Multimodal correlative imaging and modelling of phosphorus uptake from soil by hyphae of mycorrhizal fungi.

Phosphorus (P) is essential for plant growth. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) aid its uptake by acquiring P from sources distant from roots in return for carbon. Little is known about how AMF colonise soil pore-space, and models of AMF-enhanced P-uptake are poorly validated.

Space and time-resolved monitoring of phosphorus release from a fertilizer pellet and its mobility in soil using microdialysis and X-ray computed tomography.

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for crops. Precise spatiotemporal application of P fertilizer can improve plant P acquisition and reduce run-off losses of P. Optimizing application would benefit from understanding the dynamics of P release from a fertilizer pellet into bulk soil, which requires space- and time-resolved measurements of P concentration in soil solutions.

Developing a system for in vivo imaging of maize roots containing iodinated contrast media in soil using synchrotron XCT and XRF.

Aims: We sought to develop a novel experimental system which enabled application of iodinated contrast media to in vivo plant roots intact in soil and was compatible with time-resolved synchrotron X-ray computed tomography imaging. The system was developed to overcome issues of low contrast to noise within X-ray computed tomography images of plant roots and soil environments, the latter of which can complicate image processing and result in the loss of anatomical information.

Methods: To demonstrate the efficacy of the system we employ the novel use of both synchrotron X-ray computed tomography and synchrotron X-ray fluorescence mapping to capture the translocation of the contrast media through root vasculature into the leaves.

Image-based quantification of soil microbial dead zones induced by nitrogen fertilization.

Microbial communities in agricultural soils underpin many ecosystem services including the maintenance of soil structure, food production, water purification and carbon storage. However, the impact of fertilization on the health of microbial communities is not well understood. This study investigates the spatial and temporal dynamics of nitrogen (N) transport away from a fertilizer granule with pore scale resolution.

Significance of root hairs at the field scale - modelling root water and phosphorus uptake under different field conditions.

Background And Aims: Root hairs play a significant role in phosphorus (P) extraction at the pore scale. However, their importance at the field scale remains poorly understood.

Methods: This study uses a continuum model to explore the impact of root hairs on the large-scale uptake of P, comparing root hair influence under different agricultural scenarios.