Plant Hydraulic Redistribution Visualization in a Transparent Hydrogel-Based Soil

Hydraulic redistribution (HR) refers to the ability of plants to move water

within soil layers from regions of high to low water content. Although this

ability has been documented worldwide in various climates, species, and

soils, a quantitative understanding of the water redistributed has remained

elusive, hindering accurate modeling efforts. In this presentation, we

introduce a novel approach using transparent hydrogel-based soil to

visualize HR in soy plants in a controlled environment within a growth

chamber, allowing for visualization and quantifying of HR under various

environmental conditions. Coupling this experiment with cytological analysis,

we correlate the dimension of xylem channels with root size, and model

plant water transport abilities based on root architecture. We then connect

the quantity of water being displaced in the soil to environmental conditions,

plant physiological properties, and soil water content. Our findings offer

insights into plant-soil water dynamics, providing tools to help with flooding

mitigation or agricultural and urban planning.