Evolutionary history of root systems in land plants: from rhizoids to modern adaptations
By
Abdellah Lakehal1,2,4 Send email to [email protected]
Pure flour-power. Hearty enough to carry you through lunch.
Summary
This review article by Lakehal et al. traces the evolutionary history of root systems in land plants, from the first colonization of terrestrial environments ~600-450 million years ago. It covers early adaptations like rhizoids and symbiotic relationships with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and discusses key innovations in root morphology and regulatory mechanisms that enabled land plants to adapt to diverse environments. The authors argue that crop breeding programs must account for future soil and climate conditions when defining desirable root traits.
Key quotes
· 5 pulledLand plants first colonized the terrestrial environment ∼600–450 million years ago.
Fossil records reveal that early land plants first contained root-hair-like rhizoids on the lower surfaces of leafy stem-like organs in contact with their growth substrate.
Rhizoids provided limited opportunities for anchorage or foraging to capture key resources like water and nutrients.
Early land plants formed symbioses with fungi that bear a striking resemblance to those formed between modern plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.
Crop breeding programs must account for future soils and climate conditions when defining desirable root traits.
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