Abstract
The use of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seeds as functional food is increasing worldwide and research on plant traits is important as the crop spreads. The seedling stage has been identified as crucial for establishment, survival, and competition with weeds but information on chia at this stage is scanty, especially regarding root traits. In this study, 8 genotypes of chia: 4 populations (Australia, Mexico, Peru, Basilicata) and 4 breeding lines (G3, G8, G17, WS) were evaluated under controlled conditions at two early stages (six leaves, S-6; ten leaves, S-10) with the aim to assess growth characteristics and variability in root morphological traits. The shoot height and dry matter were measured together with the following root traits: dry matter and architectural parameters characterized through image analysis of root scans: length, surface, average diameter, tips, forks and crossings. Plants showed a greater phenotypic variation at S-6 than at S-10 (average CV = 40% and 22%, respectively). A high variability was recorded for root biomass, root volume, number of forks and crossings (average CV = 54, 40, 44 and 48%, respectively), while root diameter showed lower variability (average CV = 10%). Four principal components explained more than 97% of the total variance and root length, surface area, volume and average diameter contributed mainly to the variability. Cluster analysis showed that genotypes were very different for morphological root traits. Australia and G8 had the most developed root system with longer and coarser roots. Our results could be used in a breeding program for new cultivars with a more vigorous seedling.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amato M, Caruso MC, Guzzo F, Galgano F, Commisso M, Bochicchio R, Rosanna L, Favati F (2015) Nutritional quality of seeds and leaf metabolites of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) from Southern Italy. Eur Food Res Technol 241(5):615–625. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-015-2488-9
Bochicchio R, Rossi R, Labella R, Bitella G, Perniola M, Amato M (2015) Effect of sowing density and nitrogen top-dress fertilisation on growth and yield of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) in a Mediterranean environment: first results. Ital J Agron 10(3):163–166. https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2015.640
Brandán JP, Curti RN, Acreche MM (2019) Phenological growth stages in chia (Salvia hispanica L.) according to the BBCH scale. Sci Hort 255:292–297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2019.05.043
Canales FJ, Nagel KA, Müller C, Rispail N, Prats E (2019) Deciphering root architectural traits involved to cope with water deficit in oat. Front Plant Sci 10:1558. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01558
Coates W (2011) Whole and ground chia (Salvia hispanica L.) Seeds, chia oil—effects on plasma lipids and fatty acids. In: Patel VR, Preedy RR, Watson VB (ed) Nuts and seeds in health and disease prevention. Academic, San Diego, pp 309–314. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-375688-6.10037-4
Comas LH, Becker SR, Cruz VMV, Byrne PF, Dierig DA (2013) Root traits contributing to plant productivity under drought. Front Plant Sci 4:442. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2013.00442
Correa J, Postma JA, Watt M, Wojciechowski T (2019) Root system architectural plasticity and soil compaction: a review. J Exp Bot 70(21):6019–6034. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erz383
de Graaff M-A, Six J, Jastrow JD, Schadt CW, Wullschleger SD (2013) Variation in root architecture among switchgrass cultivars impacts root decomposition rates. Soil Biol Biochem 58:198–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2012.11.015
Dunbabin VM, Postma JA, Schnepf A, Pagès L, Javaux M, Wu L, Leitner D, Chen YL, Rengel Z, Diggle AJ (2013) Modelling root–soil interactions using three–dimensional models of root growth, architecture and function. Plant Soil 372:93–124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-013-1769-y
Elshafie HS, Aliberti L, Amato M, De Feo V, Camele I (2018) Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) essential oil. Eur Food Res Technol 244(9):1675–1682. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-018-3080-x
