Future roots
Redesigning root architecture for improved crop performance.
Project facts:
- Start date: 1 August 2012
- End date: 31 July 2017
- Funder: European Research Council
- Award: €3,500,000
- Principle investigator:
Prof Malcolm Bennett
Background
Food security represents a pressing global issue. Crop production has to double by 2050 to keep pace with global population growth increasing to 9 billion. This target is even more challenging given the impact of climate change on water availability and the drive to reduce fertilizer inputs.
The solution
In both cases, developing crops with improved water and nutrient uptake efficiency would provide the solution. Root architecture critically influences nutrient and water uptake efficiency. For example, rooting depth impacts the efficient acquisition of soil nitrogen (and water) since nitrate leaches deep into the soil. In contrast, phosphate use efficiency could be significantly improved without increasing root depth by manipulating the angle of root growth to better explore the top soil where this macronutrient accumulates. Despite this knowledge, the genes that regulate root traits such as angle, depth and density in crops remain to be identified.
Recent advances
A key impediment to genetic analysis of root architecture in crops grown in soil has been the ability to image live roots non-invasively. Recent advances in microscale X-ray Computed Tomography (μCT) now permit root phenotyping. However, major technical and scientific challenges remain before μCT can become a high throughput phenotyping approach.
The project
This project aims to create a unique high throughput root phenotyping facility that exploits recent advances in μCT imaging, biological image analysis, wheat genetics and mathematical modelling to pinpoint the key genes that control root architecture and develop molecular markers and new crop varieties with improved nutrient and water uptake efficiency. With funding from the European Research Council, the Wolfson Foundation and The University of Nottingham we have established a unique platform (the Hounsfield Facility) which will accommodate ERC funded postdoctoral researchers and PhD students, X-ray imaging research equipment and automated growth facilities in one state-of-the-art building and fully automated greenhouse complex.