How do plant roots reshape after getting damaged? Study explains
Scientists at IISER Pune just figured out how plant roots manage to rebuild their original shape after getting hurt.
Their study, published in Current Biology, shows how root cells change shape and work together to repair damage—a finding that could have implications for food cultivation and securing food security in the future.
Researchers studied the self-repair system of plant roots
After slicing off the tips of Arabidopsis thaliana roots, researchers saw that within 12 hours, boxy cells morphed into new shapes and divided diagonally.
This clever move helped guide nearby growth back into a tapered tip.
By 18-24 hours, a little bulge appeared—clear proof the root's self-repair system had kicked in.
Repair mechanism might be common across many crops
Turns out, different layers of root cells grow at different speeds.
This creates tension that acts like nature's own blueprint, making sure new cells line up just right so the root regains its original form.
The same pattern showed up in mustard plants too, hinting this repair trick might be common across many crops.