Roots, Shoots & Grain Yield in Rice, Maize & Sorghum H E Shashidhar, Associates and Students Department of Plant Biotechnology College of Agriculture, GKVK, Bangalore

Idea and Methodology Plants with deep and extensive root systems ‘empower’ the plant to access relatively more water from deeper soil layers, Plants with deeper root system have a better chance of survival in a depleting moisture regime, Traditional accessions of rice manifest deep rooting nature due to continued (natural) selection in adverse growth conditions, Genotypes with deep rooting nature may not necessarily be high yielding in germplasm accessions, Improved varieties have relatively shallow roots as they were subjected to selection

System of Root study Hydroponic – Root system grown in water or nutrient solution Aeroponic – Root system grown in air with periodic (fine) spray of nutrients. Soil column – Roots measured in soil filled tubes, raised structures etc

System of Root study Pin Box method – Roots screened in slanting bozes where one side has pins attached to it to anchor roots Rhizotron – An artificial chamber where factors can be controlled