Impact of contrasted maize root traits at flowering on water stress tolerance – A simulation study

Water stress is among the dominant yield limiting factors in global crop production. Better drought resistance is therefore a key challenge for breeding and crop management. Avoidance of water stress by effective root water uptake is considered a promising approach to yield stability in water limiting environments. Water uptake efficiency is the result of multiple plant root traits that dynamically interact with site hydrology. Root models are therefore an essential tool to identify key root traits for water efficient crops in a certain target cropping environment.