Root architecture of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) under periodic waterlogging stress

¹ Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Data Analytics, Analytics, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, 60111 Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
² Department of Botany, Chulalongkorn University, 10330 Bangkok, Thailand

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Tobacco is a plant that has high economic value and is sensitive under waterlogging stress. Waterlogging stress has a major impact on root organs, so it can change root architecture. The aim of this study was to determine the root architecture of tobacco plants against periodic waterlogging stress through morphological parameters. The first factor is the tobacco plant varieties and the second is periodic waterlogging stress (waterlogging stress for 12 days followed by flooding stress for 12 days), each treatment has 4 replications. Morphological parameters measured were root length, number of roots, root diameter, number of adventitious roots, root fraction (horizontal and vertical), shoot-root ratio, IJA and ICA. The results of the study were modeled using AutoCAD and then illustrated by description. Morphological parameter results showed that Prancak 95 variety had the highest decrease (15%–78%) in parameters number of roots, root diameter, horizontal root fraction, IJA and ICA. Jinten variety had the highest decrease (15%) in root length. Jepon Emas variety had the highest decrease (35%) in vertical root fraction and the highest increase (27%–35%) in adventitious roots and shoot-root ratio. These findings indicate that each tobacco variety exhibits different morphological adaptive strategies to periodic waterlogging stress, with Jepon Emas showing the strongest adaptive response through increased adventitious roots and shoot-root ratio.