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Table 1 Abbreviations, units, root trait categories and descriptions of root traits analyzed with GiA Roots [34, 36]

From: Phenotypic variation of root-system architecture under high P and low P conditions in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Trait

Abbreviation

Category

Description

Shoot dry weight

SDW

Weight

Dry weight of the shoot after drying at 60 °C

Root dry weight

RDW

Weight

Dry weight of the root after drying at 60 °C

Shoot-to-root ratio

SRR

Weight

Ratio of the shoot-to-root weight after drying at 60 °C

Average root width

ARW [cm]

Size

Mean value of the root width estimation computed for all pixels of the medial axis of the entire root system (Fig. 2A)

Network area

NeA [cm2]

Size

Number of network pixels in the image

Network length

NeL [cm]

Size

Total number of pixels in the network skeleton (total root length, Fig. 2A)

Network perimeter

NeP [cm]

Size

Total number of pixels connected to a background pixel (perimeter of the root system, Fig. 2A)

Network surface area

NeSA [cm2]

Size

Sum of the local surface area at each pixel of the network skeleton, as approximated by a tubular shape whose radius (Fig. 2A) is estimated from the image

Network volume

NeV [cm3]

Size

Sum of the local volume at each pixel of the network skeleton, as approximated by a tubular shape whose radius (Fig. 2A) is estimated from the image

Major ellipse axis

MaEA [cm]

Extent

Length of the major axis of the best fitting ellipse enclosing the network (Fig. 2B)

Minor ellipse axis

MiEA [cm]

Extent

Length of the minor axis of the best fitting ellipse enclosing the network (Fig. 2B)

Network convex area

NeCA [cm2]

Extent

Area of the convex hull that encompasses the root system (Fig. 2C)

Network depth

NeD [cm]

Extent

Number of pixels in the vertical direction from the uppermost network pixel to the lowermost network pixel (Fig. 2D)

Network width

NeW [cm]

Extent

Number of pixels in the horizontal direction from the leftmost network pixel to the rightmost network pixel (Fig. 2D)

Maximum number of roots

MaNR

Ditribution

After sorting the number of roots crossing a horizontal line from smallest to largest, the maximum is considered to be the 84th percentile value (Fig. 2E)

Median number of roots

MeNR

Distribution

Result of a vertical line sweep, in which the number of roots that crossed a horizontal line was estimated and then the median of all values for the extent of the horizontal network was calculated

Network bushiness

NeB

Distribution

Ratio of maximum to median number of roots (Fig. 2E)

Network length distribution

NeLD

Distribution

Fraction of the network pixel found in the lower two-thirds of the network (Fig. 2 D)

Network solidity

NeS [cm2 cm−2]

Distribution

Total network area divided by the convex area (Fig. 2C)

Specific root length

SRL [cm cm−3]

Distribution

Total root length divided by the network volume (Fig. 2A)

Ellipse axes ratio

EAR [cm cm−1]

Shape

Ratio of the minor to the major axis of best-fitting ellipse (Fig. 2B)

Network width to depth ratio

NeWDR

Shape

Value of the network width divided by the value of the network depth (Fig. 2D)