Next-Generation Technologies for Tomorrow s Crops: Getting to the Root of Carbon Sequestration

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1 Next-Generation Technologies for Tomorrow s Crops: Getting to the Root of Carbon Sequestration Leon Kochian Associate Director Global Institute for Food Security Canada Excellence Research Chair in Food Systems and Security

2 Roots: The Hidden Half of the Plant With Regards to Research and Plant Breeding Because plant root systems grow in a very complex and opaque soil environment, they have not been a target for plant breeders, who focus on traits they can see and measure. But recent technological advances from medical imaging and computational image analysis are now allowing scientists for the first time to see and quantify root traits. But why do we care about imaging root architecture and function?

3 What Will be the Outcomes of Root Research For Global Climate Change? Crops with bigger root systems and better root microbiomes can significantly decrease agriculture s carbon footprint and be more resilient to climate change. Increased agricultural yields have, since 1961, already sequestered 590 billion tons of global CO 2 emissions via carbon storage in roots and the root microbiome.

4 How Crop Plants Distribute Their Roots in Soil Is Critical for Efficient Water and Fertilizer Acquisition Shallow Roots for Topsoil Phosphorus Foraging Deeper Roots to Acquire Subsurface Water and Nitrogen Identifying genes that controlled shallow and deep rooting in crops will help breed for improved performing crops for Saskatchewan farmers.

5 RootReader 3D: Root Imaging System for Generating 3D Models of Root Systems Randy Clark Stationary camera with fixed capture settings that is synchronized to a turntable via a LabVIEW interface and digital controller 100 images captured per root system as plant is rotated through 360 RootReader3D software then generates 3D reconstruction from the one hundred 2D images and quantifies root architecture traits. 3D Reconstruction of rice root system

6 urandir Magalhaes RootReader 3D Used to Identify P Efficiency Genes via Root System Alterations Collaboration with Embrapa Maize and Sorghum, Brazil Barbara Hufnagel Imaged root systems and quantified root architecture on 250 sorghum lines in a panel that captures most of the sorghum genetic diversity. Used molecular/statistical genetics approaches to identify several genes whose DNA sequence variation is strongly correlated with P efficiency & changes in root architecture. These SbPstol (for phosphorous starvation tolerance) genes respond to low P status by modifying the sorghum root system to increase P acquisition from the soil Root system of sorghum cultivar that performs well on low P soils Root system of sorghum cultivar that performs poorly on low P soils

7 The Root Microbiome: A New Frontier for Agricultural Research Roots and microbes have co-evolved for millions of years. Microbes living on and in the roots essential for root health and growth, nutrient acquisition, and important for soil health.

8 The Root Microbiome: A New Frontier for Agricultural Research Beneficial bacteria forming biofilm on root surface As we learn more about root-microbe interactions, we will be able to breed and select for agriculturally and environmentally favorable root microbiomes. This will include microbiomes that sequester more carbon via reduced greenhouse gas emission (lower soil CO 2 and microbially-generated NO release).

9 Major Goal is to Establish a World Class Center for Root Phenotyping at GIFS & UofS Continue to advance current optical imaging and 3D reconstruction technologies. The Canadian National Light Source will be a fantastic resource for X-ray imaging of roots and shoots in soil-grown plants. Synchrotron imaging of wheat roots grown in soil.

10 Major Goal is to Establish a World Class Center for Root Phenotyping at GIFS & UofS Other more portable devices can produce synchrotron-quality X-rays in the lab for imaging shoots and roots in soil. (Collaboration with Advanced Laser Light Source, Varennes, Quebec) Neutron imaging of root systems of intact plants in soil. (Canadian Nuclear Laboratory in Chalk River, Ontario) 3D reconstruction of pea root system in soil imaged with neutrons Research led by Dr. Emil Hallen of GIFS Roots of two wheat seedlings and one pea seedling in soil Synchrotron imaging of wheat roots growing in soil.(keyes et al New Phytol) Disease in wheat seeds imaged using Advanced Laser Light Source imaging.

11 Enable the Breeding for Crops with Carbon Efficient and Climate Resilient Root Systems Will be able to breed for crop cultivars with larger and more efficient root systems with increased water and nutrient acquisition efficiency crops with increased climate resiliency. Will also be able to breed for larger root systems that don t impose a carbon penalty on grain yield and shoot biomass, facilitating increased C sequestration in root systems. Will be able to breed for more efficient and effective root microbiomes, that focus on microbial processes enhancing mineral nutrient availability to the root and minimize release of CO 2 and NO gases. NO gases have a Global Warming Potential 300 times that of CO 2.