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Root system architecture (RSA) plays a pivotal role in plant drought adaptation, yet its ecological relevance is still not fully understood because of the gap between controlled experiments and complex field environments. While laboratory studies have revealed key genetic and hormonal regulators of root growth, these findings frequently fail to predict root behavior in heterogeneous, drought-prone soils.
In this talk, I will highlight insights from field-scale and in-situ root studies, largely generated within the EU Horizon project BarleyMicroBreed, which reveal root architecture as a dynamic, context-dependent trait shaped by soil structure, water distribution, and biotic interactions. Focusing on traits such as root growth angle, depth distribution, and architectural plasticity, I will discuss how ecological constraints redefine which root features are functionally relevant for drought adaptation.
