Differences in mucilage properties and stomatal sensitivity of locally adapted in relation with precipitation seasonality and vapour pressure deficit regime of their native environment.

With ongoing climate change and the increase in extreme weather events, especially droughts, the challenge of maintaining food security is becoming ever greater. Locally adapted landraces of crops represent a valuable source of adaptation to stressful environments. In the light of future droughts-both by altered soil water supply and increasing atmospheric water demand (vapor pressure deficit [VPD])-plants need to improve their water efficiency.

Purification effects show seed and root mucilage's ability to respond to changing rhizosphere conditions.

Mucilage, a polysaccharide-containing hydrogel, is hypothesized to play a key role in the rhizosphere as a self-organized system because it may vary its supramolecular structure with changes in the surrounding solution. However, there is currently limited research on how these changes are reflected in the physical properties of real mucilage. This study examines the role of solutes in maize root, wheat root, chia seed, and flax seed mucilage in relation to their physical properties.