Data for: Plasticity and co-variation of root traits govern phosphorus acquisition among 20 wheat genotypes

Trait plasticity (variation of a trait under environmental variability or
gradients) and trait integration are both crucial for plant adaption to
environmental change. Variations in different suite of root traits such as
biomass allocation, morphology and physiology underlie diverse phosphorus
(P) acquisition strategies among plants. Yet, how the intraspecific
plasticity and integration of root traits influence plant adaptation to
different P supply remains obscure. To characterize diverse adaptive
strategies in relation to plant P acquisition, eight root traits were
assessed in 20 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes grown in a culture
room with low and high P supply. High P supply increased shoot P
accumulation and biomass of all wheat genotypes. The shoot P accumulation
in genotypes with high P sensitivity (PS: calculated as shoot P content at
low P / shoot P content at high P supply) was higher with high P supply
and lower with low P supply compared with that in the genotypes with low
PS. The high-PS genotypes exhibited larger variation in root length,
root/shoot ratio and rhizosphere pH across P supplies than the low-PS
genotypes, suggesting an integrated response at the whole-plant level. At
low P supply, the high-PS genotypes had greater root length and specific
root length, but lower acid phosphatase activity than the low-PS
genotypes, which suggests contrasting P-acquisition strategies across the
genotypes. Strong co-variation of root traits occurred across low-PS
genotypes regardless of P supply; conversely, the high-PS genotypes only
exhibited strong trait integration at low P supply, whereas high P supply
sharply reduced root trait co-variation. Our findings suggest that P
stress may strengthen root trait integration in wheat plants, and that
both plasticity and integration of root traits drive plant adaptive
strategies and tolerance to P-deficiency stress.