Devyani Goswami, Amity University Kolkata
Potassium (K) is the most abundant cellular cation, required in large amounts by plants. It serves as a regulatory role of osmotic potential in cells. K fertilization is used in alleviating the negative effects of water stress in many crops. High K level increases the root diameter and dry matter.
For the study, the researchers used NAUR-1, Oryza sativa L. variety of rice and grew them under three water stress levels, no water stress (NWS), mild water stress (MWS), severe water stress (SSW). A total of 405 root samples from 5 seedlings per treatment were analyzed at different time intervals.
The projected root area (PRA) was observed to be reduced by 51% in MWS and 66% in SWS with low K level (K-). Seedling rooting depth (RD) decreased by 28.7% (K-, MSW) and 31.1% (K-, SWS). Maximum width (MW) was reduced by 41% (K-, MWS) and 43% (K-, SWS). Narrower root top angle (RTA) was narrowed by 61.9ο (K-, SWS). Root dry weight (RDW) was reduced by 31% (Ko, MWS) and 49% (Ko, SWS). None of the criteria was affected when subjected to NWS. Although the average root density was unaffected with low or high K supply.
“Seedlings exposed to MWS and SWS with K- showed 21% and 24% lower shoot lengths as compared to those grown with normal K supply under the same water stress condition, respectively”, according to the authors. Shoot dry weight of seedlings decreased with increasing water stress.
Thus low K level can affect the root structure of the plant severely. K deficiency can be corrected by applications of KOH. Apart from this genetic makeup of the variety can also show higher resistance. “Further studies are required on the role of K in drought tolerance through root architecture modification”, concluded the authors.
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REFERENCE: Does plat root architecture respond to potassium nutrition under water stress? A case from rice seedling root responses – Dipika S. Patel, Bardhan Kirti at al. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.05.237685v2
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