Hydrosensing has published a new article “Moisture-responsive root-branching pathways identified in diverse maize breeding germplasm” in Science.
In a heterogeneous soil landscape, plant root systems must locate water. Scharwies et al. found that some maize varieties produce lateral roots at locations where water is limited, whereas others more efficiently direct growth toward water. Uncovering the genetic basis for this trait variance, the authors found that auxin, ethylene, and an arabinogalactan protein work together to encourage lateral root development where water is present while suppressing lateral roots from forming on drier parts of the root. Variation in genes underlying these components leads to variation in root hydropatterning, potentially affecting the success of some maize varieties in drier environments. —Madeleine Seale
Full reference: Scharwies, J. D., Clarke, T., Zheng, Z., Dinneny, A., Birkeland, S., Veltman, M. A., … & Dinneny, J. R. (2025). Moisture-responsive root-branching pathways identified in diverse maize breeding germplasm. Science, 387(6734), 666-673.
