Skip to main content

Table 3 Description of 38 root-related traits and four shoot traits in 184 wheat genotypes characterized in a semi-hydroponic phenotyping system

From: Phenotypic variability in bread wheat root systems at the early vegetative stage

Trait

Abbreviation

Description

Unit

Seminal root length zone1

SRLZ1

The longest seminal root length at branching zone (Z1)

cm

Seminal root length zone2

SRLZ2

The longest seminal root length at non-branching zone (Z2)

cm

Maximal root depth

MRD

The longest seminal root length (i.e., root depth, Z1 + Z2)

cm

Seminal and primary root number

SRN

Seminal and primary root number (from seeds)

number per plant

Total root length

RL

Total root length per plant

cm

Root diameter

RD

Average root diameter

mm

Total root area

RA

Root surface area

cm2

Total root volume

RV

Root volume

cm3

Root length density

RLD

Root length per unit area (0–110 cm depth, 1430 cm2)

cm cm−2

Specific root length

SRL

Total root length per unit root dry mass

m g−1 dry mass

Root length Intensity

RLI

Total root length per unit root depth

cm cm− 1

Root tissue density

RTD

Root dry mass per unit root volume

mg cm−3

Diameter class length

DCL

Root length within a diameter class

mm

Relative diameter class length

rDCL

Root diameter class length/Total root length

%

Root length s1

RL_s1

Total root length in section 1 (s1, 0–20 cm; top-root layer)

cm

Root diameter s1

RD_s1

Average root diameter in section 1 (s1, 0–20 cm)

mm

Root area s1

RA_s1

Total root surface area in section 1 (s1, 0–20 cm)

cm2

Root volume s1

RV_s1

Total root volume in section 1 (s1, 0–20 cm)

cm3

Root length density s1

RLD_s1

Root length per unit area in section 1 (s1, 260 cm2)

cm cm−2

Root length s2

RL_s2

Total root length in section 2 (s2, 20–40 cm)

cm

Root diameter s2

RD_s2

Average root diameter in section 2 (s2, 20–40 cm)

mm

Root area s2

RA_s2

Total root surface area in section 2 (s2, 20–40 cm)

cm2

Root volume s2

RV_s2

Total root volume in section 2 (s2, 20–40 cm)

cm3

Root length density s2

RLD_s2

Root length per unit area in section 2 (s2, 260 cm2)

cm cm−2

Root length s3

RL_s3

Total root length in section 3 (s3, 40–110 cm)

cm

Root diameter s3

RD_s3

Average root diameter in section 3 (s3, 40–110 cm)

mm

Root area s3

RA_s3

Total root surface area in section 3 (s3, 40–110 cm)

cm2

Root volume s3

RV_s3

Total root volume in section 3 (s3, 40–110 cm)

cm3

Root length density s3

RLD_s3

Root length per unit area in section 3 (s3, 910 cm2)

cm cm−2

Root length in sub-root layer

RL_sub

Combined root length in sub-root layer (s2 & s3)

cm

Root diameter in sub-root layer

RD_sub

Combined average root diameter in sub-root layer (s2 & s3)

mm

Root area in sub-root layer

RA_sub

Total root surface area in sub-root layer (s2 & s3)

cm2

Root volume in sub-root layer

RV_sub

Total root volume in sub-root layer (s2 & s3)

cm3

Root length density in sub-root layer

RLD_sub

Root length per unit area in sub-root layer (s2 & s3)

cm cm−2

Root length ratio

RLR_s1/sub

Root length in section 1 (top-root layer) over sub-root layer

 

Root growth rate

RGR

Average daily root growth (based on the longest seminal or primary root growth at 35 days after seed sowing)

cm d−1

Root mass

RM

Root dry mass

mg

Shoot mass

SM

Shoot dry mass

mg

Total dry mass

TDM

Total dry mass (sum of root and shoot dry mass)

mg

Root mass ratio

RMR

Root-to-shoot dry mass ratio

 

Shoot height

SH

Shoot height measured to the tallest leaf

cm

Leaf number

LN

Number of leaves per plant

 

Tiller number

TN

Number of tillers per plant

Â