Finch-Savage WE, Bassel GW (2015) Seed vigour and crop establishment: extending performance beyond adaptation. J Exp Bot 67(3):567–591. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erv490
Fitter A (2002) Characteristics and functions of root systems. In: Waisel Y, Eshel A, Kafkafi U (ed) The hidden half, 3rd edn. Dekker M, New York, pp 15–32. https://doi.org/10.1201/9780203909423.ch2
Flores F, Gutierrez JC, Lopez J, Moreno MT, Cubero JI (1997) Multivariate analysis approach to evaluate a germplasm collection of Hedysarum coronarium L. Genet Resour Crop Evol 44:545–555
Gregory PJ (2006) Plant roots: growth, activity and interactions with soils. Blackwell, Oxford
Grimes SJ, Phillips TD, Hahn V, Capezzone F, Graeff-Hönninger S (2018) Growth, yield performance and quality parameters of three early flowering chia (Salvia hispanica L.) genotypes cultivated in Southwestern Germany. Agriculture 8(10):154. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture8100154
Hanslin HM, Bischoff A, Hovstad KA (2019) Root growth plasticity to drought in seedlings of perennial grasses. Plant Soil 440(1–2):551–568. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-04117-7
Hernández EI, Vilagrosa A, Pausas JG, Bellot J (2010) Morphological traits and water use strategies in seedlings of Mediterranean coexisting species. Plant Ecol 207:233–244. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-009-9668-2
Hossain MK, Jena KK, Bhuiyan MA, Wickneswari R (2016) Association between QTLs and morphological traits toward sheath blight resistance in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Breed Sci 66(4):613–626. https://doi.org/10.1270/jsbbs.15154
Hunt R, Causton DR, Shipley B, Askew AP (2002) A modern tool for classical plant growth analysis. Ann Bot 90:485–488. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcf214
Iannucci A, Marone D, Russo MA, De Vita P, Miullo V, Ferragonio P, Blanco A, Gadaleta A, Mastrangelo AM (2017) Mapping QTL for root and shoot morphological traits in a durum wheat × T. dicoccum segregating population at seedling stage. Int J Genom 2017:6876393. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/6876393
Jamboonsri W, Phillips TD, Geneve RL, Cahill JP, Hildebrand DF (2012) Extending the range of an ancient crop, Salvia hispanica L.—a new ω3 source. Genet Resour Crop Evol 59:171–178. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-011-9673-x
Judd L, Jackson B, Fonteno W (2015) Advancements in root growth measurement technologies and observation capabilities for container-grown plants. Plants 4(3):369–392. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants4030369
Lilley JM, Kirkegaard JA (2011) Benefits of increased soil exploration by wheat roots. Field Crops Res 122(2):118–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2011.03.010
Mašková T, Herben T (2018) Root:shoot ratio in developing seedlings: how seedlings change their allocation in response to seed mass and ambient nutrient supply. Ecol Evol 8(14):7143–7150. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4238
Mašková T, Weiser M (2019) The roles of interspecific variability in seed mass and soil resource availability in root system development. Plant Soil 435:395–406. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-018-3896-y
McCormack ML, Dickie IA, Eissenstat DM, Fahey TJ, Fernandez CW, Guo D, Helmisaari H-S, Hobbie EA, Iversen CM, Jackson RB, Leppalammi-Kujansuu J, Norby RJ, Phillips RP, Pregitzer KS, Pritchard SG, Rewald B, Zadworny M (2015) Redefining fine roots improves understanding of below-ground contributions to terrestrial biosphere processes. New Phytol 207(3):505–518. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.13363
Mielke MS, Schaffer B (2010) Photosynthetic and growth responses of Eugenia uniflora L. seedlings to soil flooding and light intensity. Environ Exp Bot 68(2):113–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2009.11.007
Moles AT, Westoby M (2004) Seedling survival and seed size: a synthesis of the literature. J Ecol 92(3):372–383. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-0477.2004.00884.x
Moreau D, Abiven F, Busset H, Matejicek A, Pagès L (2017) Effects of species and soil-nitrogen availability on root system architecture traits—study on a set of weed and crop species. Ann Appl Biol 171(1):103–116. https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.12355
Muñoz L, Cobos A, Díaz O, Aguilera J (2013) Chia seed (Salvia hispanica): an ancient grain and a new functional food. Food Rev Int 29(4):394–408. https://doi.org/10.1080/87559129.2013.818014
Paul MJ, Foyer CH (2001) Sink regulation of photosynthesis. J Exp Bot 52(360):1383–1400. https://doi.org/10.1093/jexbot/52.360.1383
Richards RA, Watt M, Rebetzke GJ (2007) Physiological traits and cereal germplasm for sustainable agricultural systems. Euphytica 154(3):409–425. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-006-9286-1
Sneath PHA, Sokal RR (1973) Numerical taxonomy: the principles and practice of numerical classification. Freeman and Co., New York
Souza RS, Chaves LHG (2017) Initial growth of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) submitted to nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilization. Aust J Crop Sci 11:610–615. https://doi.org/10.21475/ajcs.17.11.05.p442
Szoboszlay M, Lambers J, Chappell J, Kupper JV, Moe LA, McNear DH (2015) Comparison of root system architecture and rhizosphere microbial communities of Balsas teosinte and domesticated corn cultivars. Soil Biol Biochem 80:34–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2014.09.001
Tuberosa R, Salvi S, Sanguineti MC, Landi P, Maccaferri M, Conti S (2002) Mapping QTLs regulating morpho-physiological traits and yield: case studies, shortcomings and perspectives in drought-stressed maize. Ann Bot 89(7):941–963. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcf134
Thelen KD (2006) Interaction between row spacing and yield: why it works. Crop Manag. https://doi.org/10.1094/cm-2006-0227-03-rv
Thivierge M-N, Angers DA, Chantigny MH, Seguin P, Vanasse A (2016) Root traits and carbon input in field-grown sweet pearl millet, sweet sorghum, and grain corn. Agron J 108(1):459. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2015.0291
Tracy SR, Nagel KA, Postma JA, Fassbender H, Wasson A, Watt M (2019) Crop improvement from phenotyping roots: highlights reveal expanding opportunities. Trends Plant Sci. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2019.10.015
Wasson A, Richards R, Chatrath R, Misra S, Prasad SS, Rebetzke G, Kirkegaard J, Christopher J, Watt M (2012) Traits and selection strategies to improve root systems and water uptake in water-limited wheat crops. J Exp Bot 63:3485–3498. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/ers111
Wendling M, Büchi L, Amossé C, Sinaj S, Walter A, Charles R (2016) Influence of root and leaf traits on the uptake of nutrients in cover crops. Plant Soil 409(1–2):419–434. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-2974-2
Wilson RF, Hildebrand DF (2010) Plant biotechnology for sustainable production of energy and co-products. In: Mascia PN, Scheffran J, Widholm JM (ed) Biotechnology in agriculture and forestry, Springer, Heidelberg, pp 234–235 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-13440-1
Zhao J, Bodner G, Rewald B, Leitner D, Nagel KA, Nakhforoosh A (2017) Root architecture simulation improves the inference from seedling root phenotyping towards mature root systems. J Exp Bot 68(5):965–982. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erw494
Acknowledgements
We thank Mr. Vito Miullo for his technical assistance. The mutant chia lines were kindly provided by the University of Kentucky (U.S.A.) through a memorandum of understanding with the University of Basilicata (Italy).
Funding
This work was supported by the project “Approcci innovativi per il miglioramento delle performances ambientali e produttive dei sistemi cerealicoli no-Tillage - BIO-TILLAGE”, PSR Regione Basilicata (Italy) 2007–2013 mis. 124 Codice CUP C32I14000080006.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
AI conceived, designed the experiment, analyzed the data and wrote the paper; MA reviewed the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Iannucci, A., Amato, M. Root morphology and shoot growth in seedlings of chia (Salvia hispanica L.). Genet Resour Crop Evol 68, 3205–3217 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-021-01181-w
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-021-01181-w