title: Characterization of Pearl Millet Root Architecture and Anatomy Reveals Three Types of Lateral Roots.
abstract: Pearl millet plays an important role for food security in arid regions of Africa and India. Nevertheless, it is considered an orphan crop as it lags far behind other cereals in terms of genetic improvement efforts. Breeding pearl millet varieties with improved root traits promises to deliver benefits in water and nutrient acquisition. Here, we characterize early pearl millet root system development using several different root phenotyping approaches that include rhizotrons and microCT. We report that early stage pearl millet root system development is characterized by a fast growing primary root that quickly colonizes deeper soil horizons. We also describe root anatomical studies that revealed three distinct types of lateral roots that form on both primary roots and crown roots. Finally, we detected significant variation for two root architectural traits, primary root lenght and lateral root density, in pearl millet inbred lines. This study provides the basis for subsequent genetic experiments to identify loci associated with interesting early root development traits in this important cereal.
authors.affiliation: UMR DIADE, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, MontpellierFrance; UMR AGAP, Centre International de Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement-Virtual Plants, Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique, MontpellierFrance.
authors.forename: Sixtine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Passot
authors.affiliation: UMR DIADE, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier France.
authors.forename: Fatoumata
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gnacko
authors.affiliation: UMR DIADE, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, MontpellierFrance; Laboratoire Mixte International Adaptation des Plantes et Microorganismes Associés aux Stress Environnementaux, DakarSénégal.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moukouanga
authors.affiliation: UMR DIADE, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, MontpellierFrance; Laboratoire Mixte International Adaptation des Plantes et Microorganismes Associés aux Stress Environnementaux, DakarSénégal; Laboratoire Commun de Microbiologie IRD/ISRA/UCAD, DakarSénégal.
authors.forename: Mikaël
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.affiliation: UMR DIADE, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier France.
authors.forename: Soazig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guyomarc'h
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Ecophysiologie des Plantes sous Stress Environnementaux (UMR LEPSE, INRA-Supagro), Montpellier France.
authors.forename: Beatriz Moreno
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.affiliation: Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Mixte International Adaptation des Plantes et Microorganismes Associés aux Stress Environnementaux, DakarSénégal; Centre d'Etude Régional pour l'Amélioration de l'Adaptation à la Sécheresse, Institut Sénégalais des Recherches Agricoles, ThièsSénégal.
authors.forename: Marème N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Belko
authors.affiliation: Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington UK.
authors.forename: Malcolm J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.affiliation: UMR DIADE, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier France.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gantet
authors.affiliation: Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington UK.
authors.forename: Darren M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.affiliation: UMR AGAP, Centre International de Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement-Virtual Plants, Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique, Montpellier France.
authors.forename: Yann
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guédon
authors.affiliation: UMR DIADE, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, MontpellierFrance; Laboratoire Mixte International Adaptation des Plantes et Microorganismes Associés aux Stress Environnementaux, DakarSénégal.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vigouroux
authors.affiliation: Plateforme PHIV, UMR AGAP, Centre International de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement, Montpellier France.
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Verdeil
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Ecophysiologie des Plantes sous Stress Environnementaux (UMR LEPSE, INRA-Supagro), Montpellier France.
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.affiliation: UMR DIADE, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, MontpellierFrance; Laboratoire Mixte International Adaptation des Plantes et Microorganismes Associés aux Stress Environnementaux, DakarSénégal; Laboratoire Commun de Microbiologie IRD/ISRA/UCAD, DakarSénégal.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Laplaze
keywords: breeding; lateral root; metaxylem; root architecture; root growth