Root growth analysis by using micro force sensor

Abstract

Roots are essential parts for plants to support plant body and absorb water and nutriments. In addition, the roots grow under various influences from the soils during the growth process. In this paper, we describes the method of analyzing the behavior of the growing roots using a micro force-sensor. We fabricated the microchannel device integrating a micro force-sensor that measures the driving force exerted by root growth and a microchannel measuring the growth rate. This device enables us to conduct plant growth experiments in soil-like environment. By using this devices, we analyzed the influence of soil nutrients on root growth. From the experimental results, we found that the smaller the amount of nutrient, the thinner the root and the smaller the driving force. It is expected to contribute to improvement of cultivation technology of agricultural crops under various soil environments by applying this analytical method.