Variation in Root Morphological and Physiological Traits and Nutrient Uptake of Chickpea Genotypes

ABSTRACT Plant nutrients such as potassium (K), phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) mostly remain fixed in soils and their bio-availability to plant roots is diffusion-limited. Hence, superior root traits, that can enhance their dissolution and capture from the soils, can play a central role in its productivity. Root morphological (root length and root hairs) and physiological traits (root exudation of protons and phosphatase enzymes) of ten selected varieties/breeding lines of chickpea (Bari-chhola-3, Bari-chhola-4, Bari-chhola-5, Bari-chhola-6, Bari-chhola-7, Bari-chhola-8, BGM-E7, ICCV-98926, ICCV-94924, and ICCV-98916) were studied and related them to the uptake of the nutrients in a pot experiment. There were significant (P < 0.05) genotypic differences in root length (RL) and root hair length (RHL). The RL ranged between 70 m plant− 1 and 140 m plant− 1. The variation in RHL was significant (P < 0.05) and it ranged between 0.58 ± 0.09 mm (Bari-chhola-5) and 0.26 ± 0...