Exploring the Relationship Between Rice Root Morphology and Nutrient's Uptake

Strong root system is an important factor in providing water and nutrients for plants and producing higher yield. Information on the relationship between rice root characteristics and nutrients’ uptake is scarce. To examine the differences in the root architecture of four Iranian rice cultivars (Khazar, Shirudi, Tarom and Puya) and their relation to nutrient uptake, an experiment was carried out under the greenhouse condition. The root parameters including thickness, total root length, root volume, root diameter, and the number of forks were measured. The results indicated that there was a significant difference in the length, area, volume, thickness, and the forks of the root in different rice cultivars. The highest and lowest amount of nutrients (phosphor, potassium, nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, and iron) belonged to Shirudi and Tarom cultivars, respectively. The Shirudi and Khazar cultivars with outstanding root characteristics i.e., the number of root forks and area, have a good potential for the uptake of nutrients from the soil.