Root development and stress resistance

We are interested in identifying genes that promote root development in rice, both in particularly compact soils and under stress conditions such as water scarcity or high soil salinity. To achieve these goals, through the PRIN project “ROOT CORTICAL VARIABILITY AMONG PLANTS: THE ROUTE TO INTERSPECIFIC PATTERNING DIVERSITY,” coordinated by Fabio Fornara and in collaboration with the Dello Ioio group from the University of La Sapienza in Rome, we are conducting Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) to identify loci associated with root penetration strength in the soil. Furthermore, we have developed plants with a more extensive root system by using both introgression of loci from exotic varieties and gene editing techniques, through which we are testing enhanced stress resistance.