The Influence of Phase Change on Development in Roots and Shoots in Arabidopsis Thaliana

Similar to humans, plants undergo stages of maturation throughout their life cycle. These stages are described as the phase identity. Although there is a considerable amount of published literature about the role of phase change in the shoot of the plant, whether development of the root is affected by the phase of the shoot is unclear. This summer we searched for plants in which the time at which morphological changes such the production of hairs on the leaves and a change in the placement of the leaves is altered. These changes are known to be linked to the phase of the shoot. Surprisingly, many of these mutants are also known to be affected in an aspect of root development: lateral root formation. This information aids our understanding of the genetic pathways that are involved in plant maturation and suggests that phase change affects root architecture.