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SMP14

Advancing rhizosphere scale imaging and modelling to build the ideal rhizosphere for plant resource capture
Convener: Nicolai Koebernick  | Co-Convener: Mohsen Zarebanadkouki 
Wed, 11 Apr, 17:30–20:00

This roundtable will gather experts on non-invasive imaging and modelling of rhizosphere dynamics and plant resource capture. Plants actively alter the physico-chemical properties of the rhizosphere, which affects their ability to take up water and solutes from the soil. The dynamics of water and solute flow are highly complex and our ability to predict plant resource capture depends on accurate observation of the structural and chemical properties of the rhizosphere as well as water and solute flow dynamics at the pore scale. Recent developments in non-invasive imaging methods are increasingly enabling the necessary measurements of rhizosphere dynamics but our understanding of the impact of small scale changes on productivity at the plant scale is still limited. Using state of the art modelling techniques it is possible to tie pore-scale processes to observed, continuum scale, models. Whilst these techniques are continuing to advance, they can only ever be as good as the physical an d chemical measurements, which parameterise them. The goal of this splinter meeting is to explore future prospects for non-invasive imaging and modelling to further our understanding of the impact of rhizosphere dynamics on plant resource capture. This will enable the building of predictive tools for rhizosphere management.