Shaping with water: linking moisture perception to development in plant roots

TL;DR

Plants adjust root growth based on water availability using complex signaling processes, and understanding these could improve agricultural water use.

Contribution

This review synthesizes recent advances in hydrosignaling mechanisms and highlights critical knowledge gaps in plant water perception.

Findings

Plants use hydrotropism, hydropatterning, and xerobranching to sense and respond to water distribution.

Ethylene and other proxies are involved in detecting spatial water patterns at the organ level.

Molecular mechanisms of water perception remain poorly understood and require further investigation.

Abstract

Water is the most limiting resource for plant growth and development. Heterogeneity in the environmental distribution of water requires plants to direct root growth toward water and to avoid investing resources in areas that lack water. Roots use hydrosignaling pathways—hydrotropism, hydropatterning, and xerobranching—to sense and respond to water availability. While molecular mechanisms of water perception remain unclear, recent studies suggest that organ-level processes using proxies like ethylene help detect spatial water patterns. This review summarizes advances in hydrosignaling and identifies key knowledge gaps to address how plants sense water. Understanding these processes will guide strategies to improve root water capture for sustainable agriculture.

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