Current Research

3D imaging and analysis of root particle interactions using Optical Projection Tomography and X-ray microtomography.  I will develop novel imaging and 3D image analysis approaches to study biological and physical processes which control root growth in heterogeneous media.

Background

Root systems are essential in providing stability for the plant and allowing uptake of water and nutrients.  However, root systems are inherently difficult to study because they are concealed beneath soil.

Historically, methods of studying plant roots were largely destructive, using various types of excavations.  This allowed scientsists to measure morphological characteristics of root systems.  Basic methods of in situ observation of roots were also developed, including the use of rhizotron and the use of the needleboard method.

These approaches have provided the greatest insight into the architecture of root systems, but have numerous limitations (sampling methods are destructive, rhizotrons provide only partial information) and compromise the resolution and accuracy of information collected.

This project will make use of the latest technological advances in microscopy and X-ray Tomography.

Objectives

To develop high resolution imaging and visualization techniques to track root trajectories in heterogeneous soil and artificial granular media to enable generation of detailed numerical descriptions of root growth.  This will involve:

1. Creating reconstituted, isorefractive, heterogeneous medium for OPT microscopy of plant roots.  To allow us to control the properties of the growth medium (e.g. particle size) and will involve using refractive index matching techniques.

2. Cross validating this approach using established X-ray micro-CT technique.

3. Using image analysis techniques to obtain numerical descriptions of the evolution of root geometry in relation to the distribution of particles.

Recent Publications

• Fisher, M.E., Clelland, A.K., Bain, A., Baldock, R.A., Murphy, P., Downie, H., Tickle, C., Davidson, D.R., Buckland, R.A. 2008. Integrating technologies for comparing 3D gene expression domains in the developing chick limb. Developmental Biology 317(1), 13-23.