Leading root researchers gathered in Copenhagen
The Deep Frontier project recently hosted an international workshop that summoned some of the leading root experts from around the world.
Researchers from the U.S., Europe, Australia and China recently gathered in Copenhagen to discuss how to best use subsoil resources and deep‐rooted crops to produce more food in a sustainable way. The workshop participants also looked into the challenges faced when studying deep roots - and learned more about the preliminary results from the Deep Root project, which ends in August 2020. The workshop program included a visit to the unique research facilities for studying deep roots, that was established within the project at Copenhagen University’s Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Højbakkegård, Campus Tåstrup.
Some of the topics discussed at the workshop are how to experimentally investigate deep rooting and associated functioning, which crops and cropping systems that can facilitate deep rooting and their utilization, the potential for water and nutrient uptake by deep rooted crops, carbon storage in deep soil through deep rooted crops, including amounts, controlling factors and not least, root- and soil microbiology. Finally, the potential of deep rooted crops for contributing to sustainable development goals and how to quantify this were given attention at the workshop.
Peter Gregory, Emeritus Professor, Reading University joined the international workshop as key note speaker. The project was very pleased to have him at the workshop. In this video he describes some of the challenges faced when you study deep roots: