Genetic Control of Root Hair Traits in Rice (Oryza sativa).

Rice, the world’s most important crop, is a staple food source for half of the world’s population. Upland rice, primarily grown as a subsistence crop, is the dominant rice production system in Latin America and West Africa, where most of the soils are affected by phosphorus deficiency. Most existing rice cultivars produce low yields in low-phosphorus soils. Several root traits are known to confer better performance in such conditions, including greater root hair length and density. The overall goal of this study was to examine genetic variation in root hair characteristics in rice (Oryza sativa). In this study, we evaluated O. sativa accessions from the Association Mapping Panel, a collection of rice accessions from diverse geographical origins representing the phenotypic diversity of this species. Plants were grown in the greenhouse to the 8^th leaf stage,and roots excavated for observation of root hairs.Rice accessions from the Association Mapping Panel exhibit broad variation in root hair length and density. Phenotyping of the entire Association Mapping Panel will permit identification of molecular markers that control root hair traits important for agriculture and provide sources of adapted germplasm with good root hair traits to use for breeding programs.