Cellular and Morphological Effects of Ultrafine Bubbles on Rice Root Development During Seedling Growth

Ultrafine bubbles (UFBs) have gained attention for their potential to improve plant growth, but their effects at the cellular level in roots are not fully understood. This study investigates the impact of UFB-enriched water on the root growth as well as root cell number and size of rice (Oryza sativa) seedlings. Our results demonstrate that UFB treatment significantly enhanced both primary and crown root lengths. The elongation rate of primary roots treated with UFB increased more rapidly than that of untreated primary roots. Conditions in which elongation rates were altered were accompanied by cell density of root tip. The findings suggest that UFBs promote root development by maintaining and enhancing the activity of the root tip, providing a novel approach to improving crop productivity through targeted cellular growth mechanisms.