Root anatomical gradients and cultivar differences underlie variation in root hydraulic properties in German winter wheat

Root hydraulic properties affect water uptake in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) and are strongly influenced by root anatomy, yet how they vary along root axes and interact with cultivar differences remains underexplored. We investigated crown roots of six German winter wheat cultivars spanning one century of release, sampled from a field experiment. Roots were imaged at different positions along their axis using a high-throughput system (Rapid Anatomics Tool), and the resulting anatomical traits were coupled to GRANAR–MECHA to model radial ( K _r ) and axial conductance ( k _x ).

Longitudinal anatomical gradients were pronounced: tissue dimensions, metaxylem number, and apoplastic barriers decreased from the base onwards, resulting in K _r increasing and k _x decreasing with distance from the base. Cultivar differences were also apparent: modern cultivars had smaller tissues and fewer metaxylem vessels, reducing both axial and radial conductance and lowering whole-root water uptake capacity (∼20–30%).

By integrating field sampling with high-throughput image analysis and mechanistic modeling, this study establishes an integrated phenotyping approach that links root anatomy to water uptake and uncovers anatomical traits relevant to hydraulic function. The results show that longitudinal gradients and cultivar-associated anatomical differences contribute to variation in hydraulic properties and persist along fully mature root segments.