Boron Deficiency Responses in Maize (Zea Mays L.) Roots

The study examined the effects of Boron (B) deficiency on maize root and shoot growth, using the root hairless mutant rth3 and its wild-type (WT) B73. It found that under B-deficient conditions, the leaf B concentration was significantly lower for the mutant compared to the WT, but B deficiency did not reduce root growth and length in either. The presence of root hairs significantly contributed to phosphorus (P) acquisition, but not to B uptake in loamy substrate. In sandy soil substrate, where B bio-availability is high, root hairs seemed to promote B uptake. The study also suggested that maize root hairs contribute to the uptake of manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and P from soil substrates with limited bio-availability of these nutrients. The rth3 mutant had significantly lower shoot B concentration than the B73 variant under B-deficient conditions, but it was unclear whether the smaller root surface area of rth3 or the absence of root hairs was responsible for the altered B uptake. The study used 6 biological replicates for most experiments.