Roots reveal climate adaptation as 284 plant varieties reshape water barrier

Plant roots are far more than simple absorption organs: they can adjust their structure to better cope with water stress. Scientists at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with the University of Lausanne (UNIL), studied 284 natural varieties of Arabidopsis thaliana and discovered that the amount and distribution of suberin—a protective barrier deposited in roots—vary according to geographic origin and climate. The researchers also identified a new gene regulating suberin that is linked to the water-stress hormone.