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Project properties |
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| Title | Into the wild: the impact of plant domestication on root exudation patterns and agro-ecosystem processes. |
| Group | Soil Biology |
| Project type | thesis |
| Credits | 24-39 |
| Supervisor(s) | Marie Zwetsloot |
| Examiner(s) | prof.dr. Rachel Creamer |
| Contact info | marie.zwetsloot@wur.nl |
| Begin date | 2021/09/01 |
| End date | |
| Description | Plant domestication has led to increases in plant yield and other aboveground plant traits associated with fertile and stable soil environments. However, it is unclear how this process of artificial selection has changed root exudation patterns and microbially-mediated soil carbon and nutrient cycling. The aim of this project is to investigate the differences in root exudation patterns and rhizosphere processes between various agricultural crops and their wild relatives under varying levels of nutrient inputs. Research will consist of a greenhouse experiment using potentially different root exudate collection techniques. In the lab, root exudation quantity and quality, microbial biomass and community structure, and soil C and N processes will be assessed. The findings of this research will generate valuable insights about the effect of plant domestication on root-driven agro-ecosystem processes and inform plant breeding efforts focussing on belowground traits that can support a transition to a nature-inclusive agriculture with lower external nutrient inputs. |
| Used skills | Literature review, writing proposal and thesis, experimental design, greenhouse work, lab skills, data analysis.
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| Requirements | Required courses for MSc thesis Soil Biology |