Getting to the root of drought tolerance

Pearl millet is a staple food for over 90 million people living in regions of Africa and India that typically experience high temperatures and little rainfall. It was domesticated about 4,500 years ago in the Sahel region of West Africa and is one of the most heat and drought tolerant cereal crops worldwide. In most plants, organs known as roots absorb water and essential nutrients from the soil. Young pearl millet plants develop a fast-growing primary root, but it is unclear how this unique feature helps the crop to grow in hot and dry conditions. <a href="https://medium.com/roots-and-shoots/getting-to-the-root-of-drought-tolerance-614f05ad4e2f">Website</a>