ArticlePlant physiology2026
Citric acid alters Arabidopsis root morphology and development through ROS-dependent and ROS-independent mechanisms.
Article in Plant physiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Citric acid is an integral component of primary metabolism and cellular energetics and plays extensive roles in other cellular processes, such as signaling, chelating, and exudation. Here, we characterized the unique effects that citric acid has on Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) root structure and development. In particular, we investigated how citric acid modifies 2 root types in opposing ways: by inhibiting primary root growth while promoting anchor root growth. To understand the mechanisms driving these different growth patterns within the same organism, we analyzed nutrient and transcriptomic responses to citric acid treatment in anchor roots and primary roots. High-spatial resolution elemental analysis revealed that root meristems and the root-hypocotyl junction are regions of strong nutrient enrichment, but that citric acid treatment has little effect on nutrient levels in these regions. Transcriptional analysis revealed major differences between primary roots and anchor roots in response to citric acid. In particular, citric acid acted as a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger through increased Class III peroxidase transcription, effectively reducing H2O2 levels both in vitro and in vivo. Altering the ROS balance at the root-hypocotyl junction was sufficient to induce anchor root formation. Citric acid treatment also differentially upregulated lignin biosynthesis, lignin assembly, and ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR 115 expression in primary roots and anchor roots. ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR 115 regulates the quiescent center and root columella, and we found that citric acid treatment induces developmental defects in this tissue. Overall, this study reveals that a vital organic acid produced and secreted at relatively high concentrations has both widespread and specific effects on plant development and root architecture.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.