Phenotyping Wheat Root Architecture in 2D and 3D

Root architecture is key for efficient nutrient uptake, and thus has a direct effect on yield. However, current wheat breeding and selection programs often do not directly consider root architecture due to the practical difficulties in its quantification. Preliminary analyses indicate that a reservoir of genetic variation in key root traits exists among landraces and wild relatives of modern wheat.

A high-throughput seedling screen has been designed to characterise variation in key root architectural traits such as root length, convex hull, number of lateral roots, root angle and root distribution against depth in 2D. The root phenotyping platform and associated image analysis software will be presented, together with data and subsequent QTL mapping from a screen of 96 lines from the Savannah x Rialto Double Haploid mapping population.

Preliminary data collected using micro X-ray CT at The University of Nottingham’s Hounsfield Facility for Rhizosphere Research will also be presented.