Survival on land: A dark-grown seedling searching for path
To initiate its development into a plant, a small dark-grown seedling (prior to its emergence from the ground) must penetrate through the growth media. The path that the seedling takes during this journey has yet to be explained. As such, we conducted non-destructive tests using CT scans to observe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2023.1110521/full |
| _version_ | 1797935607127736320 |
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| author | Hao Gong Hao Gong Zhiwei Zeng Léa Tessier Leno Guzman Zihao Yuan Shuai Li Wenhan Zheng Ying Chen Long Qi |
| author_facet | Hao Gong Hao Gong Zhiwei Zeng Léa Tessier Leno Guzman Zihao Yuan Shuai Li Wenhan Zheng Ying Chen Long Qi |
| author_sort | Hao Gong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To initiate its development into a plant, a small dark-grown seedling (prior to its emergence from the ground) must penetrate through the growth media. The path that the seedling takes during this journey has yet to be explained. As such, we conducted non-destructive tests using CT scans to observe the growth of dark-grown seedlings in soil over time; we also developed a model to simulate the dynamics of an emerging seedling, and to examine effects of various growth medium conditions, including Lunar soil. It was previously postulated that, with gravitropism in a terrestrial growth medium, a dark-grown seedling would grow directly upright. However, our CT scan results showed that dark-grown soybean seedlings departed from the vertical path in soil, as far as a lateral distance of approximately 10 mm. The phenomenon of the non-straight path was also demonstrated by the model results. Through simulations, we found that an emerging seedling naturally weaves through the particles of growth medium, in search for the path of least resistance. As a result, the seedling ends up travelling a longer distance. Compared with a seedling that was artificially forced to take a straight path in a growth media, the seedling taking the natural path encountered significantly lower resistances (20% lower) from the growth medium, while travelled 12% longer distance during the emergence process. A seedling encountered a much higher impedance in Lunar soil. Our results suggest that taking the path of least resistance, in addition to shaping and orientating itself for mechanical advantage, are strategies evolved by plant species that have contributed to its vast success. An understanding of plant behavior and survival strategies on Earth lay the foundation for future research in agriculture in novel environments, including on celestial bodies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T18:16:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4041292f30ba4bb7a8d07520a56f639e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-462X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T18:16:43Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-4041292f30ba4bb7a8d07520a56f639e2023-02-02T08:18:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2023-02-011410.3389/fpls.2023.11105211110521Survival on land: A dark-grown seedling searching for pathHao Gong0Hao Gong1Zhiwei Zeng2Léa Tessier3Leno Guzman4Zihao Yuan5Shuai Li6Wenhan Zheng7Ying Chen8Long Qi9College of Engineering, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Biosystems Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaDepartment of Agricultural Engineering Technology, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, WI, River Falls, United StatesDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaDepartment of Biosystems Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaCollege of Engineering, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaCollege of Engineering, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaCollege of Engineering, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Biosystems Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaCollege of Engineering, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaTo initiate its development into a plant, a small dark-grown seedling (prior to its emergence from the ground) must penetrate through the growth media. The path that the seedling takes during this journey has yet to be explained. As such, we conducted non-destructive tests using CT scans to observe the growth of dark-grown seedlings in soil over time; we also developed a model to simulate the dynamics of an emerging seedling, and to examine effects of various growth medium conditions, including Lunar soil. It was previously postulated that, with gravitropism in a terrestrial growth medium, a dark-grown seedling would grow directly upright. However, our CT scan results showed that dark-grown soybean seedlings departed from the vertical path in soil, as far as a lateral distance of approximately 10 mm. The phenomenon of the non-straight path was also demonstrated by the model results. Through simulations, we found that an emerging seedling naturally weaves through the particles of growth medium, in search for the path of least resistance. As a result, the seedling ends up travelling a longer distance. Compared with a seedling that was artificially forced to take a straight path in a growth media, the seedling taking the natural path encountered significantly lower resistances (20% lower) from the growth medium, while travelled 12% longer distance during the emergence process. A seedling encountered a much higher impedance in Lunar soil. Our results suggest that taking the path of least resistance, in addition to shaping and orientating itself for mechanical advantage, are strategies evolved by plant species that have contributed to its vast success. An understanding of plant behavior and survival strategies on Earth lay the foundation for future research in agriculture in novel environments, including on celestial bodies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2023.1110521/fullseedlingpathshapegrowth mediumresistancepore |
| spellingShingle | Hao Gong Hao Gong Zhiwei Zeng Léa Tessier Leno Guzman Zihao Yuan Shuai Li Wenhan Zheng Ying Chen Long Qi Survival on land: A dark-grown seedling searching for path Frontiers in Plant Science seedling path shape growth medium resistance pore |
| title | Survival on land: A dark-grown seedling searching for path |
| title_full | Survival on land: A dark-grown seedling searching for path |
| title_fullStr | Survival on land: A dark-grown seedling searching for path |
| title_full_unstemmed | Survival on land: A dark-grown seedling searching for path |
| title_short | Survival on land: A dark-grown seedling searching for path |
| title_sort | survival on land a dark grown seedling searching for path |
| topic | seedling path shape growth medium resistance pore |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2023.1110521/full |
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