Dependence of Root Growth Rate on Holoploid DNA Content

Analysis of root growth rate’s dependence on the holoploid DNA content was carried out on different plant species. Such dependence was found weakly negative in the primary roots of the dicot seedlings and in the lilioid adventitious root. The dependence was absent in the primary roots of the monocot seedlings. The relative elongation rate for the cortex cells of the dicot seedlings' primary roots also decreased with the increase in the holoploid DNA content. The data represent another example of a physiological process that is not directly related to DNA replication but whose rate depends on the genome size.