Evaluation of agar and agarose gels for studying mechanical impedance in rice roots |
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Authors: | Clark LJ Whalley WR Leigh RA Dexter AR Barraclough PB |
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Institution: | (1) Biochemistry and Physiology Department, IACR-Rothamsted, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, UK;(2) Silsoe Research Institute, Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedford, MK45 4HS, UK;(3) Crop and Disease Management Department, IACR-Rothamsted, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, UK;(4) Present address: Silsoe Research Institute, Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedford, MK45 4HS, UK. FAX No.;(5) Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK;(6) Present address: Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation (IUNG), 24-100 Pulawy, Poland |
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Abstract: | Agar and agarose gels were evaluated as systems to mechanically impede roots of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Two-layer gels were used so that seedlings established in a layer of weak gel (0.35% weight/volume) and then grew downwards
to encounter a treatment gel of up to 5.0% (w/v). Agarose gels were stronger than agar gels of the same concentration, reaching
a maximum penetrometer resistance of 1.2 MPa at a concentration of 5.0%, compared to 0.3 MPa with agar. The 5.0% agar gel
stimulated elongation of the seminal axis by 40% in seedlings of variety TN1 (compared with elongation in the 0.2% gel), but
decreased it by 15% in the variety Lac 23. Although increasing agarose concentration decreased seminal axis elongation in
both varieties, the seminal axis did not reach the lower layer of treatment gel when the concentration of the treatment gel
was greater than 2.0%. The decreased root elongation was therefore a non-mechanical inhibition. In experiments conducted using
a different batch of agarose, these inhibitory effects were not seen and strong agarose gels stimulated seminal axis elongation.
It was concluded that the agar and agarose gel systems studied were unsuitable for studying the effect of mechanical impedance
on the elongation of rice roots and that great care should be taken in interpreting the results of experiments using gels
as a growth medium.
This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. |
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Keywords: | agar agarose gels mechanical impedance Oryza sativa rice |
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