Dr Daniel Rodriguez1, Dr Dongxue Zhao1
1The University of Queensland, QAAFI, Gatton, Australia
Biography:
Prof. Daniel Rodriguez was trained as a crop eco-physiologist and bio-physicist at Wageningen University, specialising in the development and application of system modelling approaches. In Australia he pioneered the use of proximal sensing of crops to detect nitrogen and water stresses, and more recently in the development of functional phenotyping approaches of rooting systems in the field. He has 30 years of experience running large multidisciplinary projects that involve multiple agencies.
Abstract:
The architecture, anatomy and function of the root system offer untapped opportunities for crop improvement and productivity gains in the grains industry. Though, the lack of quick, cheap, accurate and functional high throughput root phenotyping approaches in the field has limited the capacity of breeding, agronomy, and precision agriculture to develop valuable traits and products.
We do know that the crop’s genetic (G) background, the environment (E) and crop management (M) interact to alter the architecture and function of the rooting system. Though rarely, studies on root architecture have been able translate into valuable information for breeding or agronomy. Lack of success can be traced down to (i) our limited understanding of the relationship between root form, root function, and grain yield; (ii) our lack of success in relating traits measured early in the season in pots or root chambers, with similar traits in mature plants growing in the field; and (iii) the predominant focus of research to measure the average value of a trait, overlooking the fact that the rooting system is highly plastic, and that different genotypes show different degree of such as plasticity under stress.
Here we present results from two seasons of multi environment trials that used proximal sensing of canopies and soils to derive indices of root growth and function that are related to crop yield and yield stability traits. Our results will show that root growth doesn’t stop at flowering, that there is variability in the capacity of commercial sorghum hybrids to grow roots during grain filling, and that such a trait was related to higher and more stable grain yields.