Bracing for sustainable agriculture: the development and function of brace roots in members of Poaceae

TL;DR

This paper reviews the development and function of brace roots in Poaceae, emphasizing their roles in water uptake and anchorage, and discusses genetic factors influencing their growth for sustainable crop breeding.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive list of genes involved in brace root development and explores their potential in breeding resilient crops.

Findings

Brace roots are crucial for water uptake and anchorage in maize.

Genetic control of brace roots is linked to phase change and flowering.

Research on brace roots in other Poaceae members is limited.

Abstract

Optimization of crop production requires root systems to function in water uptake, nutrient use, and anchorage. In maize, two types of nodal roots-subterranean crown and aerial brace roots function in anchorage and water uptake and preferentially express multiple water and nutrient transporters. Brace root development shares genetic control with juvenile-to-adult phase change and flowering time. We present a comprehensive list of the genes known to alter brace roots and explore these as candidates for QTL studies in maize and sorghum. Brace root development and function may be conserved in other members of Poaceae, however research is limited. This work highlights the critical knowledge gap of aerial nodal root development and function and suggests new focus areas for breeding resilient crops.