Understanding soil-plant-microbial interactions and soil chemical processes is a challenging task but potentially offers new strategies to enhance plant productivity and soil health. Processes taking place in the rhizosphere (the region in soil influenced by plant roots) are of particular importance as most interactions between plants, soils, and microorganisms occur there. The understanding, assessment, and manipulation of biogeochemical processes in the rhizosphere is very important in phytoremediation and phytomining research. Phytoremediation and phytomining techniques are considered as cost effective and environmental-friendly, “green” technologies for the in situ restoration of the health and productive capacity of soils, mitigating environmental impacts of impaired soils, and not in the least, the gain of raw materials by phytoextraction. Phytoremediation and phytomining both make use of extracting and accumulating contaminants or target elements from soil/water with plants. However, the term phytoremediation also includes the remediation of soils by phytostabilization and rhizodegradation. Up to date, sufficient interdisciplinary knowledge on the biogeochemically impacted behavior of specific target elements in the soil and their uptake into strategically used plants is lacking. Therefore, to optimize phytoremediation and phytomining technologies in the future, a sound understanding of the biogeochemical processes at the soil-root interface and the consequences of soil management on the bioavailability of elements in the soil is needed.
This poster session aims to bring together contributions of all aspects of the effects of rhizosphere processes and soil management on soil contaminants, in particular excessive nutrients and metal accumulation or detoxification by plants. This includes, among others:
-Advances in the understanding of functions and
characterization of root exudates involved in
rhizosphere processes
-Novel analytical methodology for the assessment of
rhizosphere processes and “mobilization” efficacy together with innovative approaches
-Plant-microbe interactions
-New approaches to enhanced phytoextraction

We welcome presentations of laboratory and field research results as well as theoretical studies and we intend to bring together scientists from multiple disciplines to discuss and improve our understanding of these types of soil-plant-microbe interactions from a mechanistic point of view. Young researchers are especially encouraged to submit their contributions. Furthermore, we plan to publish the outcome of this session in a Special Issue of an international indexed journal.