Interactions between crops, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and atmospheric CO2

自战后绿色革命以来，农业生产率在作物产量和可预测性方面大幅提高。这有赖于新型杀虫剂和氮磷化肥的开发和应用，再加上植物育种和基因技术的进步。传统上，作物育种计划的发展很少将作物与菌根真菌(土壤真菌)建立联系的能力作为主要的可取性状。菌根真菌是一种土壤真菌，参与养分与植物根部固定的光合作用产物的雷普罗醇交换。因此，一些研究表明，在谷类作物中，菌根对根的定植在不同品种之间存在显著而持续的差异。在某些情况下，甚至对这种性状的拮抗育种似乎也会发生，在这种情况下，对提高抗病能力的选择导致了形成菌根联合能力降低的品种。此外，定期耕作土壤会破坏菌根网络，减少菌根真菌在土壤中的定植程度。农业中大量使用农用化学品加剧了菌根功能受损，这进一步增加了作物对杀菌剂和化肥投入的依赖，以维持正反馈循环中的产量。在过去的15年里，关键的作物产量一直处于停滞状态。随着人口的增加、全球岩石磷的枯竭和能源价格的不断上涨，化肥生产变得不可持续，欧洲现在面临着粮食安全危机，全球气候变化带来的环境挑战进一步加剧了这一危机。这场危机需要从各种科学学科开发的新的和创新的技术，其中许多已经存在。近年来，人们对利用菌根组合来获得农艺效益非常感兴趣，例如改善对现有土壤磷库的获取，增强抗病和抗旱能力。然而，考虑到政府间气候变化专门委员会对未来大气二氧化碳浓度上升的预测，我们必须了解这些至关重要的共生体在这样一个富含二氧化碳的大气中将如何发挥作用。学术研究界和业界同行之间的知识交流(KE)对于缓解这些挑战至关重要。通过量化欧洲主要谷类作物-菌根相互作用的功能和效率以及它们对大气二氧化碳浓度的响应，我的研究将解决我们在理解作物-菌根圈相互作用以及未来气候变化对它们相互作用的影响方面的关键和基本知识差距。此外，通过与我的工业合作伙伴Richard Summers博士(RAGT Seed)密切合作，我的研究将弥合学术研究和农业行业之间的鸿沟，提供关键数据和解决方案，帮助缓解大气二氧化碳浓度上升对粮食安全构成的挑战。

Since the post-war Green Revolution, agricultural productivity has increased dramatically in terms of crop yield and predictability. This has been dependent on the development and application of novel pesticides and nitrogen- and phosphorus-based fertilisers, coupled to advances in plant breeding and genetic technologies. Traditionally, the development of crop breeding programs has rarely considered the ability of crops to establish associations with mycorrhizal fungi (soil fungi that engage in a reciprocol exchange of nutrients for plant-fixed photosynthates in plant roots) as a main desirable trait. As such, several studies have shown that the colonisation of roots by mycorrhiza varies significantly and continuously among cultivars in cereals. Even antagonistic breeding for such a character seems to occur in some cases, in which selection for increased disease resistance has led to varieties with reduced ability to form mycorrhizal associations. In addition, regular tillage of the soil disrupts mycorrhizal networks and reduces the extent of soil colonisation by mycorrhizal fungi. The intensive use of agrochemicals in agriculture has compounded this impaired mycorrhizal functioning, which further increases crop dependence on fungicide and fertilizer inputs to sustain yields in a positive feedback loop. In the last 15 years key crop yields have plateaued. With an increasing human population, depletion of global rock-phosphorus and growing energy prices making fertiliser production unsustainable, Europe is now facing a food security crisis, further compounded by the environmental challenges presented by global climate change. This crisis requires new and innovative technologies developed from a variety of scientific disciplines, many of which already exist. In recent times there has been much interest in exploiting mycorrhizal associations for agronomic benefit such as enhanced access to existing soil P pools, enhanced disease resistance and drought tolerance. However, given the IPCC predictions for future increases in atmospheric CO2 concentrations, it is vital that we understand how these critically important symbioses will function under such a CO2-rich atmosphere. Knowledge exchange (KE) between the academic research community and industry colleagues is essential to mitigate these challenges. By quantifying the functionality and efficiency of key European cereal crop-mycorrhiza interactions and their responses to atmospheric CO2 concentration, my research will address the critical and fundamental knowledge gaps in our understanding of crop-mycorrhizosphere interactions and the effects of future climate change on their interactions. Further, by working closely with my industrial partner, Dr Richard Summers (RAGT seeds), my research will bridge the divide between academic research and the agricultural industry, providing critical data and solutions to help mitigate the challenges posed by increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration on food security.