Tianjin foreign studies university, University in Tianjin, China

Scientists have discovered a signal that causes roots to stop growing in hard soils which can be 'switched off' to allow them to punch through compacted soil - a discovery that could help plants to grow in even the most damaged soils.As per the findings published in the journal Science an international research team led by scientists from the University of Nottingham's Future Food Beacon and Shanghai, Jiao Tong University has discovered how the plant signal 'ethylene' causes roots to stop growing in hard soils, but after this signal is disabled, roots are able to push through compacted soil. The research has been published in Science.Hard (compacted) soils represent a major challenge facing modern agriculture that can reduce crop yields over 50% by reducing root growth, causing significant losses annually. Europe has over 33-million-hectares of soil prone to compaction which represents the highest in the world.Soil compaction triggers a reduction in root penetration and uptake of water and nutrients. Despite its clear importance for agriculture and global food security, the mechsm underpinning root compaction responses has been unclear until now.Professor Malcolm Bennett from the University of Nottingham School of Biosciences said: "Understanding how roots penetrate hard soils has huge implications for agriculture, as this knowledge will be crucial for breeding crops more resilient to soil compaction. Our team's identification that the plant signal ethylene controls root responses to hard soil open up new opportunities to select novel compaction resistant crops."The research utilised X-ray Computed Tomography scanners available at the Hounsfield Facility at the University of Nottingham to visualise in situ how plant roots responded to compacted soil.Professor Sacha Mooney from the University of Nottingham and Director of the Hounsfield Facility explained: "Prior to this research we assumed that the hardness of the soil prevented roots growing deeper. By using our imaging approach, we were able to see that roots continued growing in very hard soils when the ethylene signal was switched off. The potential for new crops that can now go deeper in soils and capture previously unavailable resources is really exciting!"The international team involved in this new Science paper includes researchers drawn from nine universities based in Europe, China and USA, integrating expertise spanning plant and soil sciences, bioimaging and mathematics. The team involves several early career researchers including Dr Bipin Pandey and Dr Rahul Bhosale who are funded by Royal Society Challenge Grant, BBSRC Discovery Fellowship and University of Nottingham Future Food Beacon awards.( With inputs from ANI )Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

Tianjin Foreign Studies UniversityFOLLOW

Tianjin foreign studies university, Latest News

Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province reported 12 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 19 asymptomatic infections on Saturday, local health authorities said Sunday. ...

More than 2 million people have died globally due to coronavirus according to the latest tally by the Johns Hopkins University. ...

Coronavirus vaccination drive has already begun in many parts of the world. Amid the vaccination drive, a shocking news ... ...

A total of 8,100 healthcare workers at 81 locations across the national capital will be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus today, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday, the first day of the nation-wide vaccination drive. ...

Beijing, Jan 16 Despite reductions in global carbon emissions due to the Covid-19 lockdown, the world's oceans in ... ...

Beijing, Jan 16 A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman rebuked the Trump administration for blacklisting some Chinese companies with ... ...

More than 2 million people have died globally due to coronavirus according to the latest tally by the Johns Hopkins University. ...

Scientists have discovered a signal that causes roots to stop growing in hard soils which can be 'switched off' to allow them to punch through compacted soil - a discovery that could help plants to grow in even the most damaged soils. ...