Root architecture can be targeted in breeding programs to develop crops with better capture
of water and nutrients. In rich nations, such crops would reduce production costs and …

Nutrient‐efficient crops are a solution to the two grand challenges of modern agriculture:
improving food security while reducing environmental impacts. The primary challenges are …

Background Suboptimal water and nutrient availability are primary constraints in global
agriculture. Root anatomy plays key roles in soil resource acquisition. In this article we …

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 …

Background: Rice is the main staple food for the global population and drought is one of the
limited factor in rice production. In this research, progeny of a cross between an adapted US …

Root phenotypic plasticity has been proposed as a target for the development of more
productive crops in variable environments. However, the plasticity of root anatomical and …

I propose that reduced root development would be advantageous for drought resistance in
high-input agroecosystems. Selection regimes for crop ancestors and landraces include …

Crop genotypes with reduced metabolic costs of soil exploration would have improved water
and nutrient acquisition. Three strategies to achieve this goal are (1) production of the …

Mechanical impedance constrains root growth in most soils. Crop cultivation changed the
impedance characteristics of native soils, through topsoil erosion, loss of organic matter …

Mechanical impedance limits soil exploration and resource capture by plant roots. We
examine the role of root anatomy in regulating plant adaptation to mechanical impedance …