Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom - TAIR

links to online documents covering all of the information presented. All ICAR attendees are invited to ask
follow-up questions, submit data or get help with specific tasks at the TAIR curation booth. Materials for
the workshop will be available at: www.arabidopsis/portals/education/presentations/2009/ICAR/
ICAR_workshop_2009.jsp
Programme
16:30 - 16:50 Eva Huala (TAIR)
The Arabidopsis Information Resource (TAIR)
16:50 - 17:10 Dave Swarbreck (TAIR)
Structural Annotation
17:10 - 17:30 Kate Dreher (TAIR)
TAIR and the Plant Metabolic Network
17:30 - 18:00 Skills Practice and Discussion
3 Root systems architecture Kilsyth
Workshop Organisers – Anna Amtmann, Brian Forde, Peter Doerner, Lionel Dupuy and Malcolm
Bennett
Root system architecture (RSA) is the spatial arrangement of the plant root system. RSA is both output
and input for plant development, and its plasticity clearly reflects the interplay between plant development
and the environment. As different parts of the root system are exposed to micro-conditions within the soil,
RSA also fulfils a sensory function using a multitude of environmental cues to gather information about
the root’s surroundings. This enables the plant to optimally exploit the physical and chemical properties
of the soil. RSA is therefore a model system for fundamental research into plant development and an
important trait for agricultural productivity.
To understand the signalling pathways underlying RSA development and its responsiveness to the
environment, researchers have to measure RSA in controlled environmental conditions and diverse
genetic backgrounds. The complex geometry and underground location of the root make this a difficult
task, yet comprehensive quantification of RSA is paramount for integrating this important phenotype
with genetic and molecular parameters (e.g. mutations, QTLs, transcript and metabolite profiles).
Several labs have recently developed methods and resources to facilitate the study of RSA. In this
workshop we will present different approaches including live imaging, dynamic modelling and functional
genomics. The general discussion will focus on how these techniques can be put to best usage within
the plant science community.
Programme
16:30 - 16:45 Philip Benfey (Duke University)
Automated phenotyping and classification of plant root systems
16:45 - 17:00 Nick Chapman (Rothamsted Research and Durham)
Investigating root development within a multi-stress system
17:00 - 17:15 Lionel Dupuy (SCRI Dundee)
New approaches for the modelling of root architecture
17:15 - 17:30 Malcolm Bennett (University of Nottingham)
Future roots for UK research
17:30 - 17:45 General Discussion
17:45 - 18:00 Software demonstration
In conjunction with this workshop we will demonstrate new software in the poster hall:
EZ Rhizo (Glasgow)
Root Trace (Nottingham)
Balloon (SCRI)
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