In the context of a recent massive increase in research on plant root functions and their
impact on the environment, root ecologists currently face many important challenges to keep …

Since whole-genome sequencing of many crops has been achieved, crop functional
genomics studies have stepped into the big-data and high-throughput era. However …

Plant phenotype plays an important role in genetics, botany, and agronomy, while the
currently popular methods for phenotypic trait measurement have some limitations in …

The current unpredictable climate changes are causing frequent and severe droughts. Such
circumstances emphasize the need to understand the response of plants to drought stress …

Highlights•A 'second green revolution'using crops with improved below-ground traits is
needed.•Phenotyping plant roots poses practical and data challenges.•Technologies for 2D …

To face future challenges in crop production dictated by global climate changes, breeders
and plant researchers collaborate to develop productive crops that are able to withstand a …

Root systems determine the water and nutrients for photosynthesis and harvested products,
underpinning agricultural productivity. We highlight 11 programs that integrated root traits …

Water and nitrogen availability limit crop productivity globally more than most other
environmental factors. Plant availability of macronutrients such as nitrate is, to a large extent …

Phosphorus (P) is one of the essential nutrients for plants, and is indispensable for plant
growth and development. P deficiency severely limits crop yield, and regular fertilizer …

Despite often being conceptualized as a thin layer of soil around roots, the rhizosphere is
actually a dynamic system of interacting processes. Hiltner originally defined the …