Root plasticity improves maize nitrogen use when nitrogen is limiting : an analysis using 3D plant modelling
Plant phenotypic plasticity plays an important role in nitrogen (N) acquisition and use under nitrogen-limited conditions. However, this role has never been quantified as a function of N availability, leaving it unclear whether plastic responses should be considered as potential targets for selection. A combined modelling and experimentation approach was adopted to quantify the role of plasticity in N uptake and plant yield. Based on a greenhouse experiment we considered plasticity in two maize (Zea mays) traits: root-to-leaf biomass allocation ratio and emergence rate of axial roots. In a simulation experiment we individually enabled or disabled both plastic responses for maize stands grown across six N levels. Both plastic responses contributed to maintaining a higher N uptake, and plant productivity as N availability declined compared with stands in which plastic responses were disabled. We conclude that plastic responses quantified in this study may be a potential target trait in breeding programs for greater N uptake across N levels while it may only be important for the internal use of N under N-limited conditions in maize. Given the complexity of breeding for plastic responses, an a priori model analysis is useful to identify which plastic traits to target for enhanced plant performance.
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article/Letter to editor biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Subjects: | Functional–structural plant model, maize, phenotypic plasticity, root emergence rate, root system architecture, root-to-leaf ratio, |
| Online Access: | https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/root-plasticity-improves-maize-nitrogen-use-when-nitrogen-is-limi |
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