In Grime’s C-S-R strategy model, plant ecological strategies vary between ruderals (R), stress-tolerators (S) and competitors (C). These variations are assumed to reflect adaptation of species to the environment, although the relationships with environmental factors such as climate remain debated. Moreover, adaptive processes such as selection and diversification need to be tested within species. Vasseur […]

Refugia are island-like habitats that are linked to long-term environmental stability and, as a result, high endemism. Conservation of refugia and endemism hotspots should be based on a deep ecological and evolutionary understanding of their functioning, which remains limited. Although functional traits can provide such insights, a corresponding, coherent framework is lacking. Keppel et al. […]

Root hairs increase the contact area of roots with soil and thereby enhance the capacity for solute uptake. The strict hair/non-hair pattern of Arabidopsis thaliana can change with nutrient deficiency or exposure to toxic elements, which modify root hair density. Kohanová et al. assess the effects of root hairs on cadmium (Cd) uptake and translocation […]

In the pantropical eudicot genus Begonia (Begoniaceae), non-contiguous clusters of helicocytic stomata develop from an inwardly spiralling series of amplifying divisions and secondary meristemoids that form within each cluster. They represent a relatively rare feature that occurs in some drought-tolerant angiosperm species. In some Begonia species with thick leaves, the stomata are not only helicocytic […]

Polarisation and asymmetrical division generating the Poaceous subsidiary cells constitutes a very attractive model for the study of local intercellular stimulation. Auxin operates as an inductive stimulus while PIN auxin carriers and reactive oxygen species seem to facilitate signal transduction. Specific cell wall components and the SCAR/WAVE complex are emerging as the earliest polarization factors […]

The production of a new lateral root from parental root primary tissues has been investigated extensively, and the most important regulatory mechanisms are now well known. A first regulatory mechanism is based on the synthesis of small peptides which interact ectopically with membrane receptors to elicit a modulation of transcription factor target genes. A second […]

As they push their way through the soil, roots are continuously exposed to mechanical pressure. This often results in their morphological modification. Most obvious are changes in the overall form of the root system as well as in the shapes of particular roots. These changes are often accompanied by modifications of the cell pattern and […]

The DER1 (deformed root hairs1) locus encodes a major vegetative actin (ACTIN2) in Arabidopsis thaliana. Mutations in DER1 lead to impaired root hair development. However, the role of this gene in overall plant development has not been defined. Using plant phenotyping, immunofluorescence localization, vital staining and live cell imaging, Vaškebová et al. characterise plant growth […]

In most plant species, initiation of lateral roots occurs above the elongation zone. However, in Cucurbitaceae it takes place in the parental root meristem. Ilina et al. investigate the first cellular events leading to lateral root initiation in Cucurbita pepo roots and the participation of auxin in this process. Fluorescent reporters under control of the […]

Mountain forests are important ecosystems subject to extreme climate conditions. Soil buffers root systems against variations in the weather, but we know little of how climate affects tree root growth and mortality. Wang et al. installed rhizotrons in mountain forests at different altitudes and measured root growth and mortality every month for 4 years. They […]

Methanol is a frequently used solvent, and a volatile organic compound (VOC) released from plant cell walls through the action of pectin methylesterases. Tran et al. show that cell wall-produced methanol is a signal in plant immunity and interplant communication. This VOC is able to effectively induce a rapid signalling process dependent on reactive oxygen […]

In mature grass leaf blades as seen in cross-section, oblong cell-like structures have been interpreted most recently as intercellular gas spaces delimited by successive collapsed fusoid cells. These cells have been reported in at least seven of 12 subfamilies of Poaceae and are considered a synapomorphy for the family; however, no developmental work has been […]