Integrating long-distance signalling of dry soils with local signalling of evaporative demand: role of the root system

Supervisors: 

Prof Ian Dodd, Lancaster Environment Centre (Lancaster University)

Dr Tim George, Ecological Sciences (The James Hutton Institute)

 

Summary: 

Plants roots can alter the soil physical, biological and chemical properties by exuding compounds which affect soil water relations, release unavailable nutrients and recruit a beneficial rhizosphere microbiome (Hallett et al. 2022). How these mechanisms regulate formation of the rhizosphere or rhizosheath, and its importance compared to root growth, is still not well understood.

This project aims to understand trade-offs between root proliferation and rhizosheath development in determining crop responses to dry soils and/or atmospheres. You will assimilate wide-ranging skills, analytical techniques and concepts from a breadth of research fields (root biology, plant and soil water relations, hormone analysis). This combination will equip you with unique expertise in an emerging area of plant sciences (plant-water relations at the root-soil interface) that will be important to plant breeding companies