Unlocking Crop Potential: Root characterization through phenomics and genomics

The study of plant roots, often referred to as the 'hidden half' of plants, is a critical area of research due to their significant role in plant performance and yield. Roots are responsible for the uptake of water and nutrients from the soil and play a crucial role in interacting with soil microbiota. Understanding the anatomy, development, and architecture of root systems, as well as their interactions with the environment, is essential for developing root systems that can adapt to various environmental conditions such as drought, low-nutrient soils, flooding, and soil-borne pathogens. Despite the importance of roots, there remains a gap in our fundamental understanding of root-related processes, particularly in translating findings from model plants to crop plants. Recent studies have begun to address these gaps by employing advanced techniques in phenomics and genomics, yet there is still a need for more comprehensive research to fully unlock the potential of crop improvement through root characterization.

This Research Topic aims to advance our understanding of root processes using phenomics and genomics, ultimately providing insights into strategies for crop improvement. The main objectives include bridging the gap between genotype and phenotype to promote sustainable agriculture. Specific questions to be addressed include how root development, anatomy, and architecture influence plant performance, and how roots interact with soil pathogens and beneficial organisms. Hypotheses to be tested involve the genetic and physiological bases of root traits that contribute to water and nutrient uptake efficiency.

To gather further insights in the field of root characterization through phenomics and genomics, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Utilizing phenomics for root system architecture and plasticity against abiotic and biotic stresses
• Multi-omics approaches to dissect the physiological and genetic basis of plant nutrient and water use efficiency
• Development of novel high-throughput root phenotyping platforms for high-resolution gene functional characterization
• Identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with root traits through genome-wide association studies (GWAS)

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Root Characterization, Phenomics, Genomics, Root Anatomy, Root Development

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.