Roots - soil interaction

Roots - soil interaction SW09 Farmers, agronomists, and ag-tech professionals who wish to manage crops in a way that optimises root growth and function An intermediate course best suited to those who are able to demonstrate some practical experience A half day classroom - based course TBC Eric Ober, Research Agronomist, Niab

Classroom, module 1:

The Hidden Half: some fundamentals

•    Root growth and development
•    Soil water and nutrient uptake
•    Root-soil microbiome interactions

Some research case studies

•    Drought tolerance
•    Nitrogen use efficiency
•    Varietal differences in root system architecture  and yield stability

Classroom, module 2:

•    Roots and on-farm challenges
•    Looking underground:  hands-on demos
•    Open discussion

At the end of this course, you will:

• Have a better understanding of:
  • how roots grow and develop
  • their role in the uptake of water and nutrients
  • interactions between roots and the soil microbiome
• Insight into areas of current research that may impact crop management
• A view of some challenges that breeders face in selecting root traits for variety improvement
• Ideas and options for assessing roots on-farm
• A better appreciation of what goes on underneath a crop