Interactions between crops, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and atmospheric CO2

自战后绿色革命以来，农业生产力在作物产量和可预测性方面大幅提高。这取决于新型杀虫剂和氮磷肥的开发和应用，以及植物育种和遗传技术的进步。传统上，作物育种计划的发展很少考虑作物与菌根真菌（土壤真菌，参与植物根系中植物固定光合产物的营养物质的相互交换）建立关联的能力作为主要的理想性状。因此，几项研究表明，菌根在根中的定殖在谷类作物的品种之间变化显著且连续。甚至在某些情况下，这种性状的拮抗育种似乎也会发生，在这种情况下，对增加抗病性的选择导致品种形成菌根协会的能力降低。此外，经常耕作的土壤破坏菌根网络，减少了菌根真菌的土壤定殖的程度。农业中大量使用农用化学品加剧了这种受损的菌根功能，进一步增加了作物对杀真菌剂和化肥投入的依赖，以在正反馈循环中维持产量。在过去的15年里，主要农作物的产量已经稳定下来。随着人口的增加，全球磷矿石的枯竭以及能源价格的上涨使得化肥生产不可持续，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中开发新的创新技术，其中许多已经存在。近年来，人们对利用菌根联合体获得农业效益产生了很大的兴趣，如增加对现有土壤磷库的利用，增强抗病性和耐旱性。然而，考虑到IPCC对未来大气CO2浓度增加的预测，我们必须了解这些至关重要的共生体在这种富含CO2的大气中将如何发挥作用。学术研究界和行业同事之间的知识交流（KE）对于缓解这些挑战至关重要。通过量化欧洲主要谷物作物-菌根相互作用及其对大气CO2浓度的响应的功能和效率，我的研究将解决我们对作物-菌根相互作用的理解以及未来气候变化对其相互作用的影响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种子）密切合作，我的研究将弥合学术研究和农业产业之间的鸿沟，提供关键数据和解决方案，以帮助缓解大气二氧化碳浓度增加对粮食安全带来的挑战。

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.