Cereal Rye

Get the latest Soil Health Breeding news, research and developments covering crop genetics, root traits, nutrient-use efficiency, soil organic matter, beneficial microbes and breeding strategies aimed at improving soil–plant interactions. Coverage includes research into crop varieties that can maintain productivity while supporting healthier and more resilient soils.

Breeding for below-ground traits includes root architecture, root depth, root hairs, biomass, exudates and the ability to recruit beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms. These traits can influence nutrient acquisition, water use, soil aggregation, carbon cycling and suppression of soilborne diseases. Recent research in wheat, maize and other crops is examining how genetic differences between varieties shape root-associated microbial communities and plant performance under stress.

Find updates on root-focused breeding, microbiome-assisted selection, nutrient-efficient varieties, climate-resilient crops and genomic approaches for improving soil–plant interactions. Emerging research is exploring the selection of genetic traits that help crops recruit beneficial bacteria and fungi, while genome editing and advanced phenotyping could accelerate the development of varieties suited to low-input and climate-stressed production systems.