A mechanical theory of competition between plant root growth and soil pressure reveals a potential mechanism of root penetration
Abstract Root penetration into the soil is essential for plants to access water and nutrients, as well as to mechanically support aboveground structures. This requires a combination of healthy plant growth, adequate soil mechanical properties, and compatible plant–soil interactions. Despite the curr...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-34025-x |
| _version_ | 1797827583714263040 |
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| author | Haruka Tomobe Satoru Tsugawa Yuki Yoshida Tetsuya Arita Allen Yi-Lun Tsai Minoru Kubo Taku Demura Shinichiro Sawa |
| author_facet | Haruka Tomobe Satoru Tsugawa Yuki Yoshida Tetsuya Arita Allen Yi-Lun Tsai Minoru Kubo Taku Demura Shinichiro Sawa |
| author_sort | Haruka Tomobe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Root penetration into the soil is essential for plants to access water and nutrients, as well as to mechanically support aboveground structures. This requires a combination of healthy plant growth, adequate soil mechanical properties, and compatible plant–soil interactions. Despite the current knowledge of the static rheology driving the interactions at the root–soil interface, few theoretical approaches have attempted to describe root penetration with dynamic rheology. In this work, we experimentally showed that radish roots in contact with soil of specific density during a specific growth stage fail to penetrate the soil. To explore the mechanism of root penetration into the soil, we constructed a theoretical model to explore the relevant conditions amenable to root entry into the soil. The theory indicates that dimensionless parameters such as root growth anisotropy, static root–soil competition, and dynamic root–soil competition are important for root penetration. The consequent theoretical expectations were supported by finite element analysis, and a potential mechanism of root penetration into the soil is discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T12:50:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-92757b03d15d4ca094fe83977e66167b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T12:50:39Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-92757b03d15d4ca094fe83977e66167b2023-05-14T11:13:09ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-05-0113111210.1038/s41598-023-34025-xA mechanical theory of competition between plant root growth and soil pressure reveals a potential mechanism of root penetrationHaruka Tomobe0Satoru Tsugawa1Yuki Yoshida2Tetsuya Arita3Allen Yi-Lun Tsai4Minoru Kubo5Taku Demura6Shinichiro Sawa7Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tokyo Institute of TechnologyFaculty of Systems Science and Technology, Akita Prefectural UniversityInternational Research Center for Agricultural and Environmental Biology (IRCAEB), Kumamoto UniversityInternational Research Center for Agricultural and Environmental Biology (IRCAEB), Kumamoto UniversityInternational Research Center for Agricultural and Environmental Biology (IRCAEB), Kumamoto UniversityCenter for Digital Green-innovation, Nara Institute of Science and TechnologyCenter for Digital Green-innovation, Nara Institute of Science and TechnologyInternational Research Center for Agricultural and Environmental Biology (IRCAEB), Kumamoto UniversityAbstract Root penetration into the soil is essential for plants to access water and nutrients, as well as to mechanically support aboveground structures. This requires a combination of healthy plant growth, adequate soil mechanical properties, and compatible plant–soil interactions. Despite the current knowledge of the static rheology driving the interactions at the root–soil interface, few theoretical approaches have attempted to describe root penetration with dynamic rheology. In this work, we experimentally showed that radish roots in contact with soil of specific density during a specific growth stage fail to penetrate the soil. To explore the mechanism of root penetration into the soil, we constructed a theoretical model to explore the relevant conditions amenable to root entry into the soil. The theory indicates that dimensionless parameters such as root growth anisotropy, static root–soil competition, and dynamic root–soil competition are important for root penetration. The consequent theoretical expectations were supported by finite element analysis, and a potential mechanism of root penetration into the soil is discussed.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-34025-x |
| spellingShingle | Haruka Tomobe Satoru Tsugawa Yuki Yoshida Tetsuya Arita Allen Yi-Lun Tsai Minoru Kubo Taku Demura Shinichiro Sawa A mechanical theory of competition between plant root growth and soil pressure reveals a potential mechanism of root penetration Scientific Reports |
| title | A mechanical theory of competition between plant root growth and soil pressure reveals a potential mechanism of root penetration |
| title_full | A mechanical theory of competition between plant root growth and soil pressure reveals a potential mechanism of root penetration |
| title_fullStr | A mechanical theory of competition between plant root growth and soil pressure reveals a potential mechanism of root penetration |
| title_full_unstemmed | A mechanical theory of competition between plant root growth and soil pressure reveals a potential mechanism of root penetration |
| title_short | A mechanical theory of competition between plant root growth and soil pressure reveals a potential mechanism of root penetration |
| title_sort | mechanical theory of competition between plant root growth and soil pressure reveals a potential mechanism of root penetration |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-34025-x |
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