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Nutrient and water transporters actively shape spatiotemporal rhizosphere organization processes in corn
Project
Project code: DFG-403625794
Contract period: 01.01.2018
- 31.12.2020
Purpose of research: Experimental development
The rhizosphere adapts permanently to changing nutrient and water availabilities to ensure nutrient and water uptake. A change in root patterning, plant tissue deformations or differentiations or metabolic alterations in response to one nutrient may have severe consequences for the uptake of other nutrients, water fluxes in the soil and into the plant, mucilage-efficiency, carbon sequestration, and the microbiome.We hypothesise that nutrient- and water transporter gene expression patterns and subsequent transporter functions are decisive factors which spatiotemporally shape the self-organization of the rhizosphere. Knowledge on holistic transporter distribution patterns will allow to understand rhizosphere response reactions and uncover underlying regulatory mechanisms.Thus, the main goal of this project is to identify and characterize mechanisms which ensure uptake of nutrients and water in a re-organizing maize rhizosphere under boron (B)-deficient conditions. In particular, we aim at exploring the unknown interplay between the soil pore structure, the root tissue structure and spatiotemporal root system architecture and key transporter gene expression patterns in rhizosphere response reactions of maize grown in B-deficient and B-sufficient growth conditions. B deficiency represents a highly suitable experimental setting to study mechanisms regulating rhizosphere response reactions due to defined effects on plant root growth and morphology.To achieve our aim, expression patterns of 14 selected key nutrient- and 12 water transporters which are transcriptionally rapidly responsive to either the B, N, P, S, Fe or Si status of roots and which are important for the uptake and distribution of the corresponding nutrients will be determined in meristematic, elongation and maturation zones of maize root systems which developed under varying B supply conditions in different soil textures. A high-throughput quantitative gene expression profiling tool to assess transporter gene expression patterns in maize roots will be developed. Expression data of wild-type plants and mutants either lacking root hairs or specific water- or B transport proteins will be causatively linked to nutrient fluxes and root structure- and architecture traits using elemental, biochemical and imaging analysis tools. X-ray CT measurements will revoke the impact of plant B deficiency responses on 3D root growth traits and on so far unexplored soil pore characteristics at the root-soil interphase being crucial for nutrient and water fluxes.In summary, this project will unravel the roles of root hairs and soil texture in the uptake and translocation of nutrients as a function of the roots’ B nutritional status. Moreover, the project will identify the role of nutrient and water transporter-encoding genes in rhizosphere re-organization processes and will uncover their interplay with the mentioned rhizosphere-modifying drivers.
Section overview
Subjects
- Plant Nutrition
- Soil science
- Climate Change
Funding programme
Excutive institution
Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK)
