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The effect of root exudates on root architecture in Arabidopsis thaliana

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Abstract

Root architecture is of key importance for plant nutrition and performance. It is known that root architecture is determined by genetics and environmental conditions. The aim of the present study was to evaluate if root exudation within a given plant has a role in the development of root architecture. We conducted a series of experiments using Arabidopsis thaliana Ler and Col grown with and without activated charcoal (AC). The addition of AC lowered the concentration of secondary metabolites in the growth media by more than 90%. Our results consistently showed that the addition of AC significantly decreased the number of lateral roots (38% in Ler and 27% in Col), but this decrease was compensated by an increase in the root length per unit of lateral root (83% in Ler and 96% in Col). This compensation resulted in a non-significant effect of AC on the total length of lateral roots. The effects of AC on root architecture were partially or totally reverted by the differential supplementation of root exudates from other plants of the same ecotype. Our results indicate a direct role of secondary metabolites present in the root exudates in the development of root architecture.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants from ANPCYT and CONICET to GR, and a grant from National Science Foundation to JMV (MCB-0950857). We thank Dr. Javier Botto and colleagues at CSU who contributed initial ideas towards the development of this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UBA Facultad de Agronomía, INBA CONICET, Av. San Martín 4453, C1417DSE, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    María M. Caffaro, Flavio H. Gutierrez Boem & Gerardo Rubio

  2. Center for Rhizosphere Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523–1173, USA

    Jorge M. Vivanco

Authors
  1. María M. Caffaro
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  2. Jorge M. Vivanco
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  3. Flavio H. Gutierrez Boem
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  4. Gerardo Rubio
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gerardo Rubio.

Electronic supplementary material

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Online Resource 1

F values, significance levels (between brackets) and LSD mean comparisons for data collected in Experiment 2. Factors were ecotype (A. thaliana ecotypes Ler and Col) and AC [control (−AC) and 5 g L−1 AC added to the growth media (+AC)] (PDF 32 kb)

Online Resource 2

F values, significance levels (between brackets) and LSD mean comparisons for data collected in Experiment 3. Factors were addition of exudates from 0, 3, 6 and 12 plants of A. thaliana ecotype Col and AC [control (−AC) and 5 g L−1 AC added to the growth media (+AC)]. (PDF 31 kb)

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Caffaro, M.M., Vivanco, J.M., Gutierrez Boem, F.H. et al. The effect of root exudates on root architecture in Arabidopsis thaliana . Plant Growth Regul 64, 241–249 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-011-9564-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-011-9564-3

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