ibclogo XVI International Botanical Congess


Abstract Number: 5518
Poster No. = 470


GROWTH OF ARABIDOPSIS SEEDLINGS UNDER LOW WATER AVAILABILITY ON AN AGAR SUBSTRATE


C. M. van der Weele, W. G. Spollen, R. E. Sharp, T. I. Baskin, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA


When water is scarce, plants adapt to survive by continued root growth and modified root morphology. We plan to study the control of these responses in Arabidopsis thaliana, to take advantage of the vast molecular and genetic tools available with this model plant. We developed a system to grow seedlings at constant and reproducible low water potentials on agar-solidified nutrient solution by adding high molecular weight polyethylene glycol. Under severe stress, root growth continued whereas shoot growth was completely inhibited. Moderate stress enhanced root system dry weight, lateral root development and primary root elongation relative to well-watered controls. The faster elongating roots had an increased root volume, and anatomical analysis showed that not only cell expansion but also cell production increased.


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