drought rhizogenesis
{{Short description|Plant root response to a lack of water}}
Drought rhizogenesis is an adaptive root response to drought stress. New emerging roots are short, swollen, and hairless, capable of retaining turgor pressure and resistant to prolonged desiccation. Upon rewatering, they are capable of quickly forming an absorbing root surface and hair growth. This rhizogenesis has been called a drought tolerance strategy for after-stress recovery.{{Citation
| last = Vartanian
| first = N.
| author-link =
| year = 1996
| publication-date = March 2002
| contribution = The Drought Rhizogenesis
| editor-last = Waisel
| editor-first = Yoav
| editor2-last = Eshel
| editor2-first = Amram
| editor3-last = Kafkafi
| editor3-first = Uzi
| title = Plant Roots: The Hidden Half
| edition =
| series =
| place =
| location =
| publisher = CRC Press
| volume =
| pages = 471–482
| isbn =0-8247-0631-5}}Vartanian, N., "Some aspects of structural and functional modifications induced by drought in root systems", Plant Soil 63 (1981): 83-92.
Structural features
These drought induced short roots can be found on either both the tap root and lateral roots or on lateral roots only. These patterns are mostly likely a reflection of the plants' individual ability to maintain meristematic activity under low water potential.Balestrini, S. and N. Vartanian, "Rhizogenic activity during water stress-induced senescence in Brassica napus var. oleifera", Physiologie Vegetale 21, volume 2 (1983a): 269-277.
This morphological phenomenon was found in some families of Angiosperm dicot perennials and has been documented in Arabidopsis thaliana.Vartanian, N., L. Marcotte, and J. Giraudat (1994), Drought Rhizogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Differential responses of hormonal mutants, Plant Physiology, 104, 761-767. Available online: http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/104/2/761.full.pdf