Cell wall mechanics control root growth behaviour

Prof. Staffan Persson

University of Copenhagen
Denmark

Where: Jozef Shell Seminar room - VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology
Ghent University
Technologiepark 71 - 9052 Ghent - Belgium
Tel. +32(0)9 331 38 00
www.psb.ugent.be
When: 29-JAN-2026@11:00

Invited by Yves Van de Peer, Jenny Russinova, Prof. Dr. ir. Daniel Van Damme

Soil stresses cause substantial losses in crop yields, presenting global agricultural challenges. Soil compaction is a major soil stress that triggers root length reduction and radial expansion driven by the plant hormone ethylene.. In this talk, I will outline how ethylene controls cell wall biosynthesis and mechanics to promote root radial expansion through a "thicker epidermis-thinner cortex" contrast. This mechanism underpins improved root penetration of compacted soil and provides a link between ethylene signalling and root cell wall remodelling. I will also showcase how we are using custom-built microscopy to directly image root growth in real-life soil with subcellular resolution to understand root behaviour under near-physiological conditions.