In November 2019, the  Deep Frontier project hosted an international workshop that summoned some of the leading root experts from around the world.  The purpose of the workshop was to provide inputs to an international research agenda for research in deep rooting and deep rooted crops (2-5 meters depth) and to facilitate collaboration between deep root researchers and research environments

See program and some of the presentations and videos from the day:

• Wellcome and introduction to the workshop
• Project leader Kristian Thorup-Kristensen, University of Copenhagen: Brief intro to Deep Frontier Project See video presentation

• Visit to Deep Frontier field facilities (towers, field lab and Radimax)

• Presentation of results from the Deep Frontier Research:

Pitch decks:

• Jørgen E. Olesen, Aarhus University: Deposition and turnover of root derived carbon in deep soil layer See video presentation

• Eusun Han, University of Copenhagen: DeepRootLab A unique field facility for testing deep roots’ potential See video presentation

• Dorte Bodin Dresbøll, University of Copenhagen: Root towers - detailed studies of water and nutrient uptake in different species

• Mette H. Nicolaisen, University of Copenhagen: Rhizosphere microbial communities of deep-rooted crops
  

Session 1: Methods for deep root research - How can we experimentally investigate deep rooting and associated functioning?

Keynote: Peter Gregory, Univ. of Reading, UK  Roots: finding a deeper understanding

Pitch decks:

• Anton Wasson, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia: Getting more from the core?
  
  
• Christopher Topp, Danforth Center, Missouri-US: What’s going on down there? Imaging Technologies and Analysis Frameworks for Root and Rhizosphere Research See video presentation
  
  
• Tobias Wojciechowski, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany: Utilization of genetic and phenotypic variation of storage root development of Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) to improve tropic root crop
  

• Jean Luc Maeght, Soils and Fertilizers Research Institute (SFRI)/The French National Research Institute for Development (IRD), UMR AMAP Vietnam/France: Into the deep: exploring root distribution, function and services  See video presentation
  

• Discussion
  
  

Session 2: Cropping systems - Which crops and cropping systems can facilitatet deep rooting and how to utilize these?

Keynote:  Doris Vetterlein, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Germany: Root induced structure/pattern formation - legacy for subsequent crops

Pitch Decks:

• Roberto Tuberosa, University of Bologna, Italy: Dissecting native and induced root trait variation in barley via GWAS and TILLING 
  
  
• Timo Kautz, Humboldt Universität, Germany: Creation of biopores by perennial fodder crops and their effects on the root length densities of annual crops
  
  
• Timothy Crews, The Land Institute, Kansas – US: Breeding perennial grains - a promising strategy for developing new deep-rooted crop species See video presentation
  
  
• Eric Ober, National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), UK: Understanding the genetic components of deep root phenes, and developing a toolbox for breeders See video presentation
•  Discussion

Session 3: Enhancing resource use through deep rooting – What is the potential for water and nutrient uptake by deep rooted crops?

Keynote: John Kirkegaard, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia: Deep and meaningful: using systems agronomy to capture benefits from deep roots   See video presentation

Pitch decks:  

• Alain Pierret, National Agriculture and Forestry Institute (NAFRI), Lao PDR: Water and nutrient uptake by deep rooted crops: reasons to be hopeful without succumbing to over-optimism See video presentation
  
  
• Christophe Jourdan, the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), France:Unexpected tree root dynamics and functioning at great depth See video presentation
  
  
• Miriam Athmann, University of Bonn, Germany: Crop sequence and nutrient acquisition: Optimized use of soil resources via complementary root growth? See video presentation
  
  
• Hanne Lakkenborg Kristensen, Aarhus University, Denmark: Controlled traffic farming and intercropping – but not no-tillage systems – increased system’s resilience and nitrogen recycling – any general conclusions to draw on deep roots from the complex effects of cropping systems? See video presentation
• Discussion

Session 4: Carbon storage in deep soil through deep rooted crops - amounts and controlling factors, incl. root and soil microbiology

Keynotes:

• Yakov Kuzyakov, University of Göttingen, Germany  Carbon & Carbon in Subsoil  
  
  
• Michael Schloter, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Germany: Interactions of the deep rooting plants with the microbiome of subsoils. 

Pitch decks:

• Isabelle Bertrand, French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), France: Fate of root litter derived C and nutrients at depth: what are the challenges?
  
  
• Huadong Zang, China Agricultural University, China: DEEP FRONTIER Challenging one last frontier: Understanding and improving deep rooting Does diversified cropping systems helps carbon storage in deep soil?
  
  
• Callum Banfield, University of Göttingen, Germany: Accumulation and processing of root detritus in subsoil biopores
  
  
• Discussion

Session 5 – Research agenda: Contribution of deep rooted crops to sustainability targets - What is the potential of deep rooted crops and cropping systems for contributing to sustainable development goals, and how do we quantify this? (Chair: Niels Halberg, Aarhus University, Denmark)

Keynote: Kristian Thorup-Kristensen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

• Discussion

• Summing up from the five sessions, final discussions and closure