eprintid: 6379
rev_number: 13
eprint_status: archive
userid: 30
dir: disk0/00/00/63/79
datestamp: 2013-01-08 07:51:53
lastmod: 2014-01-10 10:27:04
status_changed: 2013-01-08 07:51:53
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
contact_email: Library-ICRISAT@cgiar.org
creators_name: Purushothaman, R
creators_name: Zaman-Allah, M
creators_name: Mallikarjuna, N
creators_name: Pannirselvam, R
creators_name: Krishnamurthy, L
creators_name: Gowda, C L L
icrisatcreators_name: Purushothaman, R
icrisatcreators_name: Zaman-Allah, M
icrisatcreators_name: Mallikarjuna, N
icrisatcreators_name: Krishnamurthy, L
icrisatcreators_name: Gowda, C L L
affiliation: ICRISAT(Patancheru)
country: India
title: Root Anatomical Traits and Their Possible Contribution to Drought Tolerance in Grain Legumes

ispublished: pub
subjects: s2.10
subjects: s2.4
full_text_status: public
note: This work was supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation through the Tropical Legumes 1 (TL1) grant.
abstract: Legumes are mostly grown rainfed and are exposed to various types of drought ranging from terminal drought to intermittent drought. The objective of this study was to compare the root anatomy of six major legume crops in relation to their drought adaptation strategies. Plants of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.), pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millsp.), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. walp.), soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were grown along with pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.) in a Vertisol field during the rainy season of 2010. Four root segments from 35-day-old plants of each crop species were collected, 10 cm from the root tip and used for making transverse sections. These root segments were thinner in both groundnut and pigeonpea than in other legumes but similar to those of pearl millet. Soybean and pigeonpea had a relatively thinner cortex than the other legumes. Xylem vessel size and the numbers were apparently the most discriminating traits of legumes. Pigeonpea is equipped to conduct small quantities of water per unit time with a few narrow xylem vessels and that explains the conservative early growth of pigeonpea. Chickpea and cowpea showed moderate xylem passage per root indicating that they are capable of absorbing water moderately and are well equipped for regular drought episodes. The development of cortical and stele tissue and their proportion is markedly influenced by moisture availability to the root system. 

date: 2013
date_type: published
publication: Plant Production Science 
volume: 16
number: 1
publisher: The Crop Science Society of Japan
pagerange: 1-8
refereed: TRUE
issn: 1349-1008
official_url: http://dx.doi.org/10.1626/pps.16.1 
related_url_url: http://scholar.google.co.in/scholar?q=allintitle%3A+%22Root+Anatomical+Traits+and+Their+Possible+Contribution+to+Drought+Tolerance+in+Grain+Legumes+%22&btnG=&hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5
related_url_type: pub
funders: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
citation:   Purushothaman, R and Zaman-Allah, M and Mallikarjuna, N and Pannirselvam, R and Krishnamurthy, L and Gowda, C L L  (2013) Root Anatomical Traits and Their Possible Contribution to Drought Tolerance in Grain Legumes.  Plant Production Science , 16 (1).  pp. 1-8.  ISSN 1349-1008     
document_url: http://oar.icrisat.org/6379/1/PPS_16_1_1-8_2013.pdf