Author(s): Habatamu Demelash Tamir
Globally Climate change has increased the occurrence of extreme weather patterns these days, causing significant reductions in crop production, and hence threatening food security. Plant root traits is of great agronomic importance because it is a key determinant for plant anchoring and mechanical support, propagation, storage, and water and nutrient uptake, and as the major interface between the plant and various abiotic factors. A current challenge for crop improvement is the limited ability to phenotype and select for desirable root characteristics due to their underground location. Evaluating the association root architectural traits under water deficit will provide the basis for breeding new germplasm with suitable root traits for the efficient acquisition of soil resources and adaptation to drought. We summarize root architectural traits relevant to crop cereal productivity, analysis root phenotyping approaches and describe their advantages, limitations and practical value for cereal breeding programs. In this review, I encapsulate current progress in the genetic diversity in cereal crops, Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) associated with RSA, and the importance and applications of recent discoveries associated with the beneficial root traits towards better RSA for enhanced drought tolerance and yield.
