Visualization of Toyoura sand-grown plant roots by X-ray computer tomography.

Abstract

Plants establish their root system as a three-dimensional structure, which is then used to explore the soil to absorb resources and provide mechanical anchorage. Simplified two-dimensional growth systems, such as agar plates, have been used to study various aspects of plant root biology. However, it remains challenging to study the more realistic three-dimensional structure and function of roots hidden in opaque soil. Here, we optimized X-ray computer tomography (CT)-based visualization of an intact root system by using Toyoura sand, a standard silica sand used in geotechnology research, as a growth substrate. Distinct X-ray attenuation densities of root tissue and Toyoura sand enabled clear image segmentation of the CT data. Sorghum grew especially vigorously in Toyoura sand and it could be used as a model for analyzing root structure optimization in response to mechanical obstacles. The use of Toyoura sand has the potential to link plant root biology and geotechnology applications.

Plant phenotyping relevance

不透明な砂中の植物根系をX線CTで可視化・分割する手法を最適化しており、根系構造の取得が研究の中心であるため。

Code and data availability

The paper describes X-ray CT visualization of roots grown in Toyoura sand, but no public phenotype/trait dataset, CT image data, author analysis code, or trained model is deposited or linked. Fiji ImageJ (https://fiji.sc/) is a generic third-party image-analysis tool, not a paper-specific asset, and ABRC (https://abrc觅

No evidence-backed public reproduction asset is currently recorded.