rhizosphere

noun

rhi·​zo·​sphere ˈrī-zə-ˌsfir How to pronounce rhizosphere (audio)
: soil that surrounds and is influenced by the roots of a plant

Examples of rhizosphere in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The word, which means fungal root, refers to the fungus's role in colonizing the plant's rhizosphere, or root system. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2021 Microorganisms living within the rhizosphere feed off those secretions, and in exchange, provide the plant with additional nourishment. Lacy Schley, Discover Magazine, 10 Feb. 2019 Trehalose is not only found in plant cells where it is used for protection, but also in the soil around plant roots, which is called a rhizosphere. Coren Walters-Stewart, Discover Magazine, 23 Nov. 2022 One species of bacteria that grows in the rhizosphere of birch roots is a fluorescent pseudomonad. Richard Schiffman, Scientific American, 4 May 2021 But that will soon change, if researchers who study the rhizosphere, (as the zone of interaction between plants’ roots and microbes is known) have anything to do with it. The Economist, 20 Feb. 2020 This study is hard, for the rhizosphere is a habitat as complex, in its way, as a rainforest or a coral reef. The Economist, 20 Feb. 2020 But the rhizosphere’s exact dimensions can vary by species and even climate, reflecting the roots’ activity. Lacy Schley, Discover Magazine, 11 Feb. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rhizosphere.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rhizosphere was in 1921

Dictionary Entries Near rhizosphere

Cite this Entry

“Rhizosphere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhizosphere. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

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