Supplementary Table 2. Comparison of the effects of growing maize plants in aeroponics
versus solid substrate (Turface-containing pots) when treated with high nitrogen (HN) or low
nitrogen (LN).
Shoot Traits
Plant
# of
Height
Leaves
(cm)
Shoot (SDW) and Root
Dry Weight (RDW)
SDW
(g.plt-1)
RDW
(g.plt-1)
Root:
Shoot
Ratio
Root Traits
# of
Crown
Roots
Total
Root
Length
(cm)
Total
Lateral
Root
Length
(cm)
Total
Crown
Root
Length
(cm)
Specific
Root
Length
(m.g-1)
Aeroponics
HN
(20mM)
LN
(8mM)
Hybrid
45.0
7.5
65.53
12.00
0.202
11.0
53216.3
47325.4
6115.6
4218.0
Inbred
22.1
6.0
30.59
11.37
0.374
10.5
19279.1
17081.1
2301.7
1689.0
Hybrid
48.0
7.7
41.50
13.63
0.332
11.0
55125.7
50910.6
4390.9
4093.0
Inbred
23.5
5.0
28.07
11.37
0.407
7.7
24433.2
23032.4
1598.1
2145.3
NS
*
**
*
**
NS
**
**
*
*
Hybrid
25.0
6.0
32.57
12.03
0.370
12.3
9159.5
7534.9
1724.6
759.3
Inbred
20.3
5.5
27.24
11.92
0.437
11.5
7213.6
6352.8
962.0
604.0
Hybrid
22.5
6.0
31.77
13.90
0.438
12.7
11206.0
9541.3
1766.5
802.7
Inbred
18.1
5.0
27.79
12.37
0.446
11.0
8147.3
7317.4
942.5
649.8
NS
NS
NS
*
*
NS
NS
*
NS
NS
Genotype x Nitrogen
(G x N)a
Turface pots
HN
(20mM)
LN
(8mM)
Genotype x Nitrogen
(G x N)a
Interactions
Genotype x Growth
<.0001 0.0029 <.0001
Method (G x M)b
Nitrogen Treatment x
Growth Method
0.0765 0.6348 0.0003
(N x M)c
Genotype x Nitrogen
Treatment x Growth 0.7442 0.3503 0.0018
Method (G x N x M)d
0.0678
0.0674
0.6203
0.0004
0.0004
0.0002
0.0112
0.0538
0.0325
0.4405
0.0276
0.0342
0.0161
0.0345
0.9267
0.6586
0.5258
0.0475
0.0557
0.0253
0.0598
Values represented are Least Square Means from ANOVA (n=6). Root traits were analyzed using WinRHIZO at 32
days after transplanting in aeroponics or Turface substrate. NS, Non significant at p=0.05; (*) significant at p=0.05;
(**) significant at p=0.01; G,Genotype; N, Nitrogen treatment; M, Growth Method (aeroponics or Turface). Hybrid
=SG150, Inbred = SG200.
aG X N (Genotype x Nitrogen Treatment) represents the interaction between genotypes and the nitrogen treatments
when results from both growth systems are pooled. A significant interaction (p<0.05) means that each genotype
responds uniquely to nitrogen for the trait described.
bG X M (Genotype x Growth Method) represents the interaction between genotypes and the growth system used. A
significant interaction (p<0.05) means that each genotype responds uniquely based on the growth system used for
the trait described.
cN x M (Nitrogen Treatment x Growth Method) represents the interaction between the nitrogen treatment and growth
system used. A significant interaction (p<0.05) means that the response to nitrogen for the trait of interest is different
in each growth method used.
dG
x N x M (Genotype x Nitrogen Treatment x Growth Method) represents the interactions between growth system,
genotypes and nitrogen treatments. This is the most important value: a significant interaction (p<0.05) means that
each genotype responds differently to nitrogen treatment when grown in aeroponics versus Turface, meaning that the
growth method changed the outcome of the results. Note that for many critical traits (e.g. number of crown roots, total
lateral root length, etc.) plants grown in aeroponics versus Turface responded consistently to nitrogen levels.