The root system is responsible for soil resources acquisition. Hence, optimizing crop root characteristics has considerable implications for agricultural production. This study evaluated a panel of twenty-eight European modern cultivars of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) cultivated in laboratory and field environments. Root morphology was screened using a high-throughput hydroponic growth system with two divergent nitrogen supplies. The panel showed an important diversity for biomass production and root morphological traits. Differences in root and shoot dry biomasses and lateral root length were mainly explained by the genotype, and differences in primary root length by nitrogen nutrition. The cultivars were tested in a pluriannual field trial. The field variation for yield and seed quality traits attributed to the genotype was more important than the year or the genotype × year interaction effects. The total root length measured at the seedling stage could predict the proportion of nitrogen taken up from the field and reallocated to seed organs, a component of the nitrogen use efficiency. The genetic interrelationship between cultivars, established with simple sequence repeat markers, indicated a very narrow genetic base. Positive correlations were found between the genetic distance measures, root morphological traits during nitrogen depletion and yield components. This study illustrates a root phenotyping screen in the laboratory with a proof of concept evaluation in the field. The results could assist future genetic improvements in oilseed rape for desirable root characteristics to reduce nutrient losses in the environment.

根系负责土壤资源的获取。因此，优化作物根系特征对农业生产具有重要意义。这项研究评估了一组28个欧洲现代油菜品种（甘蓝型油菜L.）在实验室和野外环境中栽培。使用具有两个不同氮供应的高通量水培生长系统筛选根系形态。该小组展示了生物量生产和根系形态特征的重要多样性。根和茎干生物量和侧根长度的差异主要由基因型解释，而初根长度的差异由氮营养解释。品种在一年一次的田间试验中进行了测试。基因型导致的产量和种子品质性状的田间变化比年份或基因型×年份的交互作用更为重要。在苗期测量的总根长可以预测从田间吸收并重新分配给种子器官的氮的比例，这是氮利用效率的一个组成部分。利用简单的序列重复标记建立的品种之间的遗传相互关系表明遗传基础非常狭窄。遗传距离测度，氮素消耗过程中根系形态特征与产量构成之间呈正相关。这项研究说明了实验室中的根表型筛选，并在现场进行了概念验证评估。这些结果可以帮助将来在油菜中进行遗传改良，以获得理想的根系特性，从而减少环境中的养分流失。这项研究说明了实验室中的根表型筛选，并在现场进行了概念验证评估。这些结果可以帮助将来在油菜中进行遗传改良，以获得理想的根系特性，从而减少环境中的养分流失。这项研究说明了实验室中的根表型筛选，并在现场进行了概念验证评估。这些结果可以帮助将来在油菜中进行遗传改良，以获得理想的根系特性，从而减少环境中的养分流失。