Field plants strategically regulate water uptake from different soil depths by spatiotemporally adjusting their radial root hydraulic conductivity

• DOI: 10.1111/nph.70013
• Publication Date: 2025-03-19T09:00:39Z
• Authors: William Rickard; Imrul Hossain; Xiaoxian Zhang; Hannah V. Cooper; Sacha J. Mooney; Malcolm J. Hawkes...; W. Richard Whalley
• Keywords: Topsoil; Subsoil; Water potential; Root system; Water Transport

Summary Plants modify their root hydraulics to maintain water status and strategically use soil water, but how they achieve this in the field conditions remains elusive. We developed a method measure calculate daily uptake, potential, radial permeability at different depths wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. ) permanent grassland dominated by ryegrass Lolium perenne ). During drying processes, both plant systems reduced of shallow roots limit topsoil while increasing subsoil enhance extraction. Conversely, after was rewetted, increased extraction, reducing uptake. Root uptake more influenced than water. The serves as resource signal, coordinating optimal from depths. These findings have important implications for understanding plants cope with periodic stress screening drought‐tolerant crop varieties.