15, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 1, 2026

A Simple Protocol for Mapping the Plant Root System Architecture Traits

A Simple Protocol for Mapping the Plant Root System Architecture Traits

Published on: February 10, 2023

Lateral Root Inducible System in Arabidopsis and Maize

Lateral Root Inducible System in Arabidopsis and Maize

Published on: January 14, 2016

Imaging the Root Hair Morphology of Arabidopsis Seedlings in a Two-layer Microfluidic Platform

Imaging the Root Hair Morphology of Arabidopsis Seedlings in a Two-layer Microfluidic Platform

Published on: August 15, 2017

Area of Science:

Plant Biology
Genetics
Ecology

Background:

Root system architecture (RSA) is crucial for plant adaptation to environmental conditions.
The phytohormone auxin plays a significant role in regulating RSA.
Understanding the genetic basis of RSA variation is essential for crop improvement and ecological studies.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify novel genetic components that modulate auxin-mediated RSA.
To investigate the role of these components in conferring plant fitness in specific habitats.
To leverage natural variation in Arabidopsis thaliana for genetic discovery.

Main Methods:

Genome-Wide Association (GWA) mapping using geographically diverse Arabidopsis thaliana accessions.
Analysis of auxin-mediated root development pathways.
Phenotypic characterization of plant fitness in different environmental settings.

Main Results:

Identification of two previously unknown components involved in auxin signaling and RSA.
Demonstration that these components influence RSA and contribute to plant adaptation.
Establishment of a link between specific RSA variations and habitat fitness.

Conclusions:

Novel genetic factors regulating auxin-dependent root system architecture have been discovered.
These factors contribute to plant adaptation and fitness in distinct ecological niches.
The findings provide new targets for understanding and manipulating RSA in plants.