United Kingdom
August 18, 2017
A new DNA-based method of determining root biomass, with results comparable to current root-washing methods, has been developed.
The AHDB-funded work (New wheat root ideotypes for improved resource use efficiency and yield performance in reduced input agriculture) aimed to determine the impact of wheat root growth and morphology on nutrient uptake and resulting yield.
The new root measurement method will enable researchers and plant breeders to measure and optimise crop root systems, improving crop performance.
Two bi-parental mapping populations have also been created as a resource for plant breeders.
The study also examined how wheat roots are colonised by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) species that are present in the soil.
High species diversity of AMF was found in both roots and soil, and high spatial variation in communities from one plot to another. Future studies will need to take this variation into account in order to detect the effects of variables such as depth in the soil, agronomic treatments, or crop varieties.
Taken together, the three strands of this research have created valuable tools for root researchers, agronomists and plant breeders, and for the development of new varieties for UK growers.
The report also highlights a need for further research to identify root phenotypes suitable for deployment in UK agriculture. Additional trials and crop models could more strongly establish the link between specific phenotypes and economically important traits such as yield, nutrient use efficiency and drought tolerance.
Read the full report
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