Method for estimating mechanical properties of growing roots based on contact analysis using micropillars

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  • マイクロピラーとの接触解析に基づく根の機械特性の推定

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Roots are essential parts for plants not only to support their body but absorb water and nutrients. The roots grow under various influences from soil during the growth process, and it needs a certain degree of strength for roots to grow. However, it is difficult to analyze roots in soils which are naturally opaque, and mechanical properties of growing roots have not been quantified. In this paper, we describe an on-chip system using micropillar which is applicable to estimating the mechanical properties of growing roots. We calculated the displacement of the micropillar during contacting with the root based on the finite element method and derived the equation to estimate Young’s modulus of root. In growth experiment of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana, Average root diameter and estimated Young’s modulus is 137 μm and 1.3 MPa nearby the root tip, and 129 μm and 0.63 MPa nearby the seed. It can be considered as a result of optimization of roots against mechanical stress from micropillar. Significant difference is not observed between different boron conditions in root diameter and Young’s modulus. By applying this method, it is expected to contribute to the cultivation technology under various soil conditions.

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