A study of the role of root morphological traits in growth of barley in zinc-deficient soil

This study examined the role of root morphological traits in barley growth under zinc-deficient conditions. It compared wild-type barley (Pallas) with a root-hairless mutant (brb) in both soil and solution cultures. In soil, Pallas showed superior growth and zinc uptake compared to brb, attributed to its greater root surface area due to the presence of root hairs. Both genotypes developed longer roots under zinc deficiency, but root hair development was unaffected by zinc status. In solution culture, no significant differences were observed between the genotypes, although both developed longer, thinner roots with less root hair growth than in soil. The findings suggested that root hairs in Pallas played a crucial role in its better performance in zinc-deficient soil.