Auxin-responsive ROS homeostasis genes display dynamic expression pattern during rice crown root primordia morphogenesis.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated continuously as a by-product of aerobic metabolism in plants. While excessive ROS cause oxidative stresses in cells, they act as signaling molecules when maintained at an optimum concentration through the dynamic equilibrium of ROS metabolizing mechanisms to regulate growth, development and response to environmental stress. Auxin and its crosstalk with other signaling cascades are crucial for maintaining ROS homeostasis and orchestrating root architecture but dissecting the underlying mechanism requires detailed investigation at the molecular level.

Lateral root branching: evolutionary innovations and mechanistic divergence in land plants.

The root system architecture in plants is a result of multiple evolutionary innovations over time in response to changing environmental cues. Dichotomy and endogenous lateral branching in the roots evolved in lycophytes lineage but extant seed plants use lateral branching instead. This has led to the development of complex and adaptive root systems, with lateral roots playing a key role in this process exhibiting conserved and divergent features in different plant species.