Bracing for sustainable agriculture: the development and function of brace roots in members of Poaceae
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Updated: Nov 22, 2025

Multipronged Phenotyping Approaches to Characterize Sugarcane Root Systems
Published on: August 17, 2022
Ashley N Hostetler1, Rajdeep S Khangura2, Brian P Dilkes2
1Department of Plant and Soil Sciences and the Delaware Biotechnology Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19711, United States.
Abstract:
Optimization of crop production requires root systems to function in water uptake, nutrient use, and anchorage. In maize, two types of nodal roots-subterranean crown and aerial brace roots function in anchorage and water uptake and preferentially express multiple water and nutrient transporters. Brace root development shares genetic control with juvenile-to-adult phase change and flowering time. We present a comprehensive list of the genes known to alter brace roots and explore these as candidates for QTL studies in maize and sorghum. Brace root development and function may be conserved in other members of Poaceae, however research is limited. This work highlights the critical knowledge gap of aerial nodal root development and function and suggests new focus areas for breeding resilient crops.
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