AESC40660 Plants, Roots and Productivity

Academic Year 2022/2023

This module provides a detailed study into below-ground processes which influence the uptake of water and nutrients by plants. The module considers the acquisition of water and nutrients by plants in both agricultural and natural systems, and how plants interact with the soil environment. Consideration is given to understanding how roots are crucial to plant resource capture, and using this knowledge in improving crop productivity. The module will make clear why roots have been described as key to the second green revolution, and how the application of new methods and technologies for below-ground phenotyping of roots may hold the key meeting global food security challenges. The module is highly suitable for those with interests in plant physiology, horticulture, crop and environmental sciences.

Aims: To provide a fundamental understanding of how water and nutrients are acquired by plants from the soil environment, and their influence on plant growth and development. By the end of the module, students should understand: (i) the pathways and mechanisms involved in the uptake, transport and use of water and nutrients; (ii) the impact of water and nutrient availability on plant growth and development and crop productivity; (iii) plant adaptive responses to water and nutrient stress; (iv) methods to study roots in the soil; (v) how knowledge of water and nutrient uptake by plants can be used to improve crop productivity and resource management.