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Roots are more than just the location where soil and plants come into contact. They play a critical role in the environment and hold a great deal of promise for helping us improve agricultural sustainability.

Wolfgang Busch, Ph.D., associate professor in the plant molecular and cellular biology laboratory at Salk, presented "To grow or not to grow - novel genetic and molecular mechanisms that determine root growth" as part of the Research Seminar Series at 9 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 5.

One of the greatest challenges facing agriculture is economic uncertainty. Farmers and ranchers can mitigate economic risk by building resiliency in their operations, and Noble research aims to help.

Noble researchers are developing technologies that allow them to uncover roots and harness their ability to generate more nutrient-efficient, more resilient and more sustainable plant varieties.

Genomic technologies make it possible to tap into a plant’s natural abilities to grow more efficiently in drought, nutrient-limited environments and other challenging circumstances.

Researchers at the Noble Research Institute have discovered how differences in root systems can result in deeper rooting, greater nitrogen uptake and increased plant growth.

Researchers at Noble are gaining a better understanding of how deep and in what direction plant roots grow. Their hope is to provide knowledge that enables breeding of plants better able to utilize limited water and nutrient resources with the help of deeper roots.  

Researchers at Noble are developing tools to better understand how roots sense their environment, including the soil in which they grow. By studying calcium as a carrier of messages within the root, they expect to build knowledge that will lead to grazing lands that are more resilient to harsh environments.