Optimized root-pulling force protocol speeds wheat root screening in sandy field

Researchers have established a simple vertical root-pulling force (RPF) protocol for characterizing wheat cybrids under the sandy field conditions of Tottori, Japan, offering a rapid field-based approach to assessing root system architecture (RSA). The work, published as an open-access research article in Plant Methods on 25 October 2026, addresses the need for practical phenotyping methods that can handle large numbers of plants directly in the field.

In mature plants, measured RPF ranged from 1.47 to 20.61 kg, while immature plants showed values from 0.58 to 6.79 kg. The optimized protocol allowed measurements at approximately 5 seconds per plant, with four concurrent operators able to process more than 1000 plants within 24 working hours. Importantly, the procedure allowed recovery of most of the visible root system with little visible breakage, meaning that plants could be assessed without destroying the majority of their root material.

The wheat cybrids examined displayed substantial variation in RSA-related traits, providing the genetic diversity needed to test how well RPF reflects underlying root characteristics. At maturity, RPF proved most reliable, achieving a repeatability of 0.83 and showing significant associations with root area, root biomass, and root-adhering soil mass.

In immature plants, however, the method performed considerably less well. Repeatability dropped to 0.13, and the line effect was not statistically significant (p = 0.052), indicating that RPF measurements in young plants should be treated with caution. The authors therefore position the protocol as an initial screening tool for mature wheat under the uniform sandy field conditions evaluated, rather than a universal solution for all growth stages or soil types.

The researchers are explicit about the method’s limits. RPF does not directly measure complete root system architecture, and root breakage or incomplete recovery cannot be excluded. Consequently, projected two-dimensional root area and other measurements taken from extracted roots should be interpreted as characteristics of the recovered root fraction rather than of the entire root system. Lines selected through RPF screening can subsequently be examined using more detailed root-phenotyping methods when additional architectural information is required.

Subject of Research: A rapid root-pulling force protocol for field phenotyping of wheat cybrid root systems in sandy soil

Article Title: Fast and efficient root phenotyping of wheat cybrids using an optimized root-pulling force protocol under Tottori sandy field conditions

Article References: Sugiura, R., Ikpa-Agodo, K. I., Okamoto, T., Ubi, B. E., & Ishii, T. (2026). Fast and efficient root phenotyping of wheat cybrids using an optimized root-pulling force protocol under Tottori sandy field conditions. Plant Methods. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13007-026-01605-7

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s13007-026-01605-7

Keywords: wheat, root phenotyping, root-pulling force, root system architecture, cybrids, Tottori sandy field, field screening, plant methods, root biomass, repeatability, Fast, efficient