Effect of root morphological traits on zinc efficiency in Iranian bread wheat genotypes

ABSTRACTZinc (Zn) has a vast number of functions in plant metabolism, the lack of which had dramatic effects on growth and yield of plants. Plants have morphological and biochemical responses to enhance mineral solubility in the soil and facilitate uptake, such as root plasticity, secretion processes and symbioses. Root architecture modification is an important plant response to nutrient availability. The aim of this study was to identify root morphological reactions to Zn efficiency in Iranian bread wheat genotypes. Soil and solution cultures were used to survey Zn efficiency. In soil culture, six and seven genotypes with high and low Zn contents were selected among 110 Iranian bread wheat genotypes, respectively. The solution culture experiments were set up in a completely randomized block design and plants fed with Johnson’s grass solution. All traits were assessed at 30 and 60 DAPs (days after planting). Our results showed a significant difference between two groups of efficient and inefficient genoty...