Soils contain the greatest reservoir of biodiversity on Earth, and the functionality of the soil ecosystem sustains the rest of the terrestrial biosphere. This functionality results from complex interactions between biological and physical processes that are strongly modulated by the soil physical structure. Using a novel combination of biochemical and biophysical indicators and synchrotron microtomography, we have discovered that soil microbes and plant roots microengineer their habitats by changing the porosity and clustering properties (i.e., spatial correlation) of the soil pores. Our results indicate that biota act to significantly alter their habitat toward a more porous, ordered, and aggregated structure that has important consequences for functional properties, including transport processes. These observations support the hypothesis that the soil-plant-microbe complex is self-organized.

The relative importance of roots and AMfungi on soil physical processes was investigated by controlling the presence of roots and AM fungi in pot experiments using a mycorrhiza-defective tomato mutant and a wild-type tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Root-Zone and Bulk Soil sections were established by splitting pots into two lengthwise halves using a nylon mesh that contained roots whilst allowing the free movement of fungal hyphae. Post-incubation microbial populations and fungal biomass were measured and related to soil stability, pore structure and water repellency. Unplanted controls consistently had the least fungal biomass, fatty acids, waterstable aggregates (WSA) and water repellency. Wildtype-planted treatments had significantly more WSA than mycorrhiza-defective treatments (P<0.01). Fluctuations in water content induced by transpiration caused significant changes in soil pore structure, measured using high-resolution X-Ray computer tomography. Porosity and mean pore size increased in soil aggregates from planted treatments, which had larger more heterogeneous pores than those in the unplanted soils. AM fungi accentuated soil stability. However, changes were not linked to repellency and fungal biomass. The presence of plants, regardless of AM fungi, appears to have the greatest impact on increasing soil stability.

Background and Aims Previous laboratory studies have suggested selection for root hair traits in future crop breeding to improve resource use efficiency and stress tolerance. However, data on the interplay between root hairs and open-field systems, under contrasting soils and climate conditions, are limited. As such, this study aims to experimentally elucidate some of the impacts that root hairs have on plant performance on a field scale. Methods A field experiment was set up in Scotland for two consecutive years, under contrasting climate conditions and different soil textures (i.e. clay loam vs. sandy loam). Five barley (Hordeum vulgare) genotypes exhibiting variation in root hair length and density were used in the study. Root hair length, density and rhizosheath weight were measured at several growth stages, as well as shoot biomass, plant water status, shoot phosphorus (P) accumulation and grain yield. Key Results Measurements of root hair density, length and its correlation with rhizosheath weight highlighted trait robustness in the field under variable environmental conditions, although significant variations were found between soil textures as the growing season progressed. Root hairs did not confer a notable advantage to barley under optimal conditions, but under soil water deficit root hairs enhanced plant water status and stress tolerance resulting in less negative leaf water potential and lower leaf abscisic acid concentration, while promoting shoot P accumulation. Furthermore, the presence of root hairs did not decrease yield under optimal conditions, while root hairs enhanced yield stability under drought. Conclusions Selecting for beneficial root hair traits can enhance yield stability without diminishing yield potential, overcoming the breeder’s dilemma of trying to simultaneously enhance both productivity and resilience. Therefore, the maintenance or enhancement of root hairs can represent a key trait for breeding the next generation of crops for improved drought tolerance in relation to climate change.

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