Root Zone Breeding – Live Online Event

Registration: now closed
Organizer: IMPACT 2025, TKI Horticulture & Propagation Materials

Plant breeding is usually focused on the aboveground parts of the crop. Yet belowground parts of the crop that are usually not visible are involved in vital processes of the plant, such as acquisition of nutrients and water and defence against soilborne pathogens. In the mission-driven research agenda of the Topsectors and the government, circular agriculture has become a central notion, implying among others high nutrient effiency, low emissions of pollutants, and climate resilience. Breeding such resilient crops requires a better understanding of the belowground parts of the crop.

In order to provide you with fresh inspiration on this topic, as well as networking opportunities with colleagues from academia and industry, we are convening a Live Online Event on Tuesday, May 19th from 12:00-15:30h CEST.

During the event Prof. Malcolm Bennett of the University of Nottingham will present a keynote lecture titled ‘Uncovering the hidden half of plants using new advances in root phenotyping’. Prof. Bennett is not only a well-known authority on the (molecular) biology of root development; he is also leading efforts to non-invasively image root responses using advanced phenotyping methods.

The second lecture, titled ‘Underground plant traits: many mysteries to be solved’, will be presented by dr Eric Visser (Radboud University Nijmegen). Dr Visser is associate professor of Experimental Plant Ecology and is intrigued by plant roots, particularly the interplay between a root system and its environment and the plasticity with which plant roots can respond to changes in the environment.

Apart from these lectures we provide you with innovative networking opportunities with colleagues from academia and industry. You will have lunch with ca. 10 other participants with whom you will take part in an online video conference guided by an online table host. We will organise an online networking session during which you can chat or set up a video meeting with anyone else present. The whole event will be led by professional host Gerrit Heijkoop