Link to paper We show how a combination of X-ray computed tomography (X-CT) and image-based modelling can be used to calculate the effect of moisture content and compaction on the macroscopic structural properties of soil. Our method is based on the equations derived in Daly & Roose (2018 Proc. R. Soc. A474, 20170141), which we have …

Link to paper Phosphorus fertilisation is crucial for crop yields. However, traditional phosphate resources are dwindling, thus a more efficient use of phosphorus fertilisers is required for sustainable farming. This study demonstrates the scope of image-based models parameterised by elemental maps by assessing how a dynamic root system architecture may improve phosphorus root uptake from …

Link to paper This investigation establishes a system of gold nanoparticles that show good colloidal stability as an X-ray computed tomography (XCT) contrast agent under soil conditions. Gold nanoparticles offer numerous beneficial traits for experiments in biology including: comparatively minimal phytotoxicity, X-ray attenuation of the material and the capacity for functionalization. However, soil salinity, acidity …

Link to paper The growth of rice in submerged soils depends on its ability to form continuous gas channels—aerenchyma—through which oxygen (O2) diffuses from the shoots to aerate the roots. Less well understood is the extent to which aerenchyma permits venting of respiratory carbon dioxide (CO2) in the opposite direction. Large, potentially toxic concentrations of …

Link to paper CT scanning has become an important way of seeing how plant roots grow in soils. If we can see the structure of roots and surrounding soil without destroying the system we are looking at, we can learn a lot about processes which might help us to improve agriculture. Unfortunately, getting information out …

Link to paper We review the recent progress in the use of image based modelling to describe water dynamics in the rhizosphere. In addition, we describe traditional modelling and experimental methods, and how images obtained from X-ray Computed Tomography can be used in combination with direct pore-scale modelling to answer questions on water movement in the rhizosphere. The …

Link to paper Root hairs are important sites for nutrient uptake, especially in P limiting conditions. Here we provide first insights into root hair development for the diverse root types of rice grown under different conditions, and show the first in situ images of rice root hairs in intact soil. Roots of plants grown in upland fields …

Link to paper Plant-soil interaction is central to human food production and ecosystem function. Thus, it is essential to not only understand, but also to develop predictive mathematical models which can be used to assess how climate and soil management practices will affect these interactions. In this paper we review the current developments in structural …

Link to paper In this paper, we provide direct evidence of the importance of root hairs on pore structure development at the root–soil interface during the early stage of crop establishment. This was achieved by use of high‐resolution (c. 5 μm) synchrotron radiation computed tomography (SRCT) to visualise both the structure of root hairs and the …

Link to paper Root hairs are known to be highly important for uptake of sparingly soluble nutrients, particularly in nutrient deficient soils. Development of increasingly sophisticated mathematical models has allowed uptake characteristics to be quantified. However, modelling has been constrained by a lack of methods for imaging live root hairs growing in real soils. We …