Plant
and computer scientists can now study the underground world of plants
with more accuracy and clarity. The revolutionary technique will improve
our chances of breeding better crop varieties and increasing yields.
Developed
at The University of Nottingham by a team of experts from the Schools
of Biosciences and Computer Science, the new approach is based on the
same X-ray technology used in hospital CT scans and incorporates new
image analysis software which, for the first time, can automatically
distinguish plant roots from the other materials found in soil.
The
results of this research, which has already been demonstrated on the
roots of maize, wheat and tomato, have been published in the
international scientific journal Plant Physiology.
The
interdisciplinary team of scientists from the Centre for Plant
Integrative Biology (CPIB) used X-ray Micro Computed Tomography
(Micro-CT) to look at the shape and branching pattern—the architecture—of roots in soil. The data was then fed into the new RooTrak software
which overcomes the problem of distinguishing between roots and other
elements of the soil.
Breakthrough for food security
Dr.
Sacha Mooney, an expert in soil physics in the School of Biosciences,
said: “This technique is a hugely important advance. The application of
X-ray CT for visualising roots has been limited because we simply
couldn’t see a large portion of the root structure. RooTrak has enabled
us to overcome this and has opened up the use of the technology for
exploring the key questions regarding how we can manipulate plants and
soils for improving our food security.”
The
RooTrak software works by taking a stack of virtual slices through the
root-bearing soil. It treats each slice as a frame in a movie, so that
static roots in each slice are treated as moving objects which can be
tracked. This allows the software to differentiate between root and
water or organic elements in the soil much more effectively than
previous techniques. The detailed accurate root architecture can then be
seen in three dimensions.
Tony
Pridmore, Data Director at CPIB and an expert in tracking and analysis
software, said: “Thinking of Micro-CT data as a sequence of images
allows us to solve the problems caused by variations in the appearance
of plant roots and the similarity of some roots to the surrounding soil.
This is important because we can now extract descriptions of root
architecture quickly and objectively.”
Malcolm
Bennett, Professor of Plant Sciences and an expert in root biology,
said: “Root architecture critically influences nutrient and water
uptake. A key impediment to genetic analysis of root architecture in
crops grown in soil has been the ability to image live roots. Recent
advances in microscale X-ray Computed Tomography (MicroCT) and RooTrak
software at Nottingham now make this possible.”
Ambitious project wins a further £3m in funding
The
team has just been awarded a €3.5m (nearly £3m) five year European
Research Council (ERC) Advanced Investigator Grant to use this new
software in conjunction with an innovative microCT-based imaging
approach to image wheat roots and select for new varieties with improved
water and nutrient uptake efficiencies.
This
ambitious project will be undertaken by a multidisciplinary team of
scientists in the Centre for Plant Integrative Biology (CPIB) led by
Professor Bennett. To undertake this research project help from
collaborators across Europe, Mexico and Australia is also required to
ensure that the most advanced techniques and biological resources are
exploited to radically impact efforts to improve crop performance.
The
CPIB is funded by the Systems Biology joint initiative of the
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The research
was led by PhD student Stefan Mairhofer, with funding from The
University of Nottingham’s Interdisciplinary Doctoral Training Centre in
Integrative Biology.
Global Food Security is also a key project within the University’s new appeal, Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, which is delivering the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future.
