Root-Specific Reduction of Cytokinin Causes Enhanced Root Growth, Drought Tolerance, and Leaf Mineral Enrichment in Arabidopsis and Tobacco

0370793 - ÚEB 2012 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Werner, T. - Nehnevajova, E. - Koellmer, I. - Novák, Ondřej - Strnad, Miroslav - Kraemer, U. - Schmülling, T.
Root-Specific Reduction of Cytokinin Causes Enhanced Root Growth, Drought Tolerance, and Leaf Mineral Enrichment in Arabidopsis and Tobacco.
Plant Cell. Roč. 22, č. 12 (2010), s. 3905-3920. ISSN 1040-4651. E-ISSN 1532-298X
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511
Keywords : ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE PATHWAYS * PLANT PRODUCTIVITY * GRAIN-YIELD
Subject RIV: EF - Botanics
Impact factor: 9.396, year: 2010

Optimizing root system architecture can overcome yield limitations in crop plants caused by water or nutrient shortages. Classic breeding approaches are difficult because the trait is governed by many genes and is difficult to score. We generated transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants with enhanced root-specific degradation of the hormone cytokinin, a negative regulator of root growth. These transgenic plants form a larger root system, whereas growth and development of the shoot are similar. Elongation of the primary root, root branching, and root biomass formation were increased by up to 60% in transgenic lines, increasing the root-to-shoot ratio. We thus demonstrated that a single dominant gene could regulate a complex trait, root growth. Moreover, we showed that cytokinin regulates root growth in a largely organ-autonomous fashion that is consistent with its dual role as a hormone with both paracrine and long-distance activities.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0204486