Phenotyping of wheat genotypes [Triticum aestivum (L.)] for root length, root volume and root diameter under North Gujarat condition

Abstract

Wheat assumes greater significance among the cereals for being grown over 43 countries across the globe with an area of around 222.60 million hectares and production around 720 million tons. Increase size, scale, and scope of these wheat traits have been tailored to realize higher economic yield through aerial / above-ground parts like stem, leaves, flower, and grain parts to strike balance between the source, sink, and carbon carriage chain from source to sink. The size and scale of root attributes like length, volume, and diameter determines the space and extent of root activities for the functional scope of mining nutrients and water from the soil. Wheat genotypes Lok 1 and GW 496 possessed higher root length 14295 and 12352 cm, root volume 188 and 156 cm3, and root diameter 0.79 and 0.77 mm, respectively. Similarly lower value for root length 3125 and 4571 cm, root volume 34 and 44 cm3 and root diameter 0.50 and 0.51 mm, respectively were exhibited by wheat genotypes GW 444 and GW 445. The size and scale of root attributes like length, volume and diameter determine the space and extent of root activities for functional scope of mining nutrients and water from soil.