Advances in studies on morphological plasticity of Leymus chinensis rhizome

Leymus chinensis is one of the typical rhizomatous grasses, of which rhizome morphological plasticity is the major strategy to adapt to different adversities. This paper includes a review on research achievements on the effects of environmental (such as salt and alkali stress, soil, and water) and ecological (such as community environment and grassland use) factors on the morphological plasticity of L. chinensis rhizomes. The future research in this field is also prospected. Leymus chinensis rapidly escaped from patches with saline alkali stress by increasing spacer length. In poor soil, the length of the internode was shortened and the number increased, which increased fibrous roots to obtain nutrients. Loose soil and adequate moisture were beneficial for the growth and clonal reproduction of L. chinensis. Community environment has complex effects on clonal reproduction via the rhizomes. Long-term overgrazing was not conducive to clonal reproduction of L. chinensis, which showed that the length of rhizomes and the number of buds and ramets decreased. Mowing time and frequency also had an effect. In future studies on rhizomatous plants, such as L. chinensis, research indexes should be simplified, the influence of community environment and disturbance should be mainly studied, and we should try to reveal the mechanisms of adaptations to adversities via rhizomes using modern science and technology.