Novel functions of the root barrier to radial oxygen loss - radial diffusion resistance to H and water vapour.

The root barrier to radial O loss (ROL) is a trait enabling waterlogging tolerance of plants. The ROL barrier restricts O diffusion to the anoxic soil so that O is retained inside root tissues. We hypothesised that the ROL barrier can also restrict radial diffusion of other gases (H and water vapour) in rice roots with a barrier to ROL. We used O and H microsensors to measure ROL and permeability of rice roots, and gravimetric measurements to assess the influence of the ROL barrier on radial water loss (RWL). The ROL barrier greatly restricted radial diffusion of O as well as H . At 60 kPa pO , we found no radial diffusion of O across the barrier, and for H the barrier reduced radial diffusion by 73%. Similarly, RWL was reduced by 93% in roots with a ROL barrier. Our study showed that the root barrier to ROL not only completely blocks radial O diffusion under steep concentration gradients but is also a diffusive barrier to H and to water vapour. The strong correlation between ROL and RWL presents a case in which simple measurements of RWL can be used to predict ROL in screening studies with a focus on waterlogging tolerance.