Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have taken a major step towards a better understanding of plants’ survival ability under climate change. A newly constructed root tunnel at the university’s experimental farm in Taastrup aims to shed light on how plants’ root systems react to changing climate conditions.
The 24-meter-long and three-meter-deep tunnel is equipped with 1200 small windows that allow researchers to observe the growth and development of roots in real-time. This unique facility provides valuable insights into how crops such as wheat, rapeseed, peas, and potatoes can adapt to longer periods of drought and wet periods brought about by climate change.
Kristian Thorup-Kristensen, a professor at the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, emphasizes the importance of studying root development in a time of climate change. “There are signs that we will have longer periods of drought, but also longer wet periods, as we have seen this spring. For plants, this means they need to be able to extract water from deeper soil layers,” the professor says.
The root tunnel also allows for advanced image analysis, the use of water sensors, and the analysis of water and gas samples. By adding special tracers to the soil, researchers can track how roots absorb water and nutrients from depths of up to three meters.
“With the measuring instruments we have today, the tunnel gives us entirely new possibilities to investigate the plant’s uptake of water and nutrients, and how it develops deep roots that can help the plant withstand drought,” adds Kristian Thorup-Kristensen.
This research project is the first of its kind in Denmark and is funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Researchers hope that their work will lead to better crops that are more resilient to the extreme weather conditions that future climate change is predicted to bring.