Description

A poster presented at the 2012 Global Pulse Researchers Meeting, Kigali, Rwanda- “Transforming Grain-Legume Systems to Enhance Nutrition and Livelihoods”. Abstract: BRWN is a novel, easily phenotyped, genetically controlled trait with natural variation. Four basal roots originate from 1 to 4 distinct morphological whorls that give rise to between 4 and 12 basal roots. Basal roots form the backbone of the bean root system and basal root deployment determines what soil zones are most effectively explored. Greater BRWN increases the soil profile range explored enabling the plant to acquire both shallow (phosphorus) and deep (water) resources. BRWN can be visually phenotyped using the cigar roll method 4?5 days after germination. This low?input phenotyping system makes BRWN evaluation extremely accessible and inexpensive. The study confirms that increased BRWN confers tolerance to both water and phosphorus stress and is likely to be useful under combined water and phosphorus stress.