https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190402113106.htm

The root: a key element for the agriculture

The root, which is responsible for anchoring the plant to the soil, is an essential organ for overall plant growth and development. Roots provide the necessary structural and functional support for the incorporation of nutrients and water from the soil. Characterization of different root traits is therefore important not only for understanding organ growth, but also for evaluating the impact of roots in agriculture. At CRAG, the research group led by Ana I. Caño-Delgado studies steroid hormone signaling effects on root development, using the small model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. To do so, researchers at Caño-Delgado's laboratory must measure the root length of a large number of arabidopsis seedlings holding different genetic modifications and exposed to different conditions. Thanks to these investigations, they recently discovered how to create drought resistant plants, without affecting their growth.