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Updated: Dec 29, 2025

A Simple Protocol for Mapping the Plant Root System Architecture Traits
Published on: February 10, 2023
Early developmental plasticity of lateral roots in response to asymmetric water availability
Daniel von Wangenheim1,2, Jason Banda3, Alexander Schmitz4
1Plant and Crop Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. daniel.vonwangenheim@nottingham.ac.uk.
Abstract:
Root branching is influenced by the soil environment and exhibits a high level of plasticity. We report that the radial positioning of emerging lateral roots is influenced by their hydrological environment during early developmental stages. New lateral root primordia have both a high degree of flexibility in terms of initiation and development angle towards the available water. Our observations reveal how the external hydrological environment regulates lateral root morphogenesis.
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