Root Conductance, Root-soil Interface Water Potential, Water and Ion Channel Function, and Tissue Expression Profile as Affected by Environmental Conditions
Authors: Shani Uri , Dudley Lynn , Ben-Gal Alon , Moshelion Menachem , Wu Yajun 
Published: January 2022

Constraints on water resources and the environment necessitate more efficient use of water. The key to efficient management is an understanding of the physical and physiological processes occurring in the soil-root hydraulic continuum.While both soil and plant leaf water potentials are well understood, modeled and measured, the root-soil interface where actual uptake processes occur has not been sufficiently studied. The water potential at the root-soil interface (yᵣₒₒₜ), determined by environmental conditions and by soil and plant hydraulic properties, serves as a boundary value in soil and plant uptake equations. In this work, we propose to 1) refine and implement a method for measuring yᵣₒₒₜ; 2) measure yᵣₒₒₜ, water uptake and root hydraulic conductivity for wild type tomato and Arabidopsis under varied q, K⁺, Na⁺ and Cl⁻ levels in the root zone; 3) verify the role of MIPs and ion channels response to q, K⁺ and Na⁺ levels in Arabidopsis and tomato; 4) study the relationships between yᵣₒₒₜ and root hydraulic conductivity for various crops representing important botanical and agricultural species, under conditions of varying soil types, water contents and salinity; and 5) integrate the above to water uptake term(s) to be implemented in models. We have made significant progress toward establishing the efficacy of the emittensiometer and on the molecular biology studies. We have added an additional method for measuring ψᵣₒₒₜ. High-frequency water application through the water source while the plant emerges and becomes established encourages roots to develop towards and into the water source itself. The yᵣₒₒₜ and yₛₒᵢₗ values reflected wetting and drying processes in the rhizosphere and in the bulk soil. Thus, yᵣₒₒₜ can be manipulated by changing irrigation level and frequency. An important and surprising finding resulting from the current research is the obtained yᵣₒₒₜ value. The yᵣₒₒₜ measured using the three different methods: emittensiometer, micro-tensiometer and MRI imaging in both sunflower, tomato and corn plants fell in the same range and were higher by one to three orders of magnitude from the values of -600 to -15,000 cm suggested in the literature. We have added additional information on the regulation of aquaporins and transporters at the transcript and protein levels, particularly under stress. Our preliminary results show that overexpression of one aquaporin gene in tomato dramatically increases its transpiration level (unpublished results). Based on this information, we started screening mutants for other aquaporin genes. During the feasibility testing year, we identified homozygous mutants for eight aquaporin genes, including six mutants for five of the PIP2 genes. Including the homozygous mutants directly available at the ABRC seed stock center, we now have mutants for 11 of the 19 aquaporin genes of interest. Currently, we are screening mutants for other aquaporin genes and ion transporter genes. Understanding plant water uptake under stress is essential for the further advancement of molecular plant stress tolerance work as well as for efficient use of water in agriculture. Virtually all of Israel’s agriculture and about 40% of US agriculture is made possible by irrigation. Both countries face increasing risk of water shortages as urban requirements grow. Both countries will have to find methods of protecting the soil resource while conserving water resources—goals that appear to be in direct conflict. The climate-plant-soil-water system is nonlinear with many feedback mechanisms. Conceptual plant uptake and growth models and mechanism-based computer-simulation models will be valuable tools in developing irrigation regimes and methods that maximize the efficiency of agricultural water. This proposal will contribute to the development of these models by providing critical information on water extraction by the plant that will result in improved predictions of both water requirements and crop yields. Plant water use and plant response to environmental conditions cannot possibly be understood by using the tools and language of a single scientific discipline. This proposal links the disciplines of soil physics and soil physical chemistry with plant physiology and molecular biology in order to correctly treat and understand the soil-plant interface in terms of integrated comprehension. Results from the project will contribute to a mechanistic understanding of the SPAC and will inspire continued multidisciplinary research.