Award details

Soil resource interactions

Reference	BBS/E/C/00005204
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr W Whalley
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Rothamsted Research
Department	Rothamsted Research Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	2,196,408
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/2012
End date	31/03/2017
Duration	59 months

Abstract

This project will provide a mechanistic understanding of how soil properties and root characteristics interact to determine water uptake, nutrient acquisition and yield and to minimize the damage caused to wheat roots by the take-all fungus. Attention will be focused on two sets of factors: 1. Improvement of management practices (M) and cultivars (G) and their interaction with the environment (E). 2. Tactical (in season and farmer driven) and strategic (longer term) crop management methods that can be used to address the yield ‘gap’ between actual and potential yield and to reduce the impact of variable seasonal conditions on yield. The combined effects of M and E which limit crop production, given adequate disease control, can be merged in the concept of “abiotic stress”. Major abiotic stresses are associated with drying soil due to high evapo-transpirational demand from the crop canopy. As soil dries water potential becomes more negative and soil strength increases, and each of these stresses can in their own right reduce crop growth. In this WP we aim to understand the effects of these interacting stresses on productivity, as outlined in the project direct objectives. Uniquely, by considering the soil-plant interface, we will take into account the G x E x M which will ensure that our findings can be translated into the field environment. Our goal will be to identify important root traits that help to mitigate against the effects of abiotic stresses on yield. Genotypic variation in root susceptibility to biotic stresses (take-all) will also contribute to root performance and will be addressed in this work package; taken together G x M x E is a central theme.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Crop Science, Microbiology, Plant Science, Soil Science
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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