Root Research comes to the UK

2012 is a big year for roots researchers. The International Society of Root Research is holding its big event in the UK for the first time. The event, in Dundee, will be held at the end of June and has keynote speakers from around the world.

Jun Abe of the University of Tokyo has said why he thinks root research is so important. “The root is the interface between plant and the soil. This means that the root is the organ that is directly affected by human managements (e.g., tillage and fertilization). The formation of well-developed root system is important for crops to alleviate the soil environmental stress such as water stress, nutrient deficiency, high (or low) pH and so on.”

The conference, as the name suggests, is a look to the future of root research and the prospect of a Second Green Revolution. Topics along the way include Genes, traits and environment, Environmental impact and carbon cycling and Root-microbe interaction.

For more information you can visit the symposium website.