Hi-tech pots

Medical scanning equipment lets scientists see roots through the soil. Image: Bruce Grieve, University of Manchester

Climate change will affect what crops we grow and the way we grow them, because some parts of the world will become hotter and dryer.

Plants take in water through their roots to survive. We need to understand plant roots better if we're going to breed plants to cope with climate change. But what do the best plant roots look like? It's hard to see with all that soil around them!

Bruce Grieve, a sensor expert at the University of Manchester, is working to develop a system which will enable him to 'see' the roots of plants as they are growing.

Here's looking at you...

Technology that lets scientists see roots in pots will be used to study whole fields. Image: Bruce Grieve, University of Manchester

Grieve has taken techniques used for years in the world of medical imaging and for the first time used them to study plants in soil.

The prototype is a flexible printed circuit board which is dropped into a plant pot before it is filled with soil. An electric current passes through the soil and roots differently, which enables Grieve to see 3D images of the roots.

The root of the problem

Bruce Grieve, imaging expert, University of Manchester. Image: Bruce Grieve, University of Manchester

Grieve says, 'The first systems will be designed for use in a greenhouse; I'll control the water given to each plant and watch the shape of the roots. We hope we'll be able to use this technology to select more drought-tolerant varieties of crops, such as maize or soy. It'll help us to find the best plants for our changing climate.'

Keep it simple

Farmers share ideas with each other. Image: International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

Water is often a very limited resource. Experts are teaching farmers to use simple technology and new farming methods to make the best of the little water they have. This knowledge is most needed in poor farming communities in remote rural locations.

It's important that local community-based organisations or farmers spread the word. There are lots of examples of success stories where simple solutions have made a real difference to crop survival.

Pass it on

Bram Govaerts (second left) trains farmers to teach others how to save water. Image: International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

Bram Govaerts, a farming expert from the International Maize and Wheat Center, is helping small farms in Mexico.

He has set up a system of local centres where the scientists can work together with the farmers. 'It doesn't work to just tell farmers what to do. It needs to be a collaboration. We must work together on all aspects of farming,' says Govaerts.

For example, planting crops in raised beds and furrows makes sure the roots do not get waterlogged when the plants are watered. This makes best use of water and keeps the soil sound so plants are better able to survive dry spells.

Darfur dams

Planting crops in holes in North Darfur, Africa. Image: Practical Action

In North Darfur, farmers can help their crops survive in very dry conditions by changing the way they plant them – it's a really simple solution. Local agricultural experts have taught them to dig an earth dam in the ground to contain the water after rainfall.

'When the rain stops, farmers can dig very deep holes to plant the crops in. This helps the roots to take up moisture and shield the plants from the harsh sun,' says Neil Nobel, a low-tech-development expert with Practical Action.

Ideal irrigation

Men from the Omm Brunga community at the dam construction site. Image: Practical Action

Community members in the Charity Dam Construction Project are building an earth dam in western Sudan. The dam holds back seasonal river water and farmers can use it to irrigate up to 10,000 acres of crops. A thousand families in the area will benefit.

They have improved on the previous dams by adding gates to prevent the dam from breaking under too much water. The sides are also strengthened with stone to prevent them from being washed away.