Knowledge, Information and Experience
The first root that comes from a plant is called the radical. A root’s four major functions are absorption of water and inorganic nutrients, anchoring of plants and storage of foods and nutrients, vegetative reproduction and competition with other plants.
The Anatomy of Roots:
The most striking characteristic of roots that makes it distinguishable from other plant organs such as stem-branches and leaves is that roots have an endogenous origin. This means that it originates and develops from an inner layer of the mother axis such as pericycle. Whereas stems, branches and leaves are exogenous. This means they start to develop from cortex, an outer layer.
The Architecture of roots :. In its simplest format, the root architecture refers to the spatial configuration of the plant’s roots system. This system can be extremely complex and is dependent upon the multiple factors such as the species of the plants itself, the composition of the soil and the availability of nutrients.
Roots architecture plays important role in providing a secure supply of nutrients and water as well as anchorage and support. The main terms used to classify the architecture of a root system are:
1.branch magnitude, the number of links, exterior or interior.
2.Topology., the pattern of branching, like herringbone (alternate lateral branching off a parent root), Dichotomous, opposite forked branches and Radial, whorls of branches around a root.
3.Link length, distance between the branches
4.Root angle, the radial angle of a lateral roots base around the parent’s roots circumference, the angle of a lateral from it’s parent root, and the angle the entire system spreads.
5.link radius, the diameter of a roof.. All components of the root architecture are regulated through a complex interaction bet between genetic response due to environmental stimuli..
The main hormones, that is the intrinsic stimuli and respective pathways responsible for root architecture development includes :
1. Auxin, that promotes root initiation, root emergence and primary root elongation.
2. Cytokines, regulating the root apical Meristem size, promoting lateral root elongation and and
3. Gibberellins, promoting crown primordial and elongation. 5. Ethylene, promoting crown root formation.
