This website introduces how genetic analysis and modern plant science help improve the growth and resilience of maize—one of the world’s most important crops that become our everyday food—reflecting the core mission of the ROOTS Project.
The ROOTS Project is a research initiative led by Dr. John McKay and his team at Colorado State University. The project focuses on understanding the hidden parts of maize plants—the roots (e.g., about the roots' shapes, depths, and branching patterns). The project aims to answer the fundamental question:
How do genes influence the way maize roots grow, and how can this knowledge help agriculture?
Bringing together plant geneticists, field scientists, and data scientists, the ROOTS Project studies hundreds of maize varieties to uncover the genetic factors behind complex root traits. To do this, the team conducts large-scale field experiments that measure the force required to pull a plant from the ground (i.e., root-pulling force, or RPF), which reflects both the strength and depth of a plant’s root system. By mapping genetic associations with stronger RPF, researchers are able to identify genes associated with stronger, more resilient roots.
To learn more about the ROOTS Project, visit the Blog to read a story about the team’s recent research, as well as a feature story based on an interview with the project’s leader, Dr. John McKay.
Why Roots Matter?
Roots are the systems that collect large amounts of carbon, water and nutrients from the soil and will remain underground even after the plant is harvested, making roots playing important roles in capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) through photosynthesis and storing it as stable organic matter. Stronger and deeper roots can help maize plants to access water and nutrients deeper in the soil, to use fertilizers more efficiently, and to stand firmly against wind and erosion - many factors that can help the plants to survive through drought and extreme weather stresses.
To learn more about the ROOTS Project and the group behind it, checkout the stories in this blog that shares new study stories of the group's recent work, and a feature story featuring an interview with the group leader, Dr. John McKay.
The ROOTS Project researchers successfully used Root Pulling Force (RPF), a large-scale field phenotyping technique, to measure root system strength and identified key genetic markers that govern how root architecture responds to water limitation.
As climate pressures rise, scientists are uncovering the hidden genetic codes that help crops survive through longer and more extreme drought seasons.
Water shortages are among the greatest challenges facing future crop production. Droughts in many parts of the world in recent years drastically reduced crop yields and disrupted reginal economies—crops like cereal produce as little as 25% of their full-potential yield under drought stress. Two possible trends of the future will likely make water deficits a more severe problem for future crop production:
Strengthening the genetic tolerance of crops to drought is therefore critical for ensuring future food security. We encourage you to explore more about research in this field—done by the McKay Lab, the ROOTS Project or many others!
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