Designing Roots to Penetrate Hard Soils Could Help Climate Proof Crops
Published:20 Jul.2022 Source:University of Nottingham
Scientists have discovered how to design cereal roots able to continue growing in hard soils by altering their ability to penetrate, enabling roots to access sources of water deeper in soil, and helping 'climate-proof' vital crops in response to changing UK rain fall patterns.
Climate change is altering rain fall patterns, resulting in drier, harder soils which threaten yields in rain fed crops like cereals. An international team of researchers led by the University of Nottingham and Shanghai University have discovered key genes, hormone signals and processes in rice roots that control their ability to penetrate hard soils. Their findings have been published today in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.