The Higher Water Absorption Capacity of Small Root System Improved the Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Maize
The root system in plants absorbs water and minerals. However, the relationship among root size, yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) is controversial. Two pot experiments were conducted to explore these relationships by using two maize varieties with contrasting root sizes and reducing the root–sh...
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/17/2300 |
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| author | Minfei Yan Li Zhang Yuanyuan Ren Tingting Zhang Shaowei Zhang Hongbing Li Yinglong Chen Suiqi Zhang |
| author_facet | Minfei Yan Li Zhang Yuanyuan Ren Tingting Zhang Shaowei Zhang Hongbing Li Yinglong Chen Suiqi Zhang |
| author_sort | Minfei Yan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The root system in plants absorbs water and minerals. However, the relationship among root size, yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) is controversial. Two pot experiments were conducted to explore these relationships by using two maize varieties with contrasting root sizes and reducing the root–shoot ratio (R/S) through root pruning to eliminate genotypic effects. Maize plants were grown in an open rainout shelter under both water-sufficient and deficient conditions. Yield-related parameters, root hydraulic conductivity (Lpr), and WUE were determined. The results showed that the small root variety (XY) has a higher yield and WUE compared to large root variety (QL) under both soil moisture conditions, likely related to the higher Lpr of XY. XY also had a higher leaf water potential than QL under drought stress, indicating that small root system could provide enough water to the shoot. Further pot experiment showed that both small and large root pruning on QL (cut off about 1/5 roots, RP1; and cut off about 1/3 roots, RP2, respectively) improved WUE and Lpr, and the RP1 yield increased by 12.9% compared to the control under well-watered conditions. Root pruning decreased transpiration and increased photosynthesis. Thus, this study reveals that it is possible to increase water absorption, yield, and WUE by reducing R/S in modern maize varieties, which may be important for the future breeding of new cultivars suitable for arid regions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:22:33Z |
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| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:22:33Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-088cf03d4ca54431825815c73b78a2bf2023-11-23T13:56:22ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472022-09-011117230010.3390/plants11172300The Higher Water Absorption Capacity of Small Root System Improved the Yield and Water Use Efficiency of MaizeMinfei Yan0Li Zhang1Yuanyuan Ren2Tingting Zhang3Shaowei Zhang4Hongbing Li5Yinglong Chen6Suiqi Zhang7State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, ChinaCollege of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, ChinaGeography and Environmental Engineering Department, Baoji University of Arts and Sciences, Baoji 721013, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, ChinaThe UWA Institute of Agriculture, and UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6001, AustraliaState Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, ChinaThe root system in plants absorbs water and minerals. However, the relationship among root size, yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) is controversial. Two pot experiments were conducted to explore these relationships by using two maize varieties with contrasting root sizes and reducing the root–shoot ratio (R/S) through root pruning to eliminate genotypic effects. Maize plants were grown in an open rainout shelter under both water-sufficient and deficient conditions. Yield-related parameters, root hydraulic conductivity (Lpr), and WUE were determined. The results showed that the small root variety (XY) has a higher yield and WUE compared to large root variety (QL) under both soil moisture conditions, likely related to the higher Lpr of XY. XY also had a higher leaf water potential than QL under drought stress, indicating that small root system could provide enough water to the shoot. Further pot experiment showed that both small and large root pruning on QL (cut off about 1/5 roots, RP1; and cut off about 1/3 roots, RP2, respectively) improved WUE and Lpr, and the RP1 yield increased by 12.9% compared to the control under well-watered conditions. Root pruning decreased transpiration and increased photosynthesis. Thus, this study reveals that it is possible to increase water absorption, yield, and WUE by reducing R/S in modern maize varieties, which may be important for the future breeding of new cultivars suitable for arid regions.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/17/2300leaf water potentialroot hydraulic conductivityroot sizewater use efficiencyyield |
| spellingShingle | Minfei Yan Li Zhang Yuanyuan Ren Tingting Zhang Shaowei Zhang Hongbing Li Yinglong Chen Suiqi Zhang The Higher Water Absorption Capacity of Small Root System Improved the Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Maize Plants leaf water potential root hydraulic conductivity root size water use efficiency yield |
| title | The Higher Water Absorption Capacity of Small Root System Improved the Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Maize |
| title_full | The Higher Water Absorption Capacity of Small Root System Improved the Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Maize |
| title_fullStr | The Higher Water Absorption Capacity of Small Root System Improved the Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Maize |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Higher Water Absorption Capacity of Small Root System Improved the Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Maize |
| title_short | The Higher Water Absorption Capacity of Small Root System Improved the Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Maize |
| title_sort | higher water absorption capacity of small root system improved the yield and water use efficiency of maize |
| topic | leaf water potential root hydraulic conductivity root size water use efficiency yield |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/17/2300 |
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