Responses of key root traits in the genus Oryza to soil flooding mimicked by stagnant, deoxygenated nutrient solution

Excess water can induce flooding stress resulting in yield loss, even in wetland crops such as rice (Oryza). However, traits from species of wild Oryza have already been used to improve tolerance to abiotic stress in cultivated rice. This study aimed to establish root responses to sudden soil flooding among eight wild relatives of rice with different habitat preferences benchmarked against three genotypes of O. sativa. Plants were raised hydroponically, mimicking drained or flooded soils, to assess the plasticity of adventitious roots. Traits included were apparent permeance (P-A) to O-2 of the outer part of the roots, radial water loss, tissue porosity, apoplastic barriers in the exodermis, and root anatomical traits. These were analysed using a plasticity index and hierarchical clustering based on principal component analysis. For example, O. brachyantha, a wetland species, possessed very low tissue porosity compared with other wetland species, whereas dryland species O. latifolia and O. granulata exhibited significantly lower plasticity compared with wetland species and clustered in their own group. Most species clustered according to growing conditions based on P-A, radial water loss, root porosity, and key anatomical traits, indicating strong anatomical and physiological responses to sudden soil flooding. Soil flooding resulted in strong acclimation in key root traits for three cultivars and six wild species of rice, while two dryland species showed little plasticity in root traits.

Automated summary

Excess water can cause flooding stress and yield loss in wetland crops like rice. However, traits from wild Oryza species have been used to improve stress tolerance in cultivated rice. This study investigated the response of root traits to sudden soil flooding in several wild rice species and cultivated rice genotypes. The results showed that different species exhibited varying levels of plasticity in root traits, indicating strong anatomical and physiological responses to soil flooding.