FIGURE 3.

Brace Roots Contribute to Anchorage. (A) The number of brace root whorls in the soil was evaluated for CML258 plants in two replicates and there was a significant effect of replicate (p = .0308). (B)The Force‐Deformation slope was measured from CML258 plants upon sequential removal of brace root whorls. Test was performed with all whorls intact A, excision of the highest whorl B, the next highest whorl C, and so on. Plants with two whorls are represented by black and with three whorls by blue dots. There is an overall reduction in the slope upon removal of brace root whorls (p = 5.88E⁻¹¹). (C) This observation is extended to the individual plant, where the subsequent removal of brace root whorls results in a reduction of the Force‐Deflection slope. (D) Using the paired data measurements, the contribution of brace roots to anchorage is represented in two ways: 1) a ratio of the Force‐Deflection slope with no brace roots to the Force‐Deflection slope with all brace roots and 2) the difference in the Force‐Deflection slope with all brace roots and the Force‐Deflection slope with no brace roots. FDwo = Force‐Deflection slope without brace roots. FDw = Force‐Deflection slope with brace roots