Developmental biology and induction of phi thickenings by abiotic stress in roots of the brassicaceae

Phi thickenings are specialized bands of secondary wall deposited around radial walls of root cortical cells. These structures have been reported in various species from the Brassicaceae, including Brassica oleracea, where previous reports using hydroponics indicated that they can be induced by exposure to salt. Using roots grown on agar plates, we show that both salt and sucrose can induce the formation of phi thickenings in a diverse range of species within the Brassicaceae. Within the genus Brassica, both B. oleracea and B. napus demonstrated the formation of phi thickenings, but in a strongly cultivar-specific manner. Confocal microscopy of phi thickenings showed that they form a complex network of reinforcement surrounding the inner root cortex, and that a delicate, reticulate network of secondary wall deposition can also variously form on the inner face of the cortical cell layer with phi thickenings adjacent to the endodermal layer. Results presented here indicate that phi thickenings can be induced in response to salt and water stress and that wide variation occurs in these responses even within the same species.