Novel insights into the genomics of rice root adaptive development
This work is conducted under the federative institutional project Oryzon and in the framework of the EMBRAPA Agropolis LABEX. BOYSCAT support from the Ministry of Science and Technology, India, to PKP is gratefully acknowledged. We also appreciate the support of the Generation Challenge Program.
Deciphering the genetic and molecular mechanisms controlling the development of the root system and its adaptive plasticity under adverse environments is of primary importance for the sustainable establishment of the rice crop. Rice displays a complex root structure comprising several root types mostly of postembryonic origin. The large natural variation in root architecture among cultivars reflects their adaptation to contrasting agro-environmental conditions. This article reviews the current knowledge on the organization and anatomy of the various types of roots of the fibrous root system of rice, the diversity and genetic basis of natural variation of root system architecture and performance, and the molecular mechanisms underlying constitutive and adaptive root development. This paper also throws light on how the integrated approach of new tools in high-resolution microscopy imaging, expression profiling, mutant screening, and reverse genetics could facilitate the rapid discovery and analysis of the key genes and regulatory networks involved in root architectural traits affecting plant performance under field conditions.
