American Agriculturist
The discovery of a gene that regulates the angle of root growth in corn is a new tool that could enable the breeding of deeper-rooting crops with enhanced ability to take up nitrogen.
An international team of researchers led by Penn State identified the gene, ZmCIPK15 — a moniker indicating where it is in the genome and how it functions. The gene was found to be missing in a naturally occurring mutant corn line that grew roots at steeper angles, making them go deeper into the soil.