title: Systems approaches to study root architecture dynamics.
abstract: The plant root system is essential for providing anchorage to the soil, supplying minerals and water, and synthesizing metabolites. It is a dynamic organ modulated by external cues such as environmental signals, water and nutrients availability, salinity and others. Lateral roots (LRs) are initiated from the primary root post-embryonically, after which they progress through discrete developmental stages which can be independently controlled, providing a high level of plasticity during root system formation. Within this review, main contributions are presented, from the classical forward genetic screens to the more recent high-throughput approaches, combined with computer model predictions, dissecting how LRs and thereby root system architecture is established and developed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Science and Technology Austria Klosterneuburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Candela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cuesta
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) and Department of Plant Biotechnology and Genetics, Ghent University Technologiepark, Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wabnik
authors.affiliation: Institute of Science and Technology Austria Klosterneuburg, Austria ; Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Benková
keywords: genetic screening; genomics studies; lateral root; root system; systems approach; transcript profiling