Maire Holz

Mucilage exudation facilitates root water uptake in dry soils

As plant roots take up water and the soil dries, water depletion is expected to occur in the rhizosphere. However, recent experiments showed that the rhizosphere was wetter than the bulk soil during root water uptake. We hypothesise that the increased water content in the rhizosphere was caused by mucilage exuded by roots. It is probably that the higher water content in the rhizosphere results in higher hydraulic conductivity of the root-soil interface. In this case, mucilage exudation would favour the uptake of water in dry soils. To test this hypothesis, we covered a suction cup, referred to as an artificial root, with mucilage. We placed it in soil with a water content of 0.03cm3cm-3, and used the root pressure probe technique to measure the hydraulic conductivity of the root-soil continuum. The results were compared with measurements with roots not covered with mucilage. The root pressure relaxation curves were fitted with a model of root water uptake including rhizosphere dynamics. The results demonstrated that when mucilage is added to the root surface, it keeps the soil near the roots wet and hydraulically well conductive, facilitating the water flow from dry soils towards the root surface. Mucilage exudation seems to be an optimal plant trait that favours the capture of water when water is scarce.

Rhizodeposition under drought is controlled by root growth rate and rhizosphere water content

AimsRhizodeposition is an important energy source for soil microorganisms. It is therefore crucial to estimate the distribution of root derived carbon (C) in soil and how it changes with soil water content.MethodsWe tested how drought affects exudate distribution in the rhizosphere by coupling 14CO2 labelling of plants and phosphor imaging to estimate C allocation in roots. Rhizosphere water content was visualized by neutron radiography. A numerical model was employed to predict the exudate release and its spatiotemporal distribution along and around growing roots.ResultsDry and wet plants allocated similar amounts of 14C into roots but root elongation decreased by 48% in dry soil leading to reduced longitudinal rhizosphere extension. Rhizosphere water content was identical (31%) independent of drought, presumably because of the high water retention by mucilage. The model predicted that the increase in rhizosphere water content will enhance diffusion of exudates especially in dry soil and increase their microbial decomposition.ConclusionRoot growth and rhizosphere water content play an important role in C release by roots and in shaping the profiles of root exudates in the rhizosphere. The release of mucilage may be a plant strategy to maintain fast diffusion of exudates and high microbial activity even under water limitation.