We have recently defined chloride (Cl-) as a beneficial macronutrient for plants, with new functions in the use of water, nitrogen and carbon. While its effects on leaf anatomy have been studied, little is known about the impact of Cl- nutrition on root development. Here we determined primary root (PR) growth and development (using imaging and microscopy, respectively) in tomato plants treated with 0 and 5 mM Cl- salts in hydroponics. Results showed that Cl- promotes PR growth by enhancing cell division and elongation in the proliferation domain. Furthermore, we employed RNA-seq to examine molecular mechanisms underlying Cl- functions in tomato PRs. Strikingly, we identified 47 differentially downregulated genes but no upregulated genes. The putative role of some candidate genes involved in Cl-- dependent PR responses are discussed. This study is the first to transcriptomically characterize the Cl- effects as a macronutrient, providing insights into its role on root development.

Resumen del póster presentado e el Plant Biology Europe 2023 (PBE 2023), Jul 2023, Marseille, France

